2021 Class 5A State Tournament Preview

<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #5c7cfa;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>No. 2 Tulsa Memorial</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f2f0f0;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Head coach Bobby Allison</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">18-3 (8-1)</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Last title: 2019</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>History would never tell you to put money against the Memorial Chargers. Even after squeezing out three-deep recruiting classes in back-to-back seasons, Allison always finds a way to reload and prepare a new team for the highest stage. This year, he may not have a Boone twin in the paint, but he does have [player_tooltip player_id="1031304" first="Bradyn" last="Hubbard"], whom has impressed so far in his junior season. [player_tooltip player_id="955392" first="Tyreece" last="Frierson"], a lightning-quick scoring guard, leads the floor for the Chargers, and anytime he finds sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id="967378" first="Seth" last="Pratt"], you have a better chance of giving up 3 than not.</p> <table style="height: 22px; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #c47070;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 22px;"> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center; height: 22px;"><strong>No. 18 Ardmore</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f2f0f0; height: 21px;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 21px;"> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">Head coach Kyle Jessie</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">11-8 (5-3)</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center; height: 21px;">Last title: 1994</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>Ardmore is far from a cinderella team. After being a year-in, year-out fringe tournament team, Ardmore won games against Glenpool and El Reno to earn its way to the quarterfinal game. DeDe Coleman, a fiery sharpshooter out of the handle and crafty slasher, Coleman can make a name for himself this weekend for the Tigers, but he will not be able to go all the way on his own; however with the help of Chadre McGee to knock down shots, this team becomes even more dangerous down the stretch.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #d45959;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>No. 1 Carl Albert</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f2f0f0;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Head coach Jay Price</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">20-4 (10-0)</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Last title: 2016</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>Nobody in 5A was able to check Carl Albert during the regular season, so it doesn’t seem an extrapolation to paint Price and the Titans as the favorites headed into the weekend. [player_tooltip player_id="745376" first="James" last="Locke"], who has taken the personas of <em>MVP Jimmy</em> and <em>1,000-point Jimmy</em> this season, is no easy player to stop, but this team is so deep that they may even be contenders without him; Antonio Watkins, [player_tooltip player_id="938849" first="Curtis" last="Rose"], [player_tooltip player_id="938850" first="Maurice" last="Cudjo"] and Quentin Woodson can all get a bucket, and [player_tooltip player_id="938848" first="Jaden" last="Harrell"] is good to get the ball to whoever has hot hands.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #d9d07e;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>No. 7 Tulsa Rogers</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f2f0f0;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Head coach David Winton</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">15-6 (6-5)</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Last title: 1988</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>One of the less talked about contenders, Rogers belongs in this tournament alongside the best in the state. [player_tooltip player_id="953751" first="Marcal" last="Johnson"] is not only a fabulous point guard who can get his own bucket, but has been an excellent leader for the Ropers. The two to his one-two punch is Marquel Sutton, an exceptionally athletic post who can play in the pick-and-roll, defend with high efficiency, and get a bucket with his back to the basket.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #535ce6;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>No. 6 Sapulpa</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f2f0f0;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Head coach Rickey Bruner</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">11-10 (6-1)</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Last title: Never</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>Anytime you have [player_tooltip player_id="745360" first="Jackson" last="Skipper"] on your side, you have a pretty good chance for success. The 6-foot-7-inch senior point-forward has chiseled and crafted his game over the years to prepare him to be the whole package in this role. He handles the ball as well as anybody at his position, can create his own shot and can slice through traffic and flush on defenders. Paired with [player_tooltip player_id="1036987" first="Tezohn" last="Taft"], a crew of talents and the mind of Bruner, Skipper and the Chieftains could play spoiler this weekend.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #de813e;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>No. 8 Coweta</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f2f0f0;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Head coach Brandon Maddux</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">14-6 (9-3)</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Last title: Never</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>After dropping two of its first three games of the year, Coweta tightened up to win seven-straight before a playoff run that led the Tigers to a tournament berth. Senior forward [player_tooltip player_id="1015832" first="Jacob" last="Mills"] headlines the Tigers’ attack, while sophomore guard Na’Kylan Starks runs the point for the Tigers. Coweta looks for its first state title this weekend, and if the Tigers can play like they did in wins against Claremore, Pryor, Glenpool and Southeast, they have a shot to play spoiler.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #436b94;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>No. 5 Shawnee</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f2f0f0;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Head coach Paxton Kilby</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">16-6 (12-3)</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Last title: 1951</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>Any time you have [player_tooltip player_id="964493" first="Jaylon" last="Orange"] and Kayden Shaw on the floor at the same time, you boost your chances for success. Their one-two punch to land lobs has been effective all season, but Shawnee’s offensive attack is much deeper than that. Aside from Orange’s slashing abilities, you are perpetually in danger of giving up three with junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="964491" first="Tanner" last="Morris"] on the court, and UCO football-commit Joe Maytubby can get his own bucket with his back to the rim, as well.</p> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #599939;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 100%; text-align: center;"><strong>No. 3 Lawton MacArthur</strong></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #f2f0f0;"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Head coach Marco Gagliardi</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">21-2 (14-1)</td> <td style="width: 33.333333333333336%; text-align: center;">Last title: Never</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>You don’t need history to be a legitimate contender. McDonald’s All-America nominee [player_tooltip player_id="745374" first="Danquez" last="Dawsey"] knows that, and it has driven the senior point guard to great heights this season. A 21-2 record with losses only to top-two teams in respective classes, a split record with Tulsa Memorial and an outstanding campaign, Dawsey has led the Highlanders to more than a season worth remembering in the 580, but is now three wins away from bringing his piece of the net back to Lawton. Brandon Cowan, [player_tooltip player_id="745369" first="Marty" last="Perry"] and [player_tooltip player_id="963194" first="Arzhonte" last="Dallas"] headline his supporting cast, and this most notable thing about this team is it can <em>run</em> -- maybe even faster than Carl Albert.</p> <hr /> <p>Quarterfinals (masks are required by OSSAA for attendance):</p> <p>Carl Albert vs. Tulsa Rogers // Thursday, March 11 at 2 p.m at Owasso H.S.</p> <p>Tulsa Memorial vs. Ardmore // Thursday, March 11 at 4 p.m at Owasso H.S.</p> <p>Sapulpa vs. Coweta // Thursday, March 11 at 6 p.m at Owasso H.S.</p> <p>Lawton MacArthur vs. Shawnee // Thursday, March 11 at 8 p.m at Owasso H.S.</p> <p>Semifinals</p> <p>Carl Albert/Tulsa Rogers vs. Tulsa Memorial/Ardmore // Friday, March 12 at 2 p.m. at Owasso H.S.</p> <p>Sapulpa/Coweta vs. Lawton MacArthur/Shawnee // Friday, March 12 at 4 p.m. at Owasso H.S.</p> <p>Championship:</p> <p>Finalist vs. Finalist // Saturday, March 13 at 2 p.m. at Mabee Center, Tulsa, Okla.</p>