Five Takeaways: Southmoore versus Westmoore
Southmoore defeated cross-town rival Westmoore 64-58 on Friday night to claim the 2018-19 Moore City Championship in the second edition of The Battle of the Big Cats. Here were my five takeaways from the game: Battle of the Big Cats…
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Continue ReadingSouthmoore defeated cross-town rival Westmoore 64-58 on Friday night to claim the 2018-19 Moore City Championship in the second edition of The Battle of the Big Cats. Here were my five takeaways from the game:
Battle of the Big Cats 2019 was one for the ages
What started off as a sure-fire thwarting from Southmoore ended up being the barn-burner of Friday night. In Southmoore’s 64-58 win, Westmoore freshman Ethan Scott led all scorers with 25, including a 15-point effort in the fourth quarter. Southmoore junior Darrin Ryan started the night off going 6-of-7 from the 3-point line in the first half, lending to the Sabercats’ 20-point halftime lead. Sam Godwin added another 17 points in the paint for the winning Sabercats, including a pair of electrifying dunks.
Westmoore success is heavily reliant on how Ethan Scott plays
Westmoore freshman Ethan Scott has been a high note for the Jaguars all season. He already has the WHS scoring record and has been on a role for the Jaguars. However, because Scott has such a large share of the ball, in the event that he is unable to score a lot of points, the Jaguars struggle. Scott scores 10 points in the first three quarters of play on Friday night, where the Jaguars trailed by 19-20 points most of those minutes. Scott turned up the heat in the fourth quarter to bring his scoring total to 25 and bring the Jaguars within four points, but it wasn’t enough at the end of the night.
Floor general Jordan Thompson
Southmoore junior Jordan Thompson, widely regarded as one of the top shooters in the OKC-metro, took a backseat in the shooting game to teammate Darrin Ryan, who led the Sabercats in scoring by knocking down seven total 3-pointers for the night. Most impressively, however, Thompson played just as big a role by using his elite floor vision and passing abilities to aid the Sabercats. He has some of the most remarkable passes you’ll see on a nightly basis and is always ready to make a play.
Southmoore is a candidate for the East
I’ve seen Southmoore thrice this season; each time, the Sabercats have played better than the previous occasion. They have gone from being a group of talented individuals to a basketball machine hosting a pool of cohesion and complimentary skills. The Sabercats could break through and have huge success in the 2019 playoffs. Don’t be surprised if you see Southmoore among the eight finalists playing in March.
Westmoore can be a dark horse
Westmoore is one of the best — if not, the best teams outside of the top-20 in 6A. Despite taking the loss today, the Jaguars proved that they are capable from overcoming a deficit, getting out of a hole, and piling on a bunch of points onto the scoreboard. Of course, the most efficient way to win ball games is not to allow yourself to trail by 19 points at the end of the third quarter, but credit is still due to the Jaguars. Westmoore has a talented roster and has players that can score with the basketball. Given the right circumstances, the Westmoore Jaguars are a team that could shock a lot of people.