Booker T. Washington drops rival Bixby 86-74

<p><strong><em>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <h4><strong>BOOKER T. WASHINGTON 86, BIXBY 74</strong></h4> <p>The 17th-ranked Hornets opened the season Tuesday night in an 86-74 win on the road against No. 15 Bixby.</p> <p>Led by senior guards [player_tooltip player_id="955394" first="Ijai" last="Johnson"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1164879" first="Aaron" last="Potter"] who scored 22 and 21 points, respectively, Booker T. Washington pushed ahead to as many as 10 points ahead during the third quarter, from which the Spartans recovered. Though Bixby made it a match late, free throws extended Bixby’s cushion in the closing minutes.</p> <p>Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id="967379" first="Parker" last="Friedrichsen"] led all with 35 points, while four Hornets finished in double-figures.</p> <hr /> <h4><strong>TURNING POINT</strong></h4> <p>The conference rivals were deadlocked the entire first half, with Booker T. Washington taking the 37-34 advantage after a Potter buzzer-beater to end the half.</p> <p>Out of the gate, however, the Hornets stormed on Bixby’s home-opener in the third quarter. Key buckets by Potter, Johnson, [player_tooltip player_id="955391" first="Kam" last="Parker"] and Lathan Boone helped the Hornets accrue a double-digit lead. From there, Friedrichsen and Co. tried its best to regain footing, and the Spartans even came within three, but desperation fouling allowed the Hornets to close the game comfortably with free throws. Parker notched 17 points fresh off a hand injury that left stitches down the pinky side of his left hand.</p> <hr /> <h4><strong>MOST VALUABLE PLAYER</strong></h4> <p>Johnson’s 22-point game was one of his best so far. The shifty senior was often like a contortionist, manipulating his body around defenders to create separation before sinking a shot from the mid-range or converting at the rack.</p> <p>Standing about 6-feet-2-inches, Johnson attacked at or above the rim all night, not to mention the acrobatic maneuvers he pulled to make it even tougher for Bixby defenders to contest his shots.</p> <hr /> <h4><strong>WHAT IT MEANS</strong></h4> <p>Concerns have swirled since the summer regarding Potter, an Owasso transplant, and his fit on an already guard-dominated team. The Hornets nixed those questioned last night; everybody get his piece of the pie. Potter played well alongside Parker, Johnson, and Boone as each finished with double-digits, and as Booker T. Washington amassed 86 points in four quarters of 6A basketball.</p> <p>If the Hornets can continue to play this type of complimentary basketball, Potter’s joining of the team should only be fortuitous for the 6A contenders.</p>