Intriguing Prospects: Union vs. East Central

After a pretty close game to open the tournament, the second game between hosts Union (No. 18 - 6A - 11-2) and East Central (No. 5 - 5A - 10-4) saw the home team jump out to an insurmountable lead within the first eight minutes. Union held East Central to a score of 13-2 in the first quarter and never looked back. The visiting Cardinals could not get a shot to fall, despite a valiant effort on the offensive side of the ball. Union will now face Classen SAS in the second round of the Jenks/Union Invitational. East Central will face Putnam City North who lost 59-50 in their opening-round game earlier in the day.   <table style="width: 82.2444%;height: 63px" width="671"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 21px"> <td style="height: 21px"></td> <td style="height: 21px">1Q</td> <td style="height: 21px">2Q</td> <td style="height: 21px">3Q</td> <td style="height: 21px">4Q</td> <td style="height: 21px">F</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 21px"> <td style="height: 21px">East Central</td> <td style="height: 21px">2</td> <td style="height: 21px">7</td> <td style="height: 21px">6</td> <td style="height: 21px">9</td> <td style="height: 21px">24</td> </tr> <tr style="height: 21px"> <td style="height: 21px">Union</td> <td style="height: 21px">13</td> <td style="height: 21px">9</td> <td style="height: 21px">15</td> <td style="height: 21px">7</td> <td style="height: 21px">44</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>   Individual Scoring East Central: T.T. Mitchell - 10, Tiffany Robinson - 7, Jurnee Elliott - 5, <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/shay-stone/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/shay-stone/">Shay Stone</a></a> - 2 Union: Kaylen Nelson - 21, Sydni Smith - 6, <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kailee-choice/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/kailee-choice/">Kailee Choice</a></a> - 5, <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jayla-burgess/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jayla-burgess/">Jayla Burgess</a></a> - 4, Germari Harris - 3, T.K. Pitts - 2, Makenzie Malham - 1   Intriguing Prospects [caption id="attachment_139384" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo Credit: Jason Green (Prep Girls Hoops)[/caption] Kaylen Nelson | 5-10 G/F | Union From the outset, Nelson was scoring in this game. She never let up. A lot of the time Nelson found herself completely open under the basket and did not miss. When given the chance to turn and face the basket from 10 feet, Nelson did not miss then either. Everything was falling, much to the dismay of the Cardinals who could not get anything to go in. Nelson is a clear leader of the team, likely due in part to the fact that she has started all three years at Union. She guards the other team's best player due to her versatility and on this night, she helped hold the Cardinals to single-digit points in every quarter. Union head coach Joe Redmond said following the game that what Nelson is showing now as a junior is not even the best she can do. "She's just really starting to get a feel for how good she can be," said Redmond with a smile; a scary thought for future opponents of Union and likely a very exciting one for college coaches.   [caption id="attachment_139385" align="alignright" width="300"] Photo Credit: Jason Green (Prep Girls Hoops)[/caption] <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jayla-burgess/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jayla-burgess/">Jayla Burgess</a></a> | 6-2 F | Union Sydni Smith | 6-2 F | Union East Central's <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/shay-stone/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/shay-stone/">Shay Stone</a></a> likely does not get to match up very often with players that are equal in size to her. On this night, the 6-1 forward was out-sized by not one, but two players for Union. Burgess is a senior who has already committed to West Texas A&M and is an overwhelming presence in the post. Stone was held to only two points. When Burgess needed a rest, Smith came in and continued the lockdown defense on Stone. The sophomore looks to have a defter shooting touch around the basket than her counterpart. Redmond considers her another starter off of the bench and says that she has fully embraced her sixth-man role. "Most teams look up and Jayla's (Burgess) going off to the bench and they're thinking, 'Oh good, she's going to go to the bench'," said Redmond with a smile. "Then Sydni comes in and they're like, 'Oh god!'" Tiffany Robinson | 6-0 F | East Central On a night when <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/shay-stone/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/shay-stone/">Shay Stone</a></a> was being held to two points by the aforementioned "Twin Towers" of Union, Robinson was still able to find her points in the lane. Her defense held Burgess and Smith to just 10 combined points on a night when the game actually could have gotten more out of hand in Union's direction. Robinson plays through contact and goes up strong under the basket leading to the most foul shots of any player on East Central on Thursday night. Robinson is a senior who definitely deserves a look from college coaches this season. [caption id="attachment_139388" align="alignleft" width="300"] Photo Credit: Jason Green (Prep Girls Hoops)[/caption] Makenzie Malham | 5-8 F | Union Malham is listed as a forward on the Union roster and this might be attributed to her versatility. Her sheer athleticism is evident from the outset of the game. A tall and lanky point guard, she moves well defensively and - along with Nelson - was a big reason that East Central's star Mitchell was held to just 10 points. Malham's overwhelming athleticism is even more evidenced by the fact that the sophomore has already committed to the University of Arkansas to play soccer, despite having two parents who played basketball at Tulsa. Her older sister was also a star at Union in both basketball and soccer and went on to play soccer at Arkansas. Redmond says that Arkansas is getting an outstanding player. "As good as she looks out here, she's big-time on that soccer field," said Redmond following the game.