Nine Standout 2A Playoff Performances

Vanoss started strong on Saturday night against Central (Sallisaw). The Tigers battled back and made the second half a back-and-forth affair. Both teams featured strong contributions from multiple players. With a spot at state on the line, both teams dug deep and played with tremendous intensity down the stretch. In other 2A action, Oklahoma Christian Academy used a late surge to hold off a tough Cashion team. Let's take a look at who did what and how the games unfolded.    The sophomore was at his best off the dribble and attacking pressure from the Tigers. Bradley was the go-to option in the second half, saving some of his best plays for when the game started to tighten up. With the lead down to just four in the third quarter, he ripped through to his right and finished through contact to steady his team. He continue to be effective in the fourth both from the field and the free throw stripe down the stretch, finishing with 21 points. the most important part of his performance was the way he used his length to get in passing lanes on defense. Kanon collected six steals and really helped his team by providing extra possessions and fast break opportunities.     Jackson has been on fire as of late and was a key catalyst in the success the Wolves had capturing a regional crown. The sophomore entered Saturday on the heels of a 21 point performances that saw him shoot 8-13 from the field. Jackson finished this one with 26 points to lead all scorers. His ability to grab offensive rebounds and shoot over the top of Central defenders was a bright spot for his team. Look for Quenton to continue to be a matchup problem for opponents as he has the ability to play on the perimeter and handle the ball, as well as use his length in the paint.     Golish was effective from both inside and outside of the arc. With the shot-making from Buzzard, it was important that another Vanoss player step up to help support Bradley and Jackson. The senior was up for the challenge, scoring 16 points and providing defensive intensity when the game got close. His effort and energy were unmatched during the game and allowed him to impact the game on both ends. Only three players scored for the Wolves, making the win that much more impressive.     Buzzard was the star of the evening for the Tigers. The senior was unstoppable in transition and was able to finish through contact throughout the evening inside. Noah also came up clutch in the final quarter, hitting a pull up jumper from the right wing, followed by a 3-pointer to cut the lead down to just two and three points respectively after the Wolves had just converted on the other end of the floor. Central cut the lead to just two for the second time in the quarter but were unable to get over the top as Vanoss hit their free throws from there. Noah finished with 24 points to lead his team.     Woods saved his best play for the finish in this one. The junior played hard on both ends of the floor and was constantly on the floor trying to keep plays alive for his team. Trailing by six points, late in the fourth quarter, he was able to navigate two defenders with a pass from his backside finding Buzzard for an open 3-pointer. On another occasion, with the lead at just four, Woods nabbed another offensive rebound and finished through contact inside to give his team a chance in the final seconds. The Tigers play with great intensity and Jake leads the way by setting the example for how important each possession is in playoff basketball games.     The junior put together an all-around performance against the Wildcats. Mason scored via 3-pointer, layup, free throws and even caught a lob from Coleman. The Eagles flexed their muscle in the fourth quarter and finally wore out Cashion. Mason provided stability as a ball handler and passer, reading the defense well early on and finding three different teammates for open 3-pointers. With the game tied at 39, Mason got fouled, hitting one of two from the stripe. From there, he lifted the defense after recognizing he was being face guarded to give Coleman a driving angle to go up by three. The very next possession, saw him attack off the bounce to his left from the top of the key before utilizing a euro step to get back to his right hand and putting it off the glass and in.     Coleman played under control throughout the evening and trusted his teammates with open shots. His ability to put the ball down and keep pressure on the defense while using his vision to see over perimeter defenders really helped his team stay in the game early as Cashion was able to score consistently at the other end. Coleman had two drives in the final minutes that really put Cashion on their heels. His body control and finishing ability is something that the Wildcats could not find an answer for. Coleman was also impactful from the foul line at the end, hitting four in a row to seal the victory.     Mitchell continued to attack Mason, refusing to relent against the tough defense. The senior played off of two feet in the paint and showed great touch around the basket. Mitchell also provided great ball movement on the offensive end, finding shooters in the second half in key moments to keep his team within striking distance. He found Little on consecutive possessions in the final minute for a pair of buckets that cut the lead back to just four points. Mitchell loves going left and finished one last time after blowing past another OCA defender but it was too little too late as free throws became the difference.     The junior showed tremendous versatility, as he was able to space the floor from long range. His ability to shoot from both the corners and free throw line extended showed up in the second half. Little hit back-to-back clutch shots to give his team a chance in the final minute of play. Little was a matchup problem as his length allowed him to shoot over smaller defenders for much of the game. Look for Grayson to continue to work on attacking close outs when his shot is falling. This was an impressive performance against a really talented Eagles squad.

Vanoss started strong on Saturday night against Central (Sallisaw). The Tigers battled back and made the second half a back-and-forth affair. Both teams featured strong contributions from multiple players. With a spot at state on the line, both teams dug deep and played with tremendous intensity down the stretch. In other 2A action, Oklahoma Christian Academy used a late surge to hold off a tough Cashion team. Let's take a look at who did what and how the games unfolded.