More Names Turning Heads: Oklahoma’s Elite

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Yesterday we looked at some recent star performances across the state. Today, we will highlight another group of players that are all contributing at an elite level for their teams. From shot-making to creativity, all of these guys have begun to play at a very high level. Let's look at each player and what makes them so special.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1552333' first='Destin' last='Edwards']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Guard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Community Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Edwards has really hit his stride as of late. In a recent win over Star-Spencer, the senior produced a stat line of 23 points, four assists, four steals and four rebounds. Incredibly, he managed to navigate the entire game without a turnover as well. His efficient play will be key as the Royals look to play at a high level in the postseason. Edwards has also been hitting his foul shots, shooting a perfect five for five against the Bobcats. If he can continue to shoot well from deep, it will put the opposition in a bind because of his ability to attack off the bounce.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2140725' first='Brevin' last='Walters']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Guard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Collinsville</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brevin's ability to affect games in many ways has been on full display lately. The Cardinals have benefitted tremendously from his all-around play, winning six straight games. Over his last three outings, he is averaging 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.6 steals per game. Simply put, the junior makes winning plays on both ends. His long arms, paired with terrific zone eyes on defense, allow him to get his hands on the basketball a lot. In a win over Edison, he managed to force 5 turnovers and ultimately sealed the 49-46 victory. Look for the Cardinals to continue to follow his lead as they hope to continue to win games to close the regular season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2830344' first='Greyson' last='Lowry']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Guard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Community Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lowry has been shooting the ball well lately. His ability to prepare his body by squaring up and remaining on balance has allowed his percentages to skyrocket in the last few weeks. For the season, the sophomore is averaging 12.7 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest on 53% shooting from long range. Lowry has not shied away from the moment either, making some big-time shots to close games out. In late January, he fired in three 3-pointers over the final four minutes of game play to lead his team to a win over Ripley.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2554643' first='Slade' last='Black']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Guard/ Forward</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Crossings Christian</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The sophomore has been doing a little bit of everything lately. His ability to spot up and shoot from the corners has been something that his team can really rely on. With long arms and a high release, he looks confident knowing that his shot will not get blocked. Black has continued to grow as a cutter and driver. His ability to finish through contact around the rim has picked up and more plays are being drawn up to get him in these situations. At 6'6”, Black continues to show good body control to go with his aggressive style on offense. Look for him to impact postseason games with his ability to defend multiple positions, complimenting his scoring.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1552328' first='Jack' last='Sheriff']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Guard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Edmond Memorial</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sheriff moves well away from the ball on the offensive end, and his shot-making ability is always on display. However, his strength and aggressiveness on both ends have really shown up in recent games. In a recent game against Putnam City West, he scored 29 points to go with 10 rebounds. Offensively, he was able to pull-up and create separation, shoot from deep and play through contact as a powerful driver. Defensively, his strength was used to disrupt ballhandlers as he forced multiple steals with good body positioning. The senior does so many things well, look for the Bulldogs to continue to feed off of his energy on both sides of the floor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->