Team Preview: Classen SAS (4A)

<p>Classen SAS finished 7-1 in their final eight contests in 2020 en route to a State Tournament berth that never came to fruition.</p> <p>"Three-fourths of the way through the season, right before playoff time is when [our players] really kinda bought-in," coach Kendal Cudjoe said. </p> <p>Cudjoe’s three returning starters: seniors [player_tooltip player_id="953451" first="Anthony" last="Turner"] and [player_tooltip player_id="953448" first="Camari" last="Smiley"] and junior [player_tooltip player_id="1036990" first="Tony" last="Palma"] will be expected to carry that momentum into the new season -- if Classen SAS gets one.</p> <p>"I think they’re really motivated, I think they’re excited and ready to prove themselves," Cudjoe said. "They’ve been putting in the work.</p> <p>"When they’ve been able to put the work in," Cudjoe said.</p> <p>Last week, Oklahoma City Public Schools announced an indefinite suspension of athletic activities, a bleak spectacle for the Comets’ basketball program. Cudjoe remains optimistic.</p> <p>"There’s a lot of districts that are still practicing," Cudjoe said. "After the announcement. . . I think they will look at case numbers every Friday.</p> <p>"So we just kind of have to wait and see," Cudjoe said.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 1rem;">The Comets have reason to hope for a season to resume as swiftly as possible. One of those reasons is Turner, who is not only the leading returning scorer at Classen SAS, but one of the leading returners in all of 4A.</span></p> <p>"Anthony, I’m thinking pick up right where he left off with his scoring," Cudjoe said. "He was averaging probably 20-points-a-game going into the State Tournament. . . and he also led the team in rebounding as a junior.</p> <p>"He’s got four years of varsity experience, which helps," Cudjoe continued. "Those things and his leadership should be what he brings to the table."</p> <p>Smiley, his senior counter-part, is no second fiddle, either; He is a talented two-way player with great vision for the court, Cudjoe said.</p> <p>"Camari is a very unselfish player, he’s willing to do a lot of the dirty work defensively," Cudjoe said. "He can guard a big. . . he shoots the ball really well, can play inside-and-outside."</p> <p>The youngest of his returning starters, Palma, is a talented on-ball guard who can score it himself.</p> <p>"Tony has the potential to be a really, really good point guard, because he can handle the ball, he’s a great defender, he’s a great defender," Cudjoe said, "I mean he’s got the total package to play that position."</p> <p>"Those three guys will be leaders," Cudjoe concluded.</p>