Top Ten from the Week

This weekend the state featured several big time tournaments across the cold tundra of Oklahoma. My original plan was shot on Saturday morning due to Bartlesville being canceled but still I watched a ton of basketball. I spent my weekend going back and forth between the Putnam City Invitational, McGuinness Classic, and a little bit of Bethany footage (you will see later).

Trey Alexander Trey Alexander 6'4" | SG Oklahoma City Heritage | 2021 State #55 Nation OK Heritage Hall 2021 Combo Guard

Alexander led Heritage Hall to the Putnam City Invitational Championship. What we saw this weekend was a leader taking his team on his back in a rare way. Why do I say rare? Because Alexander does not care if he scores 40 points or 2 points just as long as his team wins. Let me explain better what is so special about that. Alexander makes winning plays on the basketball court. If there is an open man, Alexander hits him. A rebound to be had? Alexander’s got it. A loose ball? Alexander will grab it. A play to be made on defense? Alexander is going to make it. You get the point? Early on in his high school career Alexander primarily just a scorer. That could not be further from the truth in the middle of his junior season. It has been fun to see the growth of Alexander.

2. Sean Pedulla Sean Pedulla 6'1" | PG Edmond Memorial | 2021 State #81 Nation OK 2021 Edmond Memorial Point Guard

Pedulla opened the McGuinness Classic with a field day scoring the basketball. However, in the semifinals he ran into Choctaw who proceeded to make everything tough on him putting long, lanky, athletic defenders on him and face guarding him the entire game. Pedulla only shot the ball 6 times and was clearly not himself. What I did enjoy was seeing how Pedulla got through adversity with the Choctaw game. He dumped the ball inside to JV Seat JV Seat 6'3" | SF Edmond Memorial | 2022 State #250 Nation OK time and time again using the defense keying on him to Memorial’s advantage. In the Championship game Midwest City threw a lot of different looks at Pedulla. None of the looks worked once Pedulla saw the first three-pointer hit nothing but net. Pedulla proceeded to lead his team to victory scoring the game winning bucket with 4 seconds remaining. NCAA Division I programs if you have not gave Pedulla a look yet you are missing out.

3. Christian Cook Christian Cook 6'2" | SG Midwest City | 2020 State OK 2020 Midwest City Wing

Every couple of years or so there is a player in the state of Oklahoma who is massively overlooked. Typically, I beat the drum for the kid and so far each kid has worked out in college pretty darn good. Recent players such as Marcus Dickinson (Boise State) and Mason Harrell (Texas State) never got their due when it came to recruiting but have been more than productive players in college. I say all that to say Christian Cook Christian Cook 6'2" | SG Midwest City | 2020 State OK is the next kid I will beat the drum for in the state of Oklahoma. He may not end up going D1 out of high school, but I promise you if he wants to go D1 he will get there through JUCO. What impressed me so much this weekend was the improvements he has made to his game. The previous three years Cook has been regarded mainly as a shooter. Last year he debunked that theory by adding an impressive dunk package to his game. This season Cook has added a smooth pull up mid-range jumper. Cook put on a show at the McGuinness Classic and college coaches I will say it one more time, do not miss out on this young man.

4. Dalante Shannon Dalante Shannon 6'2" | CG Edmond North | 2021 State OK 2021 Edmond North Combo Guard

Shannon had quite the week dominating Norman North on Tuesday followed by three big wins this weekend in Skiatook tournament. I was able to see him on Tuesday and can say this in the 2021 Class Shannon was always thought of as a guy that was probably going to be a D1 kid. Turn that probably into a positive. Shannon was aggressive off the bounce attacking the basket with a high success rate. He threw down a thunderous jam putting the crowd on their feet. Shannon is also an underrated shooter. Keep a close eye on Shannon.

5. JV Seat JV Seat 6'3" | SF Edmond Memorial | 2022 State #250 Nation OK Edmond Memorial 2022 Forward

Seat dominated the McGuinness Classic from start to finish. The opening scene to the tournament for Edmond Memorial flashed Seat draining a couple three-pointers from behind the arc. Something I have never seen from Seat before that could impact his future greatly. Seat then proceeded to take it to Choctaw absolutely destroying the Yellowjackets inside. When you give Seat an ounce of room to catch the basketball inside he beautifully places the defender to a disadvantage and goes to work. In the Championship game Seat did a ton of dirty work to help his team out in the paint. I love that Seat is willing to do the small things to help his team win.

6. JJ White Norman North 2021 Point Guard

White is a scoring machine for the Timberwolves. The phase he is going through right now is a learning one of how to be THE GUY. Teams are keying on White and making every basket a tough one. In the long run it is going to make White a much better player. White has to remember to stay positive and that the perfect shot may not always present itself. As he learns how to attack defenses we will all see a massive jump in his game. White is going to be a D1 guy in the great Oklahoma 2021 Class.

7. Anthony Bowen Choctaw 2021 Wing

Bowen was a major new name I really enjoyed watching play this weekend at the McGuinness Tournament. He put on a show each night out on the court. It was not always the flashy stuff with Bowen either. How serious he takes defense is what really caught my eye. Bowen did a great job defending Sean Pedulla Sean Pedulla 6'1" | PG Edmond Memorial | 2021 State #81 Nation OK using his length and athleticism. Bowen is also able to guard just about anyone in Oklahoma basketball with the pressure he puts on the defense. Now, I would be wrong to not mention also the offensive skills Bowen possesses. Bowen thrives off driving to the rim and has a deep bag of tricks to get there. I am excited to see him play more and colleges this is a guy you should start to circle.

8. Jeremiah Johnson Jeremiah Johnson 6'4" | PG Wasatch Academy Prep Class Of 2024 | 2024 GA PC North 2023 Point Guard

Johnson came with it this weekend at the Putnam City Invitational. It was my first time getting to take in a high school game of his and although I caught just a piece of it I had to list him in the top ten of the week for the progression I saw in his game. Johnson is a freshmen but you lose track of that sometimes with how well he runs the Point Guard spot. He has a bright future at PC North.

9. Brennen Burns Brennen Burns 5'10" | PG Bethany | 2020 State OK Bethany 2020 Point Guard

The ONLY reason Brennen Burns Brennen Burns 5'10" | PG Bethany | 2020 State OK is at #9 is I was not able to see him play all that much this weekend in person. However, I had to mention him with all of the film I was able to take in over the weekend of him. Clearly, if you are looking for a Point Guard in the 2020 Class at the NCAA D2, NAIA or JUCO level this is a prospect you must give a look. Burns is undersized but super athletic with a great skill set and a high basketball IQ. The more I watch Burns the more I love his game.

10. Abraham Aghasedo Abraham Aghasedo 6'8" | C Edmond North | 2021 State OK 2021 Edmond North Post

NCAA D2 coaches give a big thank you to Corbin Byford. The jump Aghasedo has made on the court over the past year is unbelievable. In large part I give the credit to Byford for helping develop him in the post. There is still work to be done without a doubt, but the improvements are very clearly there. Agasedo is averaging nearly 10 and 10 a game right now as a junior. The frame and size of Aghasedo are going to have a lot of college coaches happy to watch his game.