Saturday's Stars at Pride of the Eastside

The work of the Douglass Trojans cumulated on Saturday with an action pack day of basketball, with Oklahoma programs squaring off against top out of state competition. Competition breeds excellence and the best was brought out of standouts from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas.    If the last two weeks are any indication, Wilks has made the jump as a shooter. He opened the big contest with a flurry of three pointers. Those jumpers set the stage for 29 points and a Millwood win.   Along with the improved jumper, Wilks is playing with even more intensity and confidence. His motor runs hot on both sides of the ball, with great vision when pushing the ball in transition. While also picking his spots when picking up full court and even picking the pocket of ball handlers. Including a tone setting steal and slam early in the third quarter. Wilks also had acrobatic and tough finishes in traffic. Based on Saturday, if picking players from Oklahoma to go win a high school game, there would be very few players picked before the Millwood Falcon.     Junior year can be the separation season for prospects, and Denson's Saturday afternoon indicates that he's ready to separate. He's stepping into the primary scoring role for the Bombers and thrived. He opened the game with deep threes, then started working his way to the basket. On drives he had his fair share of tough finishes through contact, aided by his long arms to finish. There's always been that crafty aspect to his finishing, but it's looking to be more efficient. Especially as he's grown from a freshman sharpshooter who didn't like to put the ball on the deck, to a full offensive attacker who went right at a physical squad out of Texas.     The future Texas State Bobcat was an animal around the rim for the Texas squad in a win over an Oklahoma prep school program. Along with his powerful play around the rim, he's a skilled creative hub. Often making the right passing read with great vision. His blend of power plus skill and feel makes him a mismatch nightmare. Tweener prospect, but the clear winning traits he embodies and plays with make it obvious he'll find a way to be successful at the next level. Type of player that is often seen for low major programs that rack up 25+ wins and make noise in the tournament.     The Washington signee is back home at Har-Ber and carried the offensive load for his squad. Scored in about every way possible, acrobatic and tough finishes at the rim with defenders draped all over him. Pull up deep threes or in the mid-range. Giving up the ball, then great movement off of ball screens to pop open for threes. He's one of the more aesthetically pleasing scorers in the nation. Had some issues with turnovers while dealing with the waves of Falcons defenders but is still the type of bucket getter who will have a shot to make some money playing this game.     Melvin put on a scoring clinic on Saturday. He's a physical bully ball guard. Too strong at the rim, while also thriving in the mid-range. Great footwork and ball fakes to gain the inch of space for him to rise up and shoot over outstretched defenders him. Good athleticism to go along with his powerful build, simply a problem for the opposition. Type of guard who thrives in Iso situations as a walking bucket.     Cacciola played to his strengths on Saturday, knockdown shooting. Was money from the perimeter, on the way to 17 points with five three pointers. His one none triple was a free throw line pull up. With the return of Lawton's football players he was capable of playing in his more natural off the ball role. With the way he shots the ball, with his size and wingspan, he's one of the higher upside prospects in Oklahoma's junior class. It will be interesting to see how the rest of his game develops, but playing to his strengths should lead to a huge junior season.

The work of the Douglass Trojans cumulated on Saturday with an action pack day of basketball, with Oklahoma programs squaring off against top out of state competition. Competition breeds excellence and the best was brought out of standouts from Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas.