All-City Preview Wrapup
By Ryan Aber
raber@opubco.com
There might’ve been a state tournament feel to the finals of the All-City Athletic Conference basketball preview on Thursday night at Northwest and it’s not hard to see why.
In the boys championship game, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Star Spencer-Douglass could be a preview of the 4A title game in a few months.
It certainly looked like it could’ve been in the preview. Star Spencer, the defending 4A champions, won 25-24 over Douglass. While each team lost some key players, both teams returned some stars as well, led by Star Spencer PG Kendre Talley and Douglass’ big inside presence Marquis Buxton-Hill.
On the girls side, there was a bit of a surprise as Northeast outlasted Millwood in the title game 18-16.
If you’re a basketball fan and looking for a game fix this weekend, check out Northeast on Saturday night. Two teams that could be state contenders in their respective classes face off when Northeast hosts Metro Christian. The boys game is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
BOYS
Tuesday
at Northwest
Game 1: Millwood 27, Centennial 18
Game 2: Northwest 21, Capitol Hill 20
Game 3: Douglass 31, Millwood 14
at Capitol Hill
Game 4: John Marshall 20, Classen SAS 11
Game 5: Northeast 33, U.S. Grant 13
Game 6: Southeast 28, John Marshall 20
Game 7: Star Spencer 39, Northeast 20
Thursday
at Capitol Hill
Game 8: Millwood 27, Classen SAS 7
Game 9: John Marshall 49, U.S. Grant 14
Game 10: Northeast 30, Centennial 24
Game 11: John Marshall 35, Millwood 27
Game 12: Capitol Hill 36, Northeast 24
Game 13: John Marshall 37, Capitol Hill 30
at Northwest
Game 14: Douglass 40, Northwest 29
Game 15: Star Spencer 40, Southeast 21
Championship: Star Spencer 25, Douglass 24
GIRLS
Tuesday
at Northwest
Game 1: U.S. Grant 23, Northwest 18
Game 2: Douglass 17, Southeast 16
Game 3: Millwood 21, U.S. Grant 3
at Capitol Hill
Game 4: Centennial 36, Capitol Hill 6
Game 5: John Marshall 17, Classes SAS 13
Game 6: Northeast 19, Centennial 7
Game 7: Star Spencer 34, John Marshall 9
Thursday
at Capitol Hill
Game 8: U.S. Grant 25, Capitol Hill 8
Game 9: Centennial 36, Classen SAS 6
Game 10: Northwest 27, John Marshall 15
Game 11: Centennial 32, U.S. Grant 10
Game 12: Southeast 14, Northwest 10
Game 13: Southeast 24, Centennial 23
at Northwest
Game 14: Millwood 16, Douglass 14
Game 15: Northeast 22, Star Spencer 15
Championship: Northeast 18, Millwood 16
Desiree Bradley signs with USC
Carl Albert girls basketball standout Desiree Bradley, who was being recruited by several major-conference schools, including teams from the Big 12, has signed with Southern California.
“I loved the academics and I think I can go in and make a difference early,” said Bradley of choosing USC. “And I liked the coaches a lot.”
The USC head coach is former Los Angeles Lakers star Michael Cooper. Cooper, who has coached in both the NBA and WNBA, was an eight-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive Team and also the Defensive Player of the Year in 1987. Cooper won five NBA titles as a player and two WNBA crowns as a coach.
Bradley, who helped guide the Titans to a Class 5A runner-up finish last season, averaged just over 10 points and five rebounds per game as a junior.
Norman North girls a hot pick as break-out team in 6A
Expectations are high for a Norman North squad that is a trendy pick for the Class 6A break-through team this season.
T-Wolves’ coach Jeff Blough has all five of his starters back from last season’s 13-14 team. And not only could North make a run at the program’s first state tournament since finishing as Class 6A state runner-up in 2003, this could be the start of something big that lasts a while.
Eleven of the 15 varsity players are underclassmen and almost half are sophomores or freshmen. But even though young, the T-Wolves have a lot of experience and a lot of talent. Seniors Andee Wayne (who signed with Central Oklahoma last week) and Madison Marquardt, as well as junior Hayley Scott, were all-conference players last season. Another junior, Mariah Turner, is a Division-I recruit.
With a top-10 preseason ranking and a dominating scrimmage against No. 7 Lawton Tuesday, confidence is high.
“We played real well,” said Blough of the scrimmage. “The girls all played hard and we looked good.”
Southmoore sports this week
Southmoore sports this week:
Friday
Football: Bartlesville at Southmoore, 7:30 p.m. Class 6A quarterfinals
Saturday
Wrestling: Southmoore Open
Westmoore sports this week
Westmoore sports this week:
Friday
Swimming: at Altus
Saturday
Wrestling: at Southmoore Open
Norman sports this week
Norman sports this week:
Tuesday
Girls basketball at Lawton, 6:15 p.m.
Boys basketball at Lawton, 8 p.m.
Remembering Pat Price
It has been a tough week for the Oklahoma coaching community.
While Leodies Robinson was considered the father of Millwood football, Pat Price was just as instrumental in the development of Carl Albert’s basketball program. Price was Carl Albert’s first basketball coach, leading the team to several state tournament appearances.
Price died Sunday at the age of 71 and leaves behind a legacy of coaching. His sons, Jay and Tim, are the Titans basketball coaches now. Jay coaches the boys and Tim the girls.
Here’s a feature on Jay Price that originally ran Feb. 3, 1983 that talks about their relationship:
All-City Preview Day 2
The All-City Preview started Tuesday at Capitol Hill and Northwest. On the boys side, there weren’t a whole lot of surprises. Douglass handled a Millwood team that is without several of its key players while they’re still in football. I know Douglass has some too, but not to the level of Millwood. Star Spencer also cruised into the semifinals with a 39-20 win over Northeast. The outcome of that one didn’t surprise me much but I was surprised at the margin. But with Northeast having played earlier in the night, I’m sure that played into it as well.
Northwest will meet Douglass and Southeast will play Star Spencer in the semifinals and I’m thinking Douglass and Star will meet in the championship but it’s hard to count out teams coached by Walter Brewer (Southeast) and Leroy Combs (Northwest).
On the girls side, no real surprises there. It’ll be Douglass-Millwood and Northeast-Star Spencer for the championships. The guess here is Millwood-Star Spencer in the championship.
BOYS
Tuesday
at Northwest
Game 1: Millwood 27, Centennial 18
Game 2: Northwest 21, Capitol Hill 20
Game 3: Douglass 31, Millwood 14
at Capitol Hill
Game 4: John Marshall 20, Classen SAS 11
Game 5: Northeast 33, U.S. Grant 13
Game 6: Southeast 28, John Marshall 20
Game 7: Star Spencer 39, Northeast 20
Thursday
at Capitol Hill
Game 8: Millwood vs. Classen SAS, 3:30 p.m.
Game 9: U.S. Grant vs. John Marshall, 4:30 p.m.
Game 10: Centennial vs. Northeast, 5:30 p.m.
Game 11: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Game 12: Game 2 loser vs. Game 10 winner, 7:30 p.m.
Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 8:30 p.m.
at Northwest
Game 14: Northwest vs. Douglass, 6 p.m.
Game 15: Southeast vs. Star Spencer, 7 p.m.
Championship: Game 14 winner vs. Game 15 winner, 8 p.m.
GIRLS
Tuesday
at Northwest
Game 1: U.S. Grant 23, Northwest 18
Game 2: Douglass 17, Southeast 16
Game 3: Millwood 21, U.S. Grant 3
at Capitol Hill
Game 4: Centennial 36, Capitol Hill 6
Game 5: John Marshall 17, Classes SAS 13
Game 6: Northeast 19, Centennial 7
Game 7: Star Spencer 34, John Marshall 9
Thursday
at Capitol Hill
Game 8: Capitol Hill vs. U.S. Grant, 3 p.m.
Game 9: Classen SAS vs. Centennial, 4 p.m.
Game 10: Northwest vs. John Marshall, 5 p.m.
Game 11: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 6 p.m.
Game 12: Southeast vs. Game 10 winner, 7 p.m.
Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 8 p.m.
at Northwest
Game 14: Douglass vs. Millwood, 5:30 p.m.
Game 15: Northeast vs. Star Spencer, 6:30 p.m.
Championship: Game 14 winner vs. Game 15 winner, 7:30 p.m.
OKC All-City Basketball Preview Brackets
Here are the brackets for the All-City Preview that starts tonight (Tuesday) and continues Thursday at Capitol Hill and Northwest:
BOYS
Tuesday
at Northwest
Game 1: Centennial vs. Millwood, 6 p.m.
Game 2: Capitol Hill vs. Northwest, 7 p.m.
Game 3: Douglass vs. Game 1 winner, 8 p.m.
at Capitol Hill
Game 4: Classen vs. John Marshall, 6 p.m.
Game 5: Northeast vs. U.S. Grant, 7 p.m.
Game 6: Southeast vs. Game 4 winner, 8 p.m.
Game 7: Star Spenver vs. Game 5 winner, 9 p.m.
Thursday
at Capitol Hill
Game 8: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 3:30 p.m.
Game 9: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 4:30 p.m.
Game 10: Game 1 loser vs. Game 7 loser, 5:30 p.m.
Game 11: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Game 12: Game 2 loser vs. Game 10 winner, 7:30 p.m.
Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 8:30 p.m.
at Northwest
Game 14: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 6 p.m.
Game 15: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 7 p.m.
Championship: Game 14 winner vs. Game 15 winner, 8 p.m.
GIRLS
Tuesday
at Northwest
Game 1: U.S. Grant vs. Northwest, 5:30 p.m.
Game 2: Southeast vs. Douglass, 6:30 p.m.
Game 3: Game 1 winner vs. Millwood, 7:30 p.m.
at Capitol Hill
Game 4: Capitol Hill vs. Centennial, 5:30 p.m.
Game 5: John Marshall vs. Classen, 6:30 p.m.
Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Northeast, 7:30 p.m.
Game 7: Game 5 winner vs. Star Spencer, 8:30 p.m.
Thursday
at Capitol Hill
Game 8: Game 4 loser vs. Game 3 loser, 3 p.m.
Game 9: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser, 4 p.m.
Game 10: Game 1 loser vs. Game 7 loser, 5 p.m.
Game 11: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 6 p.m.
Game 12: Game 2 loser vs. Game 10 winner, 7 p.m.
Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 8 p.m.
at Northwest
Game 14: Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Game 15: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Championship: Game 14 winner vs. Game 15 winner, 7:30 p.m.
