College Article Feature: How Coach Higgins Strategized Victory Against Oklahoma City Blue

Written by Lexi Tanner | Utah Valley University

Feb 19, 2026- Coach Higgins led the Salt Lake City Stars to a victory of 126-137 in the Maverik Stadium by maximizing the impact of three key players. This success symbolized unity for The Stars as they fought for the competitive win.

Sean East II (55) controlled the ambitious energy, especially in the first half. While the Stars never led by more than seven points, East scored ten of thirty-one points in the first two quarters, four in the first quarter, and six in the second. Coach Higgins maximized East by giving him the most playing time, totaling 28:28 by just the third quarter.

As time slimmed, distraction from Max Abmas’s (3) continuous shots gave his teammates both critical time and an advantageous use of the court. When asked about Abmas’s technique, Higgins responded, “When Max is making shots, it feels like the court grows… if we use him in the right way, maybe we can get two to three sets of eyes staring at him and create more action around him.”

While East and Abmas dominated offense, Steven Crowl (21) aggressively defended the rim, increasing the team’s defensive focus in the second half. He attributes his defensive responsibility to being the only 7-foot player.

Crowl experienced a career high in points. Higgins attributes Crowl’s career high to consistent practice and gaining experience.“Steve’s just progressing every single day and getting more comfortable.”

The Salt Lake City Stars are scheduled to rival the Oklahoma City Blue again on Feb 20, and hope for another win.