Game Report: Cameron vs. Braggs

As I said on Twitter before I headed out to tiny Braggs, Oklahoma - population 240 - it was the first time, that I can recall, that I have been to cover a Class B game (the smallest class of teams in the state). I am always honest with you guys, you know that. I pride myself on that. I was worried on the hour-plus drive down there that I was wasting my time and there weren’t going to be any prospects at all. I’m glad I was wrong. I was very wrong. There were some definite prospects from all classes and some very good seniors who HAVE NO OFFERS YET! I’m talking to you, college coaches! The game was an entertaining one between the Braggs Wildcats (3-3) and the visiting Cameron Yellow Jackets (4-2). Cameron outscored the home team - who only dressed out six players - by four points in both the first and second quarters to take a 29-21 lead into the locker room at the half. In the second half, the home squad came out playing much better defense and forced some very timely turnovers which helped to close the gap by one at the end of the third and head into the final quarter down seven. With only 20 seconds left and down by three, Braggs chose not to foul, instead trying to force a turnover with head coach Scott Belcher worried - rightly so - that the refs were going to let the players decide it on the floor and not at the line. A little too late, the Wildcats did get the ball and a desperation heave came up short as the Yellow Jackets walked away 47-44 winners. Player of the Game <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/DSC_0279-scaled-crop-2333x1532-1638574036.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-360093 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/DSC_0279-scaled-crop-2333x1532-1638574036-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="376089" first="Alex" last="Chandler"] | 5-6 G | Braggs | 2022 Remember how I told you there were college players there? Alex is one of them. Her coach told me as much before the game and I very quickly saw for myself. It wasn’t just her 21 points - which led the game - that made her stand out; her scoring prowess is only the tip of the iceberg. Chandler has good size for a guard. She hustles her butt off the entire game and does a good job on the defensive end. She showed tremendous handles which allowed her to break the double team that she saw for a lot of the game. Her shot is beautiful. She can hit from long range and has one of the best stop-and-pop shots that I’ve seen in a very long time. She sprints full speed at the basket and stops very quickly to rise up and drain her shot as her defender usually... well... can’t stop. When she does continue all the way to the rim, she finishes strong and takes a lot of contact. She is one tough cookie. She took a beating, to be honest. I’m hoping to get some video soon and I would be happy to forward that on to any coaches who need it; or, you could take a ride out to Braggs for yourself and have a look. You won’t regret it. Other Standouts <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/DSC_0049-scaled-crop-2258x1483-1638574200.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-360099 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/DSC_0049-scaled-crop-2258x1483-1638574200-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>[player_tooltip player_id="376029" first="Brooke" last="McCormack"] | 5-7 G | Cameron | 2022 Her coach said she’s getting off to a slow start so far this season in scoring, but I didn’t see that last night. She did a great job getting buckets. Apparently scoring is just what she does. Brooke had 17 last night. She has had bigger nights from the sound of it. She is the single-game record holder for points in a single game in the state of Oklahoma with 60. McCormack walks into the gym shooting it. She is a bucket, y’all. A guard with very good size, she drives hard to the rim and is unafraid of the contact. She gets to the line and makes her shots. She isn’t just a shooter, though. She is a tenacious defender with quick hands and is a clear leader in every facet of the game. She makes quick passes with intention and precision. McCormack is a well-rounded player, a prolific scorer and a no-doubt college basketball player. Coaches, I have her contact info. Message me on Twitter. You NEED her on your team. Trust me. At the very least, get out to Cameron and take a look for yourself. Every team needs a player that can get buckets. it’s kind of fundamental to basketball, right? <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/DSC_0307-scaled-crop-2304x1513-1638574107.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-360096 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/DSC_0307-scaled-crop-2304x1513-1638574107-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>Zoey Hall | 5-9 G/F | Braggs | 2024 The sister of the "Player of the Game" is definitely no slouch herself. She has great size for a slashing guard. Their sister-to-sister connection was on point all night as Zoey cut back door several times as her older sister stood at the three-point line reading the play and was rewarded with a good pass and finished it off with a strong lay-up. She is tall and long and moves with a fluidity that belies her size, her age, and experience. She shoots the three with a stroke - that while a little wonky looking - is quick and gets the job done. She played probably the best on-ball defense in the game as she was able to shut down just about anyone she was on, regardless of their size and whether she was defending inside or outside. She moves very well laterally and doesn’t allow penetration while guarding on the perimeter and is able to swat shots down low due to her bounciness and length. I look forward to seeing Braggs again in the next few years as Hall transitions into being the focal point. She is a player who could absolutely dominate - and not just at the Class B level. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/DSC_0079-scaled-crop-2252x1479-1638574348.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-360102 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/12/DSC_0079-scaled-crop-2252x1479-1638574348-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a>Tristyn Kirkes | 5-10 F | Cameron | 2025 Yet another player for Cameron that is going to play in college. Trystan was a revelation for sure. She is long and tall and plays both the three and the four. She can shoot it from long range with a nice pretty shot with a high release. She can handle the ball and moves very well, despite being young, tall, and lanky. She is clearly having fun out there, which I have emphasized before is very important. Her left-handed stroke from mid and long-range is just downright pretty. She scores consistently from all three levels and put up nine points on the night. She crashes the boards and does a tremendous job of getting into rebounding position. With the small-school teams, it is easier to pick out the players who have been playing grassroots ball and I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that at the smaller schools the coaches are called upon to coach so many different teams and teach, as well; they just don’t have the time to work with players as much as they would probably like. That being said, Kirkes has been working at the grassroots level. She is learning and, though she still has a lot to learn, it is clear to see that the foundation is there. She is going to be a good player - in college come 2025.