Weekend Standouts: Southwest Covenant vs. OCA

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Saturday produced one of the best games of the season so far. The matchup saw two highly ranked teams in their respective classes face off. Southwest Covenant entered the game on the heels of a big-time 9-point win over Christian Heritage. Oklahoma Christian Academy on the other hand came into this one on an eight-game winning streak. The Patriots were able to cut the lead down to a single point on multiple occasions in the final quarter with the Eagles responding each time. Let's look at how the title game of the Coyle Invitational unfolded.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Final:</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>OCA 75</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Southwest Covenant 71</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>OCA Top Performers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2292271' first='Matthew' last='Mason'] | Guard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mason built momentum for his team early. The junior continues to show why he is so valuable to his team. Mason started the first quarter off with a 3-point make, two steals, a block and a fast break finish. His ability to impact the game in different ways night in and night out is a tremendous boost for his team. Mason worked hard to put himself in good position defensively, utilizing active hands to effect passes all game long.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2672356' first='Cane' last='Davidson'] | Guard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Davidson had a strong first half in which he forced two steals. He complimented his defense with a long 3-point make from the top of the key, as well as a transition finish. Davidson hit another big triple to close the third quarter and extend the lead back to five points. The junior has remained consistent, giving the Eagles added scoring and defense. Look for him to continue to elevate his play as we get closer to the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2408566' first='Carter' last='Coleman'] | Forward</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The sophomore remains a matchup nightmare for the opposition. The Eagles used him to help seal the victory late. With 2:35 remaining and OCA leading 67-64, he finished off a monster slam to give his team breathing room again. Coleman caught the ball at the top of the key and drove past his defender before elevating over another Southwest Covenant defender. Having multiple players that can initiate offense and create late in games will be a huge benefit as the season rolls on. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Braylon Whitmire | Guard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The story in the second half of this game was how close the Patriots continually got without getting over the hump. Whitmire hit a 3-pointer from the corner after Southwest Covenant tied the game, 45-45. The senior is another floor spacer that has shown the ability to hit some clutch shots so far this season. If he can continue to make his presence known in big games, look for the Eagles to continue to advance in the postseason this year. Braylon has had strong performances against ranked opponents.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Southwest Covenant Top Performers</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2079283' first='Gunner' last='Starnes'] | Forward</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Starnes recently surpassed the 1,000-point mark in his high school career. The senior came into this one with a lot of confidence, looking to lead his team to a tournament title. The consistency he showed in this one was a bright spot for his squad. Starnes was a force on the glass, playing with tremendous effort on both ends of the floor. His ability to run the floor in transition was on display as he made himself available multiple times for teammates.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2625551' first='Tripp' last='Niles'] | Guard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While the outcome wasn't what the Patriots envisioned for the night, another key cog for them showed up well. The senior is the best shooter on his team, with his length and release causing issues once again for the opposition. Niles created shots for himself while also hitting a very deep catch-and-shoot triple when his team needed it to keep the game close. Look for the Patriots to continue to lean on both Niles and Starnes as they look to finish the regular season out strong.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Moving Forward:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Oklahoma Christian Academy vs. Casady, Tuesday, 7:30 PM</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Southwest Covenant @ The Academy, Tuesday, 8:00 PM</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->