Tuesday Night Hoops: Heritage Hall vs. Crossings Christian

Last night featured several highly ranked matchups across the state. A key storyline made the Heritage Hall and Crossings Christian game even more intriguing. With [player_tooltip player_id='1552365' first='Braden' last='Buckingham'] out due to injury, you knew someone would have to raise their level of play with the Chargers coming into town. Both teams entered ranked in the top 3 in their respective classes.   The toughness and tenacity were undoubtedly missed without Buckingham on the floor. However, multiple players stepped up in his absence though, helping to propel the Knights to victory. Let's get to the breakdown and players that stood out for both teams.   Final:   Crossings Christian 69   Heritage Hall 58   Crossings Christian (17-6)   Top Performers:   [player_tooltip player_id='2554643' first='Slade' last='Black'] | Guard   Black led the Knights with 24 points in total. The sophomore shot it well from deep, especially from the corner spots. His ability to finish with some aggressive baseline drives kept the defense guessing when they would close out too hard. Each run Heritage Hall went on in the second half was halted, with Black having a major impact in each of those situations. His efficiency as a scorer was big for his team in the fourth quarter.   [player_tooltip player_id='2140790' first='Rylen' last='Sykes'] | Guard   Sykes did a little bit of everything and was another player that stepped up for his team. Not only did he handle the ball more, but the junior did a fantastic job of getting downhill and finding teammates for open looks. Black benefitted on multiple occasions from outstanding passes from Sykes. Rylen impacted the game with his defense and scoring as well. In a segment in which the Knights lead went from just two to seven points quickly, Sykes had two steals and two assists that really ignited his team. Scoring wise, his ability to finish inside was once again on display using both his athleticism and physicality. The junior finished with 17 points.   [player_tooltip player_id='2382124' first='Jackson' last='Stone'] | Forward   Stone saw increased playing time with Buckingham being out. The senior forced four first half turnovers and really disrupted things defensively throughout the game. Early in the contest, he provided a spark with his energy and intensity. Stone took a charge and had three deflections as well, showing good defensive positioning and anticipation.   [player_tooltip player_id='2140724' first='Braxton' last='Veatch'] | Guard   The junior hit some big shots in this one and gave his team a big lift. Veatch hit three 3-pointers, all of which came from the corner spots. The Knights moved the ball very well and consistently found open shooters. Veatch helped to turn the Chargers away with two of his outside shots coming in the final quarter as Heritage Hall was trying to mount a comeback. Braxton showed to also be both a willing rebounder and good passer. When Heritage Hall went zone, one of the best counters was putting him at the free throw line because of his ability to not only get open but turn and survey the defense.   Heritage Hall (16-4)   Top Performers:   [player_tooltip player_id='2140785' first='Porter' last='Gillispie']   Gillispie set the tone early, scoring his team's first six points on a pair of deep three-pointers from the left wing. The senior caught fire from beyond the arc, finishing with six made threes on the night. The Chargers trimmed the deficit to four in the final quarter but were unable to complete the comeback. A key factor was their inability to free Gillispie for quality looks down the stretch, which significantly impacted their offense. Credit Crossings Christian for its discipline, but Heritage Hall must also shoulder some responsibility. The ball movement and continuity was not where it needed to be.   [player_tooltip player_id='2471098' first='Xzavier' last='Mbroh'] | Guard   This was just a two-point game at the break. Mbroh helped to complement Gillispie with his ability to attack off the bounce. The senior found teammates for open looks while also using his left hand well to finish inside. His ability to handle the ball and play at different tempos has been on display a lot this season. Something to continue to work on will be floor spacing and passing for the Chargers moving forward. The Knights did both of these things at a higher level throughout the night and this ultimately was the difference.   [player_tooltip player_id='2140723' first='Braelon' last='Bradshaw'] | Forward   The junior benefitted from some of the great passes from Mbroh, giving the Chargers an inside presence to go with the shooting from Gillispie. Bradshaw showed to be a matchup problem on multiple occasions with both his ability to finish inside, as well as putting the ball on the deck and attacking in transition. He has a unique skillset combined with some very good body control that allows him to initiate offense and play different roles for his club. This team has all the pieces to make a run in the postseason and Bradshaw will need to play well if they are going to win a title.   Moving Forward:   Crossings Christian @ Oklahoma Christian Academy, Thursday, 7:30 PM   Heritage Hall @ Bishop McGuinness, Friday, 7:30 PM

Last night featured several highly ranked matchups across the state. A key storyline made the Heritage Hall and Crossings Christian game even more intriguing. With Braden Buckingham Braden Buckingham 6'1" | PG/SG Crossings Christian | 2026 State OK out due to injury, you knew someone would have to raise their level of play with the Chargers coming into town. Both teams entered ranked in the top 3 in their respective classes.