Joh’Vonna Mitchell’s buzzer beater at Bruce Gray Invitational
Bruce Gray Invitational
Girls
OCS 52, PC West 45 – seventh place
Deer Creek 53, Western Heights 50 – fifth place
Enid 40, Star Spencer 30 – third place
Putnam North 44, McGuinness 42 – championship
There it is. Putnam North making me look stupid.
Going into the championship, I thought the Irish were going to handle the Panthers. But by the end of the first quarter, knew differently.
Was a little worried for Putnam North after Joh’Vonna Mitchell picked up two fouls in the first four minutes, but Kelsey Abraham kept the team rolling in the first half and rightfully earned the MVP honors of the tournament.
Likewise, that was the best game I’ve seen from McGuinness’ Caroline Cameron, who scored 13 of her 18 points in the first half to keep the Irish within striking distance.
Rae Rae Brannon came up huge in the second half for PCN, scoring all 12 of her points after halftime.
Tremendous atmosphere in a game that pitted two non-hosting teams in a tournament final. Great battle down the stretch. And while last year Putnam North didn’t make that final basket, this year, yep, Mitchell did it.
Enid 40, Star Spencer 30
Seriously, Enid fans are lucky to get to watch Courtney Chelf every single game. She is something special. She had 13 of the team’s 15 points at halftime.
In the second half, more Pacers got involved and Enid really took control. Kept waiting for that Star Spencer run, just wasn’t in the cards this time around.
Enid’s a solid team, but solid won’t get the job done in 6A girls competition. Gonna be a dog fight in the next month for those state berths.
Deer Creek 53, Western Heights 50
The Antlers are coming around. You look at that lineup and see a bunch of freshmen and sophomores, but it’s coming together.
Sophomore Alexa Adair looks so much more confident than she did back in December. This team is learning to win the close games, and I think they’re right back in the hunt for a state berth.
Bayli Blanchard is doing a good job in the post, and it was a good battle between Blanchard and Western Heights’ star Dilan Webster.
The Jets made a big comeback in the fourth and took a 50-49 lead, but Adair hit four free throws in the final minute to earn the win.
***
Robert Przybylo, bprzybylo@opubco.com
Bruce Gray Invitational: Joe Summers, Armon Provo too much for Antlers…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Bruce Gray Invitational
Monday (I’ll be there)
At Deer Creek
Seventh place: McGuinness JV vs. Star Spencer, 11:30 a.m.
Fifth place: Western Heights vs. OCS, 2:30
Third place: Deer Creek vs. Enid, 5:30
Championship: Mustang vs. Putnam North, 8:30
I felt Deer Creek would have to play a near perfect game to beat Putnam North. The Antlers didn’t, and the Panthers cruised in the fourth quarter to a 69-53 victory.
I have never seen Garrett Hermanski bottled up like that. PCN’s Armon Provo, an explosive scorer in his own right, put the clamps on one of the best juniors in the state. Provo frustrated Hermanski, was extremely physical with him and never let Hermanski get into that groove.
Hermanski had five points at halftime and nine points total. Great job by Provo.
If it was Provo on defense, then it was the Joe Summers show on offense. He hit three 3s in the first half that really set the tone for his game. Antlers had to come out and guard him, and he’s too strong off the dribble.
It was interesting because Deer Creek’s Jalen Burnett is a really talented player. However, the size of Summers was something he simply could not deal with it. Burnett still managed to have a really good game, but it was a clear difference of 5A and 6A in terms of the size there.
In contrast, the Panthers learned why the Deer Creek community goes ga-ga over sophomore Joel Blumenthal. He was trying to put the team on his back in the third quarter. He scored 11 points, including connecting on three 3s to pull the game within 41-38. However, all runs must come to an end, and Deer Creek couldn’t muster a response after JR Simon hit a three-point play and Provo drained a 3 at the end of the third to make it 50-42.
Mustang 46, Enid 38
Interesting Mustang team. First time I’ve gotten to see them. Do a lot of the gritty things, not afraid to go in there and mix it up. Not sure if the Broncos have the perimeter shooting for a long run.
Impressed with Ben Berry and David Glidden. Speaking of Glidden, he took a nasty shot to his shoulder in the third quarter but missed minimal time. After getting checked out, he was right back out there.
I see why Mustang is so highly regarded by opposing coaches, but neither myself nor Scott Wright has seen Mustang on its best day. Perhaps that will be Monday?
Looking ahead to Monday…
Rematch of last year’s final when Provo absolutely went off for 33 points and a PCN title. I don’t see this one being a blowout at all, but I stated earlier I thought Rick Harris’ boys would win it so I’ll stand by that.
Deer Creek coach Matt Bailey faces his former squad, Enid, in the third-place game. It’s not as simple as Hermanski vs. Alex Patterson and whoever has the better game, his team wins, but it’s close. They trigger so much on their respective teams when they’re playing well.
And OCS, who I almost left for dead after Thursday, has a chance to claim fifth place against a surprising McGuinness JV team. After losses to Heritage Hall and Deer Creek, big response by the Saints against Star Spencer.
Bruce Gray Invitational: Irish girls survive vs. Star Spencer…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Bruce Gray Invitational
Monday (I’ll be there)
At Deer Creek
Girls
Seventh place: OCS vs. Putnam West, 10 a.m.
Fifth place: Deer Creek vs. Western Heights, 1 p.m.
Third place: Enid vs. Star Spencer, 4 p.m.
Championship: McGuinness vs. Putnam North, 7 p.m.
Somebody asked me Thursday to predict the winners in the Bruce Gray Invitational, and I said the McGuinness girls and the Putnam North boys. I was three minutes away from being wrong Saturday.
The Irish girls trailed Star Spencer 35-29 before going on a 13-2 run to win 42-37 and advance to Monday’s championship game.
I’ve never seen McGuinness look so lost as it did yesterday. Coach Jennifer Burch gave Star Spencer a lot of the credit as the 1-2-2 zone befuddled the normally efficient Irish.
Burch said when the offense is down, the defense can’t let up. It didn’t. Eventually it was the defense that spurred the run. The press was able to create turnovers and Elyse Hight came up big down the stretch as she has for basically the whole season.
Another great game by Sharane Campbell of Star Spencer. She’s a fighter, no doubt. Felt like Star had set up McGuinness for that knockout blow but simply never delivered it.
Putnam North 45, Enid 37
Another two years with Courtney Chelf, Enid fans are lucky. She’s a good one and her three-pointer at the end of the third made it 30-29 Enid going into the fourth.
However, this was a good statement made by the Panthers. I always look to Joh’Vonna Mitchell and Alexis Watson, but Kelsey Abraham was the star in this one. And give a lot of credit to Blaire Hall’s eight points off the bench.
Watson took a nasty fall midway through the third with PCN leading 27-23. She missed the rest of the third and start of the fourth before coming back in. She seemed OK, hope she is for Monday night.
Looking ahead to Monday…
I think Rae Rae Brannon is going to have to come up big for the Panthers. She’s tiny, but she has more quickness than what the Irish are used to dealing with. Mitchell cannot get in foul trouble against Hight and Alexa Lienhard (and vice versa on that one).
Third-place game should be a good battle between Chelf and Campbell. I like Enid in a close one. Fifth-place game is intriguing in the grand scheme of things as Western Heights and Deer Creek might be still standing when it comes to the 5A state tournament. I like Dilan Webster to help the Jets prevail in that one.
Bruce Gray Invitational schedule…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Bruce Gray Invitational
At Deer Creek
Thursday
Boys
Mustang vs. McGuinness JV, 11:30 a.m.
Putnam City North vs. Star Spencer, 2:30
OCS vs. Deer Creek, 5:30
Enid vs. Western Heights, 8:30
Girls
McGuinness vs. Putnam West, 10 a.m.
Putnam North vs. OCS, 1 p.m.
Western Heights vs. Star Spencer, 4 p.m.
Deer Creek vs. Enid, 7 p.m.
Heritage Hall: Chargers sweep Saints…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
And that’s why there is no logic in comparative scoring even if you’ve seen it with your own eyes. I saw Oklahoma Christian School dominate at Casady in December. Last week I saw the Cyclones take it to Heritage Hall for four quarters.
So OCS at Heritage Hall, what are you to expect? Yeah, didn’t happen like that. And though Heritage was playing without Markus Wakefield and Quintaz Struble, um, you didn’t really notice.
Not with the way Tanner Tepe came out firing. He notched three 3s in the first quarter en route to 17 points and a rather convincing 52-38 victory against the Saints.
Eh, shows what I know.
Tepe and James Lima really got things going on the right foot, the opposite of what happened last week at Casady. Lima added another 15 points.
Heritage took a 27-20 lead into halftime, but a Jack Warren three made it 35-32. I thought here comes OCS. But it didn’t happen as the Chargers went on a 10-0 run after that point and never looked back.
T.J. Holland and Warren were up to snuff as usual. Holland had 17 points, while Warren had 13. The trouble, much like last year, is finding a consistent No. 3 option. Jackson Ogle has one of the best strokes I’ve seen, but it just wasn’t his night in this one.
Heritage Hall 56, OCS 49 (Girls)
Maybe I should have seen the boys result coming after the way Leslie Warner’s girls played. This was the best I’ve seen Heritage Hall play, and Warner admitted as much following the game.
Carter Cloud scored 10 of her 16 points in the second quarter as the Chargers found their rhythm in a 24-14 advantage in the second quarter.
Freshman Erika Wakefield continues to become a more complete player with each game I see from her. She notched another 15 and drove hard to the rim early, which opened up other things for her teammates.
However, the story of this game (I think) was the play of post players Corbyn Wheeler and Randi Booker. The only two seniors came off the bench for 17 combined points.
With Jordan Gooch and Alyssa Puckett in the post, thought the Saints would pound it in the post. And then that would lead to Dani Childress getting on a roll.
But it didn’t turn out that way. Childress had 16 points and Gooch had 14, but it was a little too late.
Heritage Hall is at Kingfisher for the Buckle of the Wheatbelt Tournament, while OCS begins play in the Bruce Gray Invitational on Thursday. I’ll be roaming both tournaments so I might see both teams again.
Private schools basketball: Boneman’s crystal ball…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
It’s not technically the second half of the season, but it’s close enough. After winter break, the games mean more and you start to see what teams are really made of.
Let’s start, shall we?
Bishop McGuinness
Boys: Look out, 5A. With Joe Edmonds back, this team is going to do some damage in the next couple of months. Matt Morrissey and Miles Newcomb have come up big, and Matt Christiansen should only become even more of an impact player with Edmonds back in the saddle. Get to see the complete Irish team this weekend at the McGuinness Classic (gonna be a fun 3 days).
Girls: Umm, though not original, look out, 5A. The Irish have not played their best ball, said coach Jennifer Burch. However, their only loss is to Santa Fe and have wins over Cache and Edmond Memorial and Weatherford. Great balance, led by Alexa Lienhard and Elyse Hight. The development of Kate Andrews and Theresa Nash is going to be key.
Heritage Hall
Boys: With the football boys back in the saddle, first-year coach Chris Hamilton should be able to perk up. Quintaz Struble might actually be better in basketball than football, something I would not have said last year. And with Tanner Tepe becoming eligible, Chargers have a chance to surprise some people.
Girls: It’s one thing to be young, it’s another to look young. Leslie Warner’s girls are incredibly small but showed some signs last week. Ericka Wakefield is going to become a player, and I think sophomore Carter Cloud is really going to develop as long as she becomes more aggressive. She gets down on herself too easy. She’s good. Starting lineup is three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior.
Casady
Boys: Coach Allen Dukes is loving his first year with the Cyclones, but the schedule is about to get infinitely tougher with Southwest Prep Conference play beginning this month. Preston Sullivan makes this team go, but it will be interesting to see how Matt Silver and Cecil Ray, among others, develop over the second half of the year.
Girls: I’ve heard it said that as a coach, Jen Warden might be the best coach in the Oklahoma City area. There is good improvement from last year in Warden’s second year, but it will be tough for the Cyclones. Shelby Cornelson should lead the charge.
OCS
Boys: Feel like I can repeat what I said from last year. You know what you’re getting with T.J. Holland and Jack Warren, but who will be that consistent third option? If Trent Toler finds one, Saints will be punching that state tournament ticket, I guarantee it.
Girls: Sometimes the ambitious boys schedule hurts the girls, but this is not a bad 3A team. From junior guard Dani Childress to post Jordan Gooch (stay healthy), the Saints have the pieces for a solid season.
Mt. St. Mary’s
Ohh, gotta admit I haven’t seen either team play yet (it’s on my list of things to do). I know Lenny Hatchett’s boys will be around come March. Not sure when I’ll see dem Rockets, but I’ll figure it out.
All-Private schools football team…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Back again. This time around we’re looking at the private schools in the Oklahoma City area. Plenty of good choices, couple of tough calls.
Here ya go:
All-Private schools
Offense
QB — Cooper Cloud, Heritage Hall
RB — Barry J. Sanders, Heritage Hall
RB — LaRone Richardson, Bishop McGuinness
WR — Skyler Sikes, OCS
WR — Jake Peace, Mt. St. Mary’s
WR — Charlie Cho, OCA
OL — Markus Wakefield, Heritage Hall
OL — Connor Morrison, Casady
OL — Bill Johnston, Heritage Hall
OL — Graham Bennett, Casady
OL — David Krenger, Bishop McGuinness
K — Keegan Carter, OCS
P — Kenny Wooldridge, CHA
Defense
DL — Zach Collums, Mt. St. Mary’s
DL — Nick Callaway, Bishop McGuinness
DL — Quintaz Struble, Heritage Hall
DL — Dakota Leftwich, Bishop McGuinness
LB — Garrison Lee, Casady
LB — Josh Blair, CHA
LB — Brandon Nguyen, Bishop McGuinness
LB — Graham Busby, Heritage Hall
DB — Mac Katigan, Casady
DB — Sterling Shepard, Heritage Hall
DB — Tyler Konarik, Bishop McGuinness
KR — Jamaal Whitney, Bishop McGuinness
Offensive Player of the Year: LaRone Richardson, Bishop McGuinness
Defensive Player of the Year: Sterling Shepard, Heritage Hall
Coach of the Year: Andy Bogert, Heritage Hall
Where to put Sterling Shepard became the biggest question. I had him at WR, KR and DB before deciding DB was where he could help this team the most. Bennett should be a DL, but he can be an OL, too, so we’ll be OK. No doubts on my three awards. If I switched and made Shepard offense, I would have gone with Lee of Casady as the defensive player.
McGuinness Festival: Irish and Antlers in a good one…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
I had a hunch heading into the McGuinness Festival. Just a hunch that the Deer Creek boys were going to walk in to Irish Country and pull off the upset.
Good hunch but not the right result. In a hard-fought game by both teams, McGuinness pulled out a fun 52-47 win in overtime Friday night.
Wasn’t exactly the most aesthetically pleasing game, but the effort was there 100 percent. Big players made big shots in a contest where neither team had a lead bigger than five points and there were five lead changes alone in the fourth quarter.
Deer Creek’s Jalen Burnett gave the Antlers a one-point lead in overtime, but then the Irish scored the next six to put some distance between the two teams.
It was all Matt Christiansen in the first half for the Irish. He scored 14 of his 22 points in the first half and was dominating the game. The Antlers had no answer for him inside.
Conversely, the Irish had their fair share of troubles with Garrett Hermanski. Much bigger since the last time I saw him on a basketball court, Hermanski didn’t fade down the stretch and led his club with 22 points.
McGuinness led 42-39 when Hermanski drained a 3-pointer to tie it with 15 seconds left. Miles Newcomb’s attempt at a game-winner was off and to OT we went.
However, it was a big fourth quarter and OT by Newcomb that spurred this effort. He scored 7 of his 12 points in the fourth and OT. Team just has to tread water until star Joe Edmonds comes back.
Get your licks in on McGuinness now because you won’t get a chance later in the season.
Very interesting to see how both teams come back Saturday. Deer Creek has Millwood at 12:30, while McGuinness welcomes the Jets of Western Heights at 3:30.
I could watch those two coaching staffs all day. Tondrell Durham and Andy Fisher at McGuinness and Matt Bailey and Michael Garbutt at Deer Creek. Fun to just observe those four doing what they do. Great atmosphere for a December game.
Back at ya Saturday night.
Bishop McGuinness Festival schedule…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
It’s been a great start to the season for the Deer Creek boys basketball team. The Antlers are 3-0 and are averaging nearly 80 points per game, led by junior Garrett Hermanski.
However, coach Matt Bailey’s club will face its biggest challenges of the season this weekend at the McGuinness Festival at Bishop McGuinness.
Deer Creek plays the Irish on Friday night and comes right back to play Millwood on Saturday afternoon.
Other teams involved in the boys and girls event include Oklahoma Christian School and Western Heights. There will be four games on Friday and Saturday. I’ll be there for all eight games.
McGuinness Festival
Friday
Millwood vs. OCS, 3 p.m. (girls)
Millwood vs. OCS, 4:30 (boys)
McGuinness vs. Deer Creek, 6 p.m. (girls)
McGuinness vs. Deer Creek, 7:30 (boys)
Saturday
Millwood vs. Deer Creek, 11 a.m. (girls)
Millwood vs. Deer Creek, 12:30 p.m. (boys)
McGuinness vs. Western Heights, 2 p.m. (girls)
McGuinness vs. Western Heights, 3:30 p.m. (boys)
Private schools honor: Heritage Hall football seniors…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Granted full access by the Heritage Hall coaching staff for the 3A championship against Kingfisher allowed me to see the things I normally don’t.
One of those was the group of Charger seniors huddling together separate from the rest of the team for one last final speech about what they mean to each other and what this season meant to them.
I won’t reveal anything that was said as that moment was for those nine seniors. Coach Andy Bogert would always have the seniors stand up first after the postgame talks, and he did it one more time Friday night.
And though a lot of talent resides in that spectacular junior bunch, those kids were quick to point out the leadership of the senior class and how that made all the difference starting from last year’s loss to Pawhuska.
The nine seniors: Graham Busby, Cooper Cloud, Shaun Tkach, Coby Brownrigg, Sami Horani, Dru Bullard, Blaine Kennedy, Andrew Johnson and Bill Johnston.
Seniors were members of 14-1, 15-0, 8-5 and 15-0 seasons.
Other contenders
Sterling Shepard, Heritage Hall: If you don’t know by now, Shepard scored all four of the Heritage Hall touchdowns and all in the second half of a classic 28-21 win over Kingfisher.
T.J. Holland, OCS, Basketball: He’s done it again. Man does he look sharp early on this season. Road win at Casady, followed by a tournament championship at Luther…not bad.
Alexa Lienhard, McGuinness, Basketball: In an incredibly brutal Edmond Open, the Irish beat Memorial and Cache with Lienhard doing significant damage.
Matt Silver, Casady, Basketball: I really like the potential of Silver this season. Cyclones were able to bounce back from OCS loss for consolation championship at Luther.
