Top Scorers from the Putnam City Invitational
The Putnam City Invitational is one of the best tournaments in the state every due to the number of tradition-rich programs that fill up the bracket. This a tournament where only the best will flourish due to the large amount…
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Continue ReadingThe Putnam City Invitational is one of the best tournaments in the state every due to the number of tradition-rich programs that fill up the bracket. This a tournament where only the best will flourish due to the large amount of college prospects who are competing. Here were the scorers in the tournament:
Rondel Walker 2020 PCW
Walker is a lights out scorer who can take over the game at any moment. Against cross town rival PCO, Walker went off for 33 points scoring at all three levels while also taking efficient shots.
The junior wing isn’t the biggest guy but he finds a way to finish tough baskets in the lane through contact. That part of his game has grown over the years which is why you are seeing him putting on up more 30 point games this year.
When trying to game plan for PCW, the first priority is to stop Walker but that is much easier said than done and most teams don’t accomplish their goal.
Dalante Shannon 2021 Edmond North
Shannon is a sensational sophomore who is quickly making a name for himself at the 6A level. Edmond North has some good wins this year and they may have surprised some folks with their record but with scorers like Shannon and others it makes sense.
EDN pulled off a big win against Lawton Ike in the second round due to a big performance from their talented young wing.
Shannon has a beautiful jumper which makes him an even more dangerous threat but he can so get to the rim and he has crafty moves in the lane for such a young player.
You can tell this kid has played against high level competition most of his life and that showed at the PCI.
Micah Thomas 2019 PCN
Thomas may be the best finisher at the point guard position in the state. He is only 6′ but he has outstanding touch in the paint which allows him to use all his tools to finish the play.
At the PCI, Thomas did a great job of using his teammates and allowing them to get going. However, when the game needed a basket to stop a run, they went to Thomas and he didn’t disappoint.
Thomas has a compact body which allows him to get to the rim and finish through hitting and grabbing him. The senior guard has put up some great numbers up to this point but I am looking forward to the type of numbers he can put up the rest of the year.
Tre Carolina 2019 PCO
PCO has a talented offensive trio of guards who can get it done on that side of the ball but Carolina specifically stepped up and showed his ability to get it done on all three levels.
Carolina shot the ball well which created opportunities to show off the rest of his game because the defenders gave him a tougher closeout on his shot after a few of his shots fell.
The veteran guard is special in transition and has a great feel for navigating the moving traffic and finding a way to get a clean look or draw the foul.
At the PCI, Carolina showed once again that he can compete skill-for-skill with any guard in the state.
Antonio Gordon 2019 Lawton Ike
Even though he was weighed down with foul trouble, Gordon used his immense talent to come up with consistent buckets anyhow.
At 6’9, Gordon was the best big man in the tournament and it showed with his productivity. He did a good job not just wandering on the perimeter but actually being purposeful on how he wanted to attack the defense. He went to the block over and over and drew a foul or finished the basket.
He struggled in a tough game against Edmond North but he did enough to give Eisenhower and opportunity to win the game.
Trey Alexander 2021 Heritage Hall
Alexander may be the greatest offensive weapon in Oklahoma high school basketball. When he gets out in transition, that is basically an entire offense in itself.
Alexander scored 37 points in the semi-finals against PCN and then followed that up with a 31 point performance in the PCI Championship against PCW.
It was incredible to watch someone score at such an efficient rate without shooting a lot of threes. He dominated the old school ways of scoring which is dominating in transition and attacking the rim and living at the free throw line.
Its an efficient way of scoring and it allows for Alexander to control the pace of the game.
Tobias Roland 2021 PCN
Roland was one of the more impressive players at the PCI with his performances. Other than their lopsided loss to Heritage Hall, PCN showed up to play all weekend and some of that had to due with Roland productivity on the offensive end of the floor.
Roland looks like a star physically but I was more impressed with his improved jumper and playmaking ability. He hit a multitude of open threes which showed off his increased range.
He never forced anything and just played at a smooth pace where he dictated how things were going to go with the ball in his hands. Roland has played well this season for sure but the PCI may be a launching point for this sophomore wing to take off on offense.