Ada Team Preview

Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy! The calendar has flipped to November and it’s time to start talking high school basketball in Oklahoma! Over the last month, we’ve sent out questionnaires to all of the top teams across the state, to get as much information for our month-long preview series as possible to get you ready for this season. Who are the top players, who could have a break out year, who will be the top contenders when March rolls around and we’re all “gold ball chasing”? We have those answers and plenty more with our team by team previews! Stay tuned to Prep Hoops Oklahoma throughout the month for more individual team previews and more preview content that is on the way! <hr /> <h3 style="text-align: center;">ADA COUGARS</h3> <hr /> <h4>OVERVIEW</h4> Once again, Ada coach Kyle Caufield’s best player won’t be in Ada for the season. Ada was handicapped last season with the absence of Jaxson Robinson, who, as a junior in 2020, elected to forego his senior season with the Cougars to get a head start on his next chapter at Texas A&M. Even without Robinson, however, the Cougars managed an above-.500 season, finishing 14 wins to 9 losses in 2021 behind the stellar play of junior [player_tooltip player_id="955393" first="Kaden" last="Cooper"]. To the misfortune of the Cougars, Cooper will not be returning for his senior season after announcing his plans to join The Skill Factory in Atlanta, Georgia and reclassifying to the class of 2023. With Cooper goes 18 points and seven rebounds-a-night. “It’s tough. But it’s the nature of the beast. It’s a blow, just like the other one,” Caufield told sports editor Jeff Cali of the <a href="https://www.theadanews.com/sports/local_sports/its-like-a-bad-case-of-d-j-vu-for-caufield/article_545f789b-4d6e-5910-a510-e873d3c3afd4.html">Ada News</a> in August. “We still have a good group of kids. We’ll keep plugging along,” he said. Three starters return from Ada’s 2021 team, including Jack Morris, who tallied 11 points-a-game for the Cougars in 2021. The Cougars’ schedule will test their resilience, with December matchups Dec. 3 with Kingston and Dec. 17 against Carl Albert, both of whom earned state titles in their respective classes in the past three years. The Cougars will also play Dec. 9-11 in the Duncan Tournament. Out of the Christmas break, the Cougars will again face a formidable foe in Heritage Hall, defending 4A runners-up, Jan. 4. Then, Ada will play in the Chickasaw Nation ECOC Tournament Jan. 6-8, but it doesn’t get any easier after that. Jan. 11, the Cougars play at Hugo, a team that has been on the cusp of a 3A state title the past few years, followed by the Carl Albert Tournament Jan. 21-23, a bracket that will feature larger schools from higher classifications. Then, Jen. 25, the Cougars will fact Oklahoma’s No. 1 prospect in Adante Holliman when they travel to McAlester. <hr /> <h4>TOP RETURNING PLAYERS</h4> Jack Morris - 2023 Wing <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li>2021: 11p, 2.5r, 2.5a</li> </ul> Six-foot-3-inch wing Morris does a bit of everything for the Cougars. He can be best categorized, perhaps, as a 3-and-D sharpshooter. Offensively, Morris can score in the post, sometimes in the mid-range, but especially from the perimeter, particularly in the corners from the catch. Morris is also a threat to pass the ball on the drive, with a few nifty dishes from the short corner to an interior cutter last season. Defensively, Morris can host a block party in the 580 on a nightly basis. Altogether, Morris gives Caufield a lot of utility on either end of the court, as the junior will likely be propelled into a leadership role thanks to his versatility and returning production. Andrew Hughes - 2023 Forward <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li>2021: 6.1p, 4r, 2.1a</li> </ul> Hughes is a sharp on-ball defender and rim protector who can make it a task for opposing teams to get decent looks when he’s on the floor. Offensively, the 6-foot-3-inch forward was a strong presence for the Cougars last season, and the crew from Ada could see more from him this season. As a sophomore, Hughes was capable of putting the ball in the basket, especially in rebound-and-return situations, which gave his teammates some relief. [player_tooltip player_id="1295693" first="Camryn" last="Reed"] - 2022 Guard <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li>2021: 4.1p, 3r, 2a</li> </ul> Reed is a reliable contributor for the Cougars with a good shot and playmaking skills. Reed did a good job last season of knocking down open shots and using the threat of his shot to pass the ball off to open teammates. He’s also a sneaky defender who often finds his hand in others’ pockets and disrupts ball-handlers’ ambitions. Reed, a senior, could step into a more primary role for the Cougars this season. OTHER KEY RETURNERS <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li>Sr. Caden Ross; 2021: 2p, 1.3r, 1a</li> <li>Sr. Caden Carey; 2021: 3p, 2a, 1a</li> <li>Jr. Wyatt Brown; 2021: 5.1p, 3r, 1a</li> <li>So. [player_tooltip player_id="1159410" first="Devon" last="MacCollister"]; 2021: 4.4p, 2a, 2r</li> <li>So. Kendre Grant</li> </ul> KEY NEWCOMERS <ul> <li>Josh Murray</li> <li>Caden Ross</li> <li>Cooper Patterson</li> </ul> <hr /> <h4>NOTABLE</h4> Ada has remained prominent during uncertainty the past few seasons; from Kobe Burgess, to Sam Godwin, to Robinson, to Cooper, the Cougars have had no shortage of talent, but retaining that talent and keeping it on the hardwood has given Ada new challenges each year. Regardless, the Cougars’ core groups have been steadfast, perseverant through chaotic environment. While having that talent in-house has been a blessing, it may be even more beneficial for Ada to have a dependable crew of players that can step up and make plays and develop in unity. The Cougars may have that opportunity this season. <hr /> CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY 1940 Class A 1962 Class A 1982 3A -- d. Millwood