CLASS 5A AREA TOURNAMENT
Collinsville Cardinals (15-11) vs. Will Rogers Ropers (19-6)
TIME: 7:30 PM 
LOCATION: Jenks High School
BROADCAST: T-Town Sports (Grant Merrill, Dean Green)

COLLINSVILLE – After a tough regular season and a challenging regional against perennial powerhouse Booker T. Washington, the Collinsville Cardinals know the challenges ahead of them as they head to the Class 5A Area Tournament in Jenks tonight.

With a 15-11 record coming into tonight’s game against the Will Rogers Ropers, the Cardinals are familiar with their opponent, and how much hard work was put in for both teams during the season.

“Yeah, well, we definitely haven’t looked past them. We know who their personnel is. We know they’ve got quality guards that can all pass, dribble, shoot, drive it. They’ve got competitors around the rim, Jay Oates, number 23, 24 in the mid-range and at the rim,” Collinsville Assistant Coach Nate West said on Wednesday. “He’s hard to block out both of those guys. And we just have our hands full. Everywhere the ball goes tomorrow, there’s a player that’s capable of hitting an outside shot, a player that’s capable of driving to the rim to create a layup opportunity. And they’re really good passers with each other as well. So it’ll be a tall task, trying to slow them down for sure tomorrow.”

If ever there was a starting lineup poised to get in the Ropers’ way, the Cardinals have it. Coach Todd Anderson will send to the floor five players that include three seniors: Walton Cavanaugh (#10), a competitive interior player and team leader; Aiden Anderson (#20), the point guard who efficiently runs the offense and shoots well from three; and Austin Normanndin (#2), another key ball handler and playmaker. Dylan Circles (#3) is the primary scorer, contributing from all areas of the floor, while sophomore Brevin Walters (#0) adds toughness, strong rebounding, and defensive versatility.

Off the bench, Cal Schloman (#12), a junior, brings ball-handling and energy that often shifts momentum. Jarrett Bristol (#24), another junior, is a sharpshooter who helps space the floor. Maverick Davis (#11), also a junior, provides interior presence, rebounding, and ball movement within the offense.

When pressed to name a player that might have shown the most changes from the beginning of the season until now, West said that improvement has been a team affair.

“Well, I would say with our group this year, I wouldn’t say that there’s one person that is like elevating their game with us. We’re either all going to play well or we’re probably not going to be successful, especially against a really good team like Rogers. And so I think that to answer your question a little better, each one of our guys have all learned to star in their role like Walton and Maverick. They star in playing in the interior, rebounding competitively, guarding around the painted area, scoring layups for us,” West said. “You know, on the perimeter, there’s Aiden, Austin, Dylan, Brevin, Cal, and Jarrett. Those guys have all grown in their ball handling, decision-making, in their playmaking, in their shooting ability, in their ability to drive it to the rim for potential layup opportunities. So I wouldn’t say it’s one person, I would just say up and down our lineup, we rely on all of our guys to make big plays for us and to play well, and hopefully we can get that done and go on tomorrow night.”

West says that taking a look at the teams the Ropers have played to this point, that the Cards are up for a tall task.

“Well, we’ve got our hands full tomorrow. Rogers, you know, they’ve taken a few losses this year, but if you go back and look at their schedule, they’ve had a really good season. They’re at 19 wins. They’ve only lost to regional champions,” West noted. “If you think about Memorial, Sand Springs, Edison, Cascia Hall, all those teams were district regional champions and then East Central won the Catoosa tournament. They won the Lincoln Christian tournament. And so, man, they’ve had a tough schedule. And we’ve had a tough schedule as well, but we know what we’re getting into tomorrow night, and it’s going to be a tall task to come out with a victory. Our kids will be ready.”

The Cardinals and Ropers will tip off at 7:30 PM tonight at Jenks High School. The winner of this evening’s game will take on the loser of the Edison and Memorial matchup on Friday.