5A Preview: Overland
2014-15: 23-5 overall; 13-1 in Centennial League; Class 5A state champions
Top 100 players: De’Ron Davis (No. 1 in 2016); Jervae Robinson (No. 18 in 2016); Reggie Gibson (No. 22 in 2016); Alijah Halliburton (No. 64 in 2016); Asad Yousuf (No. 24 in 2017); Nick Holmes (No. 60 in 2017); Steven Hayes (No. 9 in 2019).
Key Losses: Austin Conway (Wyoming); Ryan Swan (Air Force); King Grant-Perry (Adams State); Padiet Wang (transferred)
Key Returners: See the (long) list above.
Outlook: Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Luckily for Overland, the defending Class 5A state champions, they will have plenty of ways to distribute the weight.
It all starts, of course, with 6-foot-9 blue chip forward De’Ron Davis, the state’s top player. Davis is coming off a season in which he averaged 16.3 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.1 blocks per game. This time next season, Davis will be with a power-conference program ready to begin his college career. For now, he has a state title to defend. It will be interesting to see how some of the clear adjustments Davis has made, particularly his growing ability to knock down perimeter shots, will expand his game.
The biggest loss for the Trailblazers is point guard Austin Conway, the heart and soul of last season’s championship outfit who is now playing for Larry Shyatt at Wyoming. Overland may not feel the sting of Conway’s departure, though, as much as other programs might. That’s because Overland will turn to senior Reggie Gibson, one of the state’s top ball-handlers, who is eager and ready to take over a leadership role. Conway was a great facilitator but an even better decision-maker. That will be the task for Gibson as he assumes the quarterback role, knowing the offense better than he ever has and being a constant on-court leader.
Gibson has plenty of help. Alijah and Brett Halliburton are experienced members of last season’s team who bring a great deal of athleticism. It also certainly helps that Overland is getting back two players who were solid contributors on the 2013-14 team as sophomores – Jervae Robinson and Tyler Stevenson. Both played at a prep school in Oklahoma last season but are back and will add punch to the backcourt. Asad Yousuf is another guard who got some good minutes as a sophomore and could be a strong contributor. Add in transfer Nick Holmes, and the Trailblazers might have even more dynamic weapons than they did a season ago.
Will there be enough help down low for Davis? Last season, Ryan Swan could play some big post minutes. Overland has a promising big in the pipeline in freshman Steven Hayes, who plays even bigger than his 6-foot-3 frame. It’s unknown whether he’ll see minutes in his first season, but the future is clearly bright.
Just not quite as bright as the present for Overland, which has the look of a strong favorite to repeat.