5A girls semifinals definitely worth your time
By Zach West
zwest@oklahoman.com
Four games, four double-digit victories.
That pretty much summarizes my day covering the 5A girls quarterfinals.
(That is, unless you count the 30 minutes I spent frantically trying to figure out if people were just goofing off or if Putnam City really did get upset in the 6A boys tournament. Yup, they lost somehow. And I nearly lost my mind trying to send texts and call people while writing a deadline story.)
Anyways back to 5A girls. Thursday was pretty boring - just a bunch of dominant teams easily handling weaker opponents. Fortunately, this dominance means we have some pretty sweet semifinal match-ups coming up on Friday.
First, there’s Carl Albert and Coweta playing at 10:30 a.m. in the Ford Center. For starters, Carl Albert’s ranked No. 3 and Coweta is No. 2, which means fireworks should fly. What really piques my interest in this game, however, is that both teams essentially played identical games on Thursday. They came out, shot horribly in the first half, and then rebounded in the second half behind the stellar play of one particular player (Jenni Bryan for Coweta, Kylie Mayes for Carl Albert). So can both players – sophomores, mind you - keep up the hot streak? And are the teams going to come out affected by nerves again? We’ll soon find out …
(Um, sorry if I sound a bit like the 1960′s era Batman TV show there. Not intentional, I assure you. It’s just that it’s past midnight and I can’t really think straight)
The second match-up could be even better than the first. At 1:30 p.m. in the Ford Center, 5A No. 1 Tulsa Washington will square off against the only 5A team that it has lost to this year – rival Tulsa Edison. The teams have played three games against each other this season, with the Hornets winning two, but losing at Tulsa Edison. After talking to the Edison players, I’m pretty stoked. Not only did they say there’s a pretty intense rivalry, but one player told me she thinks both sides will play harder and more aggressive because of the rivalry.
Um, yeah, I think I’d like to see that, considering both teams already play extremely hard and aggressive.
Well, there’s my pointers for tomorrow. Hope you enjoy the games! Remember, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel …
An upset in the making
By Ray Martin
rmartin@oklahoman.com
It’s halftime here at State Fair Arena, where No. 5 John Marshall leads Morris 23-21. in a 3A boys high school basketball quarterfinal.
Morris led most of the first half, but John Marshall staged an 8-2 run to close the half.
UPDATE: JM escaped 63-52.
Keep checking NewsOK for live scores and updates.
First game at the Big House is a good one
By Ray Martin
rmartin@oklahoman.com
It’s halftime here at State Fair Arena, and Sequoyah-Tahlequah leads Plainview 39-29 in a boys 3A quarterfinal game.
It’s already shaping up to be one of the most exciting games I have seen this season.
It’s fast-paced. Players are making big big shots, many coming from well beyond the 3-point line.
And the best part: I’ve already seen four dunks. Two from Sequoyah forward Mike Soap, and two from Plainview forward and OSU football signee Justin Blackmon.
Soap scored on a reverse dunk with one minute left in the half to put the Indians up by 12, their largest lead of the half.
Stay tuned…
This week, Sequoyah has home-court advantage
By Ray Martin
rmartin@oklahoman.com
Not many teams draw a large fan base at 2 p.m. on a Thursday.
But the Sequoyah-Tahlequah Indian fans were hoopin’ and hollerin’ more than an hour before tipoff at State Fair Arena. .
A Sequoyah fan told me they expect to fill up one side of the big house if the Indians or Lady Indians advance past the first round.
Sequoyah leads Plainview 14-9 late in the first quarter.
Stay tuned to NewsOK for live updates of State Tournament games.
Revenge on their minds
By Ray Martin
rmartin@oklahoman.com
The Dale girls high school basketball teams’ goal for the upcoming state tournament is clear: get to the finals, and avenge a regular season, triple-overtime loss to top-ranked Konawa.
Dale senior Tarra Kania said she can’t get the loss out of her mind.
“That is what we have been thinking about since they beat us in overtime,” Kania said. “They should be in the finals, and we are ready to get back and play them and get revenge.”
Dale reached its 24th state tournament by avenging a regional loss to Cordell Saturday.
Dale defeated Cordell, 38-34 in overtime Saturday to advance, and keep its hopes of a seventh state championship alive.
During the area consolation win, Kania said she thought about how disappointing it would be not to get another shot at Konawa.
“It crossed my mind that we might not make it,” Kania said. “It motivated me, and I knew what we had to do and we did it.”
Say tuned to NewsOK and State Tournament Central for live updates Thurs.-Sat.
Next stop: Pullman
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
I know a lot of fans in Class B will be glad to see Stringtown’s James Watson head out to Pac-10 country at Washington State.
Some because he was a thorn in the side of opposing teams. While others probably felt Watson got away with just about everything as a Tiger.
On a much much smaller scale, could almost see how Shaquille O’Neal felt when he was dominating the NBA. The constant banging and bruising from the little guys because the little guys knew they could get away with it.
Watson had to endure a lot.
But it’s not even close to his struggles off the court. Thankfully, those struggles all seem like past issues as the future looks brighter than ever for Watson.
How can you not cheer for someone who went through 14 foster homes? Or when he found a family that would love and care for him, only to see an adopted sister died in a car accident?
Speaking with his adopted mother, Annette Watson, at length before Saturday’s game, she said something that really echoed with me about James finding peace.
Rightfully so, James was very slow to let people in. When you’ve been down the roads he’s been, that’s understandable. Annette said everything about James was anger. That was always his first emotion.
This year things have been different. Former players C.J. Washington and Orlando Brown commented to me about how calm James was on the floor where last year he would have gotten upset.
I guess the good and the bad of it all is that right at the time when James is truly finding himself and becoming the person he wants to be, he’s leaving to be a Cougar.
Annette’s not worried because even though she’s always felt James was part of the family, she now knows that James feels they are his family.
B Boys Notebook
Watson to honor his sister: Stringtown’s James Watson has sported No. 42 his entire high school career.
But when he heads to Washington State next season, he’ll be wearing a No. 14 jersey.
Watson’s decision to change numbers is his way of remembering his sister, Kayla, who died in a car accident.
“I want people to know her story,” Watson said. “She was an incredible person and a great influence in my life.”
Watson has worn a No. 14 patch on his jersey during this season. Kayla Watson scored 2,066 points at Tushka and is currently ranked 20th for the all-time list for 5-on-5 girls.
The Watson family may have lost one girl but has gained another. James’ adopted parents, Ronnie and Annette, have adopted a 4-year-old girl named Charisma.
“James just loves her so much,” Annette said. “Having a younger sister has really helped James this year. He’s found peace.”
Champs come home: There were some familiar faces for Stringtown watching the Tigers win their second straight championship.
Orlando Brown and C.J. Washington made the trip to Oklahoma City to watch their former team. Brown and Washington were part of the nucleus that captured last year’s title.
“I wish I could be out there with James (Watson) and Tyrus (McGee) and the boys,” Washington said.
Washington is a redshirt freshman for Connors State while Brown is at Cowley Community College in Kansas.
Seniors do just about everything: No team in Class A or B had a situation like the Chattanooga boys basketball team.
The Warriors started five seniors. Some teams had four seniors, but Chattanooga was the only club with five.
“I don’t know what else I can say about this group of guys,” Chattanooga coach Jerry Brown said. “It’s one thing to watch them grow on the court but to see them grow as people, too, has been incredible.”
The group closes their career at 105-18.
Raider Nation
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
No, definitely not the Oakland Raiders. I’m talking about the Lomega Raiders. A group that returned all five starters from last year’s championship squad and was able to repeat.
Sure it sounds great to have all five starters back. But I must say that is a ton of pressure to have on you all season. Of course, everyone is giving you their best shot. But the super five did it.
By the way, if you haven’t checked out John Rohde’s piece about one special Lomega girl, do yourself a favor and check it out. All you need to know about Lomega’s class and character can be summed up in that piece.
B Girls Notebook
Memorable weekend: While Saturday’s final did not go the way Sentinel’s Tamara Brown wanted it to go, she still made history.
Brown scored 77 points during the three games, tying her for the 10th most points scored by a girl in a single tournament in 5-on-5 play.
“Wow, I had no idea about anything like that,” Brown said. “I’m really happy to have had this moment. This weekend is what you dream about when playing. I got to experience that.”
Brown scored 11 of her 17 points in the second half in Sentinel’s 70-48 defeat to Lomega.
Brown shares the honor with Washington’s Lana Keith and Depew’s Rose Hammond.
Keith scored 77 in 2006 while Hammond did the same in 2005.
Runs in the family: The Sentinel girls march to the championship brought back some fond memories for Donna Ridling.
Ridling was part of the only Sentinel girls championship team back in 1973. Ridling’s niece, Sentinel senior Risa Ridling, was a starter for the Lady Bulldogs.
“All the emotion and good times came back to me this weekend,” Donna said. “It was so exciting to see Risa and the girls play so well.”
Donna Ridling still holds the Oklahoma State record for points in a game. She scored 51 points as a senior against Texas A&M and is a member of the Oklahoma State Hall of Fame.
OSU baseball player Rebel Ridling is a cousin of both Donna and Risa.
No last-second bummer this time
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Man, I hate to take away anything from the Howe girls, but the thing that stood out to me was how impressive Autumn Klugh was for Fort Cobb-Broxton.
I gave them a slim to none shot of knocking off Preston. And trailing 30-16 in the third quarter against Howe, it was all but over. An 11-0 run got ‘em back in it. But it also spent their energy.
The scariest thing about the Howe girls?? All of them are juniors. So get ready to see Chris Brown’s girls back at The Big House next year.
A Girls Notebook
Prayer answered: The Howe girls knew they had it good when junior Lindsay McCown drained a 3-pointer from half court as time expired in the first quarter.
McCown picked up the loose ball with 3 seconds left and calmly got herself in position. She had learned from her previous mistake.
Howe coach Chris Brown gave the girls a day off right before playoffs. The girls spent it playing Gotcha (or is Knockout a more common term?) from half court.
“I didn’t do too well during that,” McCown said. “I think I was eliminated in only the third round. I was composed today. I knew how much time was left. That’s something you don’t do every day.”
McCown’s buzzer beater gave Howe a 12-4 lead. The Lady Lions won, 53-41, winning their first title since 2004.
Klugh calls it a career: Fort Cobb-Broxton’s Autumn Klugh has been one of the most proficient scorers in state history but will not end with a state title.
The senior scored 22 points, but the Lady Mustangs lost to Howe, 53-41.
“Deep down, I really felt we should have won,” Klugh said. “We gave a good effort, but they did just a little bit more.”
Klugh eclipsed the 2,000-point mark this season and finishes with 2,318 points, putting her 11th on the girls all-time list for 5-on-5 play.
“I had never made a championship final, so that means a lot to me,” Klugh said. “A bunch of girls would have loved to have been in my position. This was a once in a lifetime experience.”
So you say it’s A-gra, not Ag-ra
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
The running joke all weekend was “boy, those Agra fans are celebrating like they’ve never been here before.” Yeah, by Friday night, the joke had run its course, but still those Bearcat fans had an enthusiasm that was just, well, strange.
Because even if you wanted to be upset at them or cheered for the other team, it was so difficult to not find it, I don’t want to say cute, umm, how about endearing or mesmerizing?
The A championship was going to be a great story regardless of what happened. Thomas hadn’t been in the finals in 71 years and of course, A-gra hadn’t been there ever.
When Drew Chestnut tied the game at 30, all of press row was adding Chestnut’s bucket to our running tracker and nearly missed the Bo Reedy steal.
How could you not feel good for Agra coach Chad Dickerson? What a moment, definitely the sight that stood out from week 1 of the basketball championships.
A Boys Notebook
The Steal: Agra’s Bo Reedy has never gravitated to the spotlight. His game-winning free throw has put him at the center of attention of Agra’s 31-30 victory against Thomas.
Reedy connected on his first free throw with 1.3 seconds remaining to give Agra its first title.
But it was a defensive play he made 33 seconds earlier that gave the Bearcats the chance to make history.
After Agra’s Drew Chestnut tied the game at 30, Reedy stole the inbounds pass with 34.8 seconds left.
“I saw the Thomas kid crossing over, and I took a chance,” Reedy said. “I’ll be honest, I just got lucky.
“It wasn’t a hunch or anything like that. I just thought our team needed a lift.”
Agra called timeout shortly after the steal, setting the stage for the drama.
Simpson an inspiration to Terriers: There was one Thomas boys player who would have done anything to be out there for the finals.
His name is Quentin Simpson. The left side of his body is not fully developed because of birth defects. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t contribute, Thomas coach Jim Petree said.
“He’s an extraordinary young man,” Petree said. “The way he’s able to do the things he does is incredible, truly an inspiration.”
Simpson was a part-time starter this season for the Terriers before injuries ended his season. The senior also plays football and baseball for Thomas.
