Large Schools (4A-6A)

1. Douglass, 4A (7-3): To answer your questions before you ask them, yes, they’ve lost three times, and yes, they’re still the best team in the state. The next two teams on the list are close, but neither has the full house of weapons the Trojans have. All three losses are to out-of-state teams in big-time national tournaments, including a team ranked No. 3 in the country by USA Today.

2. Edmond Memorial, 6A (11-0): Here’s the team with the best shot at taking the top spot away from Douglass. The Bulldogs don’t have a true big man — their post player, Obi Emegano, has signed with W. Illinois as a two-guard — but they’re dangerous at all five spots and very versatile.

3. Tulsa Washington, 5A (8-0): Super-athletic with a lot of weapons, and it’s going to be fun watching sophomore Juwan Parker grow up the next couple years. Clear favorite in 5A after winning it all last year and losing only one starter.

4. Midwest City, 6A (8-2): Here’s where the Power Poll starts to get murky. Based on winning the PCI — which had six legitimate 6A state tournament contenders in the field — the Bombers are in this spot, but there’s not a ton of separation between them and the 10th spot. MWC might also have the most untapped potential because of their youth.

5. Edmond Santa Fe, 6A (6-2): The performance might not justify being this high on the list, but the return of Michael Onuoha gave them a huge boost, and also gives them something not many other 6A teams have — a strong, athletic 6-foot-7 forward who can score.

6. Muskogee, 6A (9-2): The Broken Arrow loss in their hometown tournament was a surprise, but otherwise, the Roughers have been good. They don’t the space-eater inside that they had with Oren Faulk last year, but they’ve still got good strength and scoring potential.

7. Ardmore, 5A (8-2): Nino Jackson and Trey Cohee are one of the state’s most dangerous combos. One loss came without Jackson and the other was a four-point defeat to Midwest City. They’ve got to be one of the most intriguing teams in the poll.

8. Bixby, 6A (6-3): Not a lot of people are talking about these guys, and the loss to Owasso last week is puzzling, but they look like a team that can continue to make some noise.

9. Mustang, 6A (8-2): The biggest thing this team is missing is a really good shooter to keep defenses honest at the perimeter. But otherwise, the Broncos are really good, and we should’ve seen this coming. They started last season 2-7, then got within a game of the state tournament.

10. Bishop McGuinness, 5A (8-4): Joe Edmonds’ return is huge going forward (see what the Boneman had to say on the topic). They’ve got inside game, outside game, and they’re playing with confidence. Right now, I see four teams who are legitimate 5A title contenders and they’re one of them.

Just missed the cut

A half-dozen 6A teams: Seriously, the parity in 6A right now is unbelievable. I could make a case for any of the three Putnam City schools, Del City, Bartlesville, Tulsa Union, Claremore… probably a few more. I can’t imagine how entertaining the rest of the season is going to be.

Northwest Classen, 5A (8-2): Took a hit with 16-point loss to McGuinness, but still a strong team.

Bridge Creek/Vinita, 4A (9-0): Both are dominating everyone they play, but no wins that really stand out — yet.

 – Scott Wright, swright@opubco.com

Girls

West: Lauren Crenshaw, Newcastle; Alicia Crigler, Millwood; Kelsey Grellner, Okarche; Cami Loveless, Bridge Creek; Kristin Milster, Washington; Brittany Pfaff, Okarche; Lauren Pittman, Washington; Cara Pugh, McGuinness; Paige Pulliam, Newcastle; Bailey Wilkerson, Cashion.

Coaches: Rocky Clarke, Washington; Arnelia Spears, Millwood

East: Christa Beasler, Wellston; Brenna Burnett, Dale; Kaetlyn Carver, Chandler; Gillian Foster, OKC Knights; Kalie Lucas, Harrah; Heather Mullendore, Bethel; Taylor Posey, Wayne; Annie Taylor, Lexington; Kayla Thomas, Harrah; Brittany Watson, Bethel.

Coaches: Benny Burnett, Dale; Curt Knox, Harrah

Boys

West: Blaine Brooks, Blanchard; Kevin Caruthers, McGuinness; Kyle Crossley, Newcastle; Silas Day, Bethany; Tavion Fleeks, John Marshall; Denzel Goudeau, Harding Prep; Jabe Karr, Okarche; Dalton Newsome, Mt. Saint Mary; Han Thun, Oklahoma Christian Academy; Jordan Woods, Kingfisher.

Coaches: Ray West, Okarche; Lenny Hatchett, Mt. Saint Mary.

East: John Cooksey, Star Spencer; Jimmy Doolin, Dale; Cale Jackson, Bethel; Jordan Leggins, Northeast; Kyle Lewis, Bethel; Ryan Shelley, Casady; Adonis Sumlin, Coyle; Kendre Talley, Star Spencer; Detrek Wallace, Wellston; Henry Weaver, Tecumseh.

Coaches: Terry Long, Douglass; Jeff Edmondson, Dale.

Norman boys basketball coach Wes Clark resigned after eight seasons as the Tigers’ coach, ending a third tenure that further exemplifies what a job Doug Tolin did in his six seasons as coach.

Since Tolin left the Norman program following the 2000 season, Norman has not had near the success in boys basketball. Tolin, who is in his 10^th season as Oklahoma Baptist’s men’s coach, took four teams to the state tournament. Remarkably, half of his Norman teams advanced to the state championship game (1996, 1999 and 2000), winning it all in 1999.

In the immediate two seasons after Tolin left, Norman had two coaches (Steve Hudson and Mark Vancuren) last just one season each. That’s when Clark was hired. And, given that he was an assistant for Tolin, many thought the program would get back on track.

Clark, who has been coaching high school for 14 seasons as an assistant and head coach, never duplicated Tolin’s success. It’s more of a testament to Tolin than it is a detraction of Clark. However, the program has a rich history, one that has been a distant memory for quite a while now.

When Sherri Coale was the Norman girls coach she used to say “With great responsibility comes great expectations.” That’s the case when you sign on to lead a program with a bunch of banners on the ceiling and trophies in the hallway.

Norman was 5-17 this season and lost to Southmoore in the opening round of regional play. Losing seasons and early playoff exits have unfortunately become all too common for the Tiger boys. Meanwhile, the Norman girls have made it to five straight state tournaments and will almost certainly make it six later this week.

 Clark’s assistants and potential replacements are Mark Webb and Gary Harper, both of whom are former Norman players. Harper played in the 1970s, while Webb was a senior on Tolin’s 1996 squad that played for the Class 6A title. Whether one of them get the nod or if NHS hires from outside, a rebuilding job is at hand.

Whoever takes the job had better take that aspect seriously, because parents won’t have patience for continued losing campaigns. Coaches from Chet Bryan to Max Marquardt to Tony Robinson to Paul Meuser all had great success guiding the Norman boys. And Tolin did so even after the school district split, which eliminates that as an excuse.

As does the continued Norman girls success. In fact, Mossman has become the winningest coach in program history in number of wins and in winning percentage all while coaching since the split. What’s more, Norman North’s boys program, under former Norman player Butch Roberts, is having sustained success.

All those facets pretty much demand that the next Norman boys coach get the program back to winning ways. Clark, an Altus product and a two-time NAIA All-American as a player at Central Oklahoma, got eight years. But the next coach may not be afforded so much time without more results.