Top Prospects: Broken Arrow vs. Sand Springs
Wow. Just wow. If the rest of the Oklahoma 6A State Playoffs are going to be anything like this, I may not get much sleep these next few weeks. What an unbelievable game! It took overtime to finally separate the…
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Continue ReadingWow.
Just wow.
If the rest of the Oklahoma 6A State Playoffs are going to be anything like this, I may not get much sleep these next few weeks. What an unbelievable game! It took overtime to finally separate the two teams who played an absolute barn-burner in their third meeting of the season. Broken Arrow head coach Mike Dooney said after the game that he knew his team could win this one. “It’s hard to beat a good team three times,” said Dooney with a big smile. “We feel like we’re a good team.” When all was said and done, Broken Arrow advanced to the Regional Final with an 86-81 overtime victory in a highly physical and incredibly intense thriller. Several players stood out during regulation. Some stood out in overtime. A few superstars stood out in both.
Individual Scoring
Broken Arrow – Taleyah Jones – 36, Kelsey Duffey – 15, Jada Hytche – 17, Makayla Adams – 12, Tea Myers – 4, Aneesah Herrera – 1, Denym Sanders – 1
Sand Springs – Journey Armstead – 23, Hailey Jackson – 16, Madison Burris – 9, Jade Shrum – 8, Raegan Padilla – 7, Laysha Morris – 6, Darrian Jordan – 5, Bayleigh Cheney – 3, Sophia Regalado – 2
1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | OT | F | |
Broken Arrow | 20 | 16 | 14 | 29 | 17 | 86 |
Sand Springs | 12 | 17 | 23 | 18 | 12 | 81 |
Top Prospects
(Jason Green – Prep Girls Hoops)Taleyah Jones (5-8 – Guard – So.)
Don’t let her size fool you. She may weigh 100 pounds soaking wet, but Jones is relentless when it comes to scoring. Inside… outside… she can do it all. More importantly, she can do it when it really matters. Jones scored 10 of her 36 in the overtime period, almost double the overtime total of any other player. Jones defends well and hustles every single possession. In a very physical game, Jones showed that she can withstand the punishment and dish out a little punishment of her own – on the scoreboard. Jones will be one of the top prospects in the state by her senior year. Dooney said it best after the game. “Wow. Only a sophomore. That kid’s got a bright future.” Wow is right!
(Jason Green – Prep Girls Hoops)Journey Armstead (5-9 – Guard – So.)
Perhaps the most exciting thing about this entire match-up is the fact that for the next two years we will see these budding superstars match-up. Armstead is an absolute scoring machine. She is incredibly smart and very fast to recognize the double team and get her teammates involved. She can create shots with her outstanding quickness and amazing handles. Armstead has that fire inside of her that college coaches long for in their recruits. With two more years of experience – and perhaps a feeling of unfinished business – Armstead is really going to turn some heads.
Kelsey Duffey (5-3 – Guard – Jr.)
Duffey is a true point guard in every sense of the word. She distributes the ball, first and foremost. She can handle the ball well and almost always is able to dribble her way out of trouble. She leads the team in steals, also. At the end of regulation, Duffey had the ball stolen from her before Sand Springs went down and made one of two free throws to tie the game. Duffey’s demeanor never changed. She got the ball in the left corner as soon as overtime started and drained a three to give her team a lead that they would not relinquish. Following the game, Dooney said that Duffey relishes the big moment. “She’s big time. She likes the big moments. She wants to shoot those shots in the big moments,” said Dooney.
(Jason Green – Prep Girls Hoops)Hailey Jackson (5-11 – Forward – Fr.)
All of Oklahoma 6A should be worried that Jackson is only a freshman. It was her free throw that sent the game to overtime where she was one of only two Sandites to score. She is still learning how to use her outstanding size in the middle. As just a freshman, it would not surprise me to see her as a top-level D-I recruit before she graduates. Scoring 16 in the regional section of the tournament is impressive. I have a feeling that her next few years will be even more spectacular.