Who to see: Jan. 29

<p>Below is a list of games to watch Friday night.</p> <hr /> <p><strong>(6A) No. 8 Broken Arrow @ No. 9 Bixby - 8 p.m.</strong></p> [caption id="attachment_1085286" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Aaron-Johnson-Tyler-Pinder.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1085286" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Aaron-Johnson-Tyler-Pinder-300x177.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="177" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="745361" first="Tyler" last="Pinder"] (left) and [player_tooltip player_id="1049323" first="Aaron" last="Johnson"] (Joshua Cleary/Prep Hoops).[/caption] <p>The East-side <a href="http://www.ossaa.net/docs/2020-21/Basketball/BK_2020-21_6A5AAreaAssignments.pdf">playoff bracket</a> is loaded with talent this season. Due to Sapulpa’s exit from 6A to 5A, four teams, rather than three -- Putnam City West, Del City, Norman North and Midwest City -- will head to that side of the state to balance the bracket, which could result in some of the best teams from the 918 being left out come March.</p> <p>Because of that, the implications of Friday night’s game between Broken Arrow and Bixby could be mega. [player_tooltip player_id="967379" first="Parker" last="Friedrichsen"] has led the Spartans to their best start in some time, exceeding expectations and busting through tournament brackets on the way. Meanwhile, [player_tooltip player_id="958390" first="Anthony" last="Allen"] is back-in-action for Broken Arrow, and adding his post presence to a roster stacked with guard talent -- [player_tooltip player_id="938854" first="George" last="McCurdy"], [player_tooltip player_id="745361" first="Tyler" last="Pinder"], [player_tooltip player_id="1015836" first="Ian" last="Golden"], [player_tooltip player_id="1049323" first="Aaron" last="Johnson"] and more -- may be the tipping point that could lead to the Tigers’ break-through in this game and throughout the post-season.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="1015831" first="Jaiell" last="Talley"], on the other hand, may have his hands full with [player_tooltip player_id="1015793" first="Xavier" last="Glenn"] and [player_tooltip player_id="967380" first="Luke" last="Hasz"]; and any time you have a knock-down sharpshooter like [player_tooltip player_id="1015839" first="Braden" last="Weaver"] playing against you, you can expect to be bitten a couple times or more.</p> <p>Tip-off for that game is set for 8 p.m.</p> <hr /> <p><b>(4A) No. 1 Kingfisher @ (5A) No. 1 Carl Albert</b></p> <p>If you scroll through Twitter tonight and catch a tweet mentioning career nights from [player_tooltip player_id="535632" first="Bijan" last="Cortes"], [player_tooltip player_id="535628" first="Matthew" last="Stone"] and [player_tooltip player_id="745376" first="James" last="Locke"], there’s no need for a double take.</p> [caption id="attachment_1109772" align="alignleft" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/james-locke.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1109772" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2021/01/james-locke-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="745376" first="James" last="Locke"].[/caption] <p>This will be the sixth or seventh time I have watched a No. 1 versus No. 1 during my time writing for Prep Hoops -- the last being Kingfisher’s 27-point night against Edmond Memorial on Dec. 12. Friday night, however, could be much different from that game. Carl Albert is a particularly fast team, maybe the fastest in the state, and if Kingfisher burns the clock, it may burn them against the transition-dominant Titans.</p> <p>There is no question that hardly anybody can stop [player_tooltip player_id="535632" first="Bijan" last="Cortes"] with the ball in his hands, but at the rate [player_tooltip player_id="745376" first="James" last="Locke"] has been going this season, he may have a legitimate shot at equaling him. <em>MVP Jimmy</em> is on a scoring tear this season.</p> [caption id="attachment_1092072" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Matthew-Stone.jpg"><img class="wp-image-1092072 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/11/Matthew-Stone-300x204.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="204" /></a> [player_tooltip player_id="535628" first="Matthew" last="Stone"] (Joshua Cleary/Prep Hoops).[/caption] <p>[player_tooltip player_id="535628" first="Matthew" last="Stone"], on the other hand, could lead to further complications. The 6-foot-5-inch guard-forward is likely to have a big night as long as he stays out of foul trouble. Adding [player_tooltip player_id="981333" first="Maverick" last="Ridenour"] on the wing to knock down shots potentially at a remarkable percentage would overwhelm most teams; however, where the YellowJackets are top-heavy, the Titans have matchups across the board that could trouble Kingfisher.</p> <p>[player_tooltip player_id="938867" first="Jarrett" last="Birdwell"] will have his hands full with the post-tandem of [player_tooltip player_id="1015852" first="Antonio" last="Watson"] and Quentin Woodson, and who will stop [player_tooltip player_id="938849" first="Curtis" last="Rose"]? That does not even mention the inflated athleticism of [player_tooltip player_id="938850" first="Maurice" last="Cudjo"] or the facilitatory talents of [player_tooltip player_id="938848" first="Jaden" last="Harrell"], who has been known to tally five-or-more assists on zero shot attempts.</p> <p>Tip-off for that game is set for 8 p.m.</p> <hr /> <p><strong>(4A) No. 6 Tuttle @ No. 2 Heritage Hall - 8 p.m.</strong></p> <p><a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/IMG_5160.jpeg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1098515 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ph/uploads/2020/12/IMG_5160-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>This one could go either way.</p> <p>Will [player_tooltip player_id="955386" first="Isaac" last="McDoulett"] and [player_tooltip player_id="958061" first="Kaden" last="Vande"] have what it takes to overpower the No. 1 player in the state, [player_tooltip player_id="535625" first="Trey" last="Alexander"]? It is hard to say.</p> <p>Meanwhile, post-scorer Tylor McCarthy has quietly been showing great improvements in the paint, and he could be the star of the game for the Tigers.</p> <p>For the Chargers, on the converse, it will come down to their back-court. [player_tooltip player_id="981286" first="Sebastian" last="Perry"] needs to make great passes and finish shots at the rim, but most importantly, he needs to play <em>fast</em> on the outlet. [player_tooltip player_id="1068566" first="CJ" last="Smith"], on the other hand, needs to knock down shots, finish through contact, and he needs to be prepared to defend, most importantly.</p> <p>Tip-off for that game is set for 8 p.m.</p>