Del City Team Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On October 1st, basketball practices opened up all across the state of Oklahoma. Scrimmages opened up and for some of the smaller schools, they've started playing regular season games! We're taking an in-depth look at some of the top teams in the state with our team previews. Keep it locked into Prep Hoops Oklahoma as we'll have new preview content dropping on the site every single day!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this preview, we take a look at Class 5A contender Del City.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2021-2022 RESULTS</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Del City has become one of the consistent powers in Oklahoma and it hasn't mattered what class they are playing in. The last few years, they've been in Class 5A and they'll be in 5A again this season. But when you look back at last year, you can't tell the story without talking about the three-day stretch in Tulsa at the Tournament Of Champions. The Eagles were 3-3 coming into the marquee tournament in late December. They had lost three in a row heading into the tournament but they would end up winning the annual event in Tulsa. And they did so in impressive fashion. After beating Jenks in overtime in the semifinals, they would rally to beat 5A rival Memorial in the championship game. They fell down 15-0 early and would not only climb all the way back but they would pull away and win 59-49. But it seemed inevitable that those two would meet again with another trophy on the line.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Following that Tournament Of Champions title, the Eagles would enter the state tournament with a 19-game winning streak. The crash course with Memorial would play out and the Eagles would clash once again with the Chargers and would ultimately have to settle for the silver ball after losing to Memorial. The Eagles were hurt late in the season when junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1356632' first='Jaedon' last='Foreman'] would miss the rest of the season with an injury. He wasn't their best player but he was so important and such a calming presence at the guard position. Following the season, with Del City bringing back everybody, the Eagles were the way too early pick to capture another state championship this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>2022-2023 OUTLOOK</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Del City comes into this season with a big target on their back as the preseason favorites to win it all. Despite not being defending champion, they are going to get everyone's best shot as if they are. And right before the scrimmage season began in November, the Eagles lost one of their best players and one of the top prospects in the state's 2023 class. Forward [player_tooltip player_id='981287' first='Terry' last='McMorris'] moved to Douglass and joined the Trojan basketball program, which will obviously be a big storyline for both teams moving forward, especially early on in the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Despite losing McMorris, we still believe that Del City is the favorite heading into the season. Now, you don't lose a player like that and not miss the production. So it definitely makes Class 5A more competitive and they might not be the runaway favorite that maybe they were at this time last month. But the Eagles still have plenty of talent and some players that might not be statewide names right now but it seems like it's only a matter of time before they will be. We dive into at least one of them in our next section. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>PLAYERS TO WATCH</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1068562"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Senior big man [player_tooltip player_id='1068562' first='Brandon' last='Garrison'] signed on the dotted line with Oklahoma State earlier today as seniors start signing with their future schools. Garrison has been the top 2023 prospect in the state for a while now and we're looking forward to him showing that this season. He was a double-double machine last season and also averaged quite a few blocks and was a nightmare for opponents when they tried to drive to the basket. Garrison is one of the best players in the state. He's playing for one of the best teams in the state. We're expecting a season where he puts the team on his back at times throughout the year and helps carry them. Garrison can impact the game in so many different ways.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1356632"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"We mentioned senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='1356632' first='Jaedon' last='Foreman'] earlier in the preview and how him going out last season with an injury really hurt the Eagles in their pursuit of another state championship. Foreman is one of the best football players in the state and has been committed to Oklahoma State for over a year now. He's not your typical football star playing basketball. He's not just a bruiser. Don't get us wrong, he's a very good on-ball defender. But the Eagles just looked different early on last season when he was running the point. Foreman is a very important and steady part of what the Eagles want to do. As long as he stays healthy, he'll provide some scoring and he'll also get his teammates involved.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1372136"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Another player to watch in the Del City backcourt will be senior [player_tooltip player_id='1372136' first='Jamouri' last='McAlister']. While he didn't have the kind of impact that Foreman had last season, we're expecting a big season for the senior guard. He averaged a few points a season ago but after the offseason he had, we'd be surprised if he didn't get up to averaging in double figures. McAlister absolutely torched his way through the offseason. In several Prep Hoops Circuit events, we watched as McAlister would go for 30-35 points and make it look easy and routine. If McAlister can add that kind of scoring and dynamic ability on the offensive end, to go with the athleticism and defense the Eagles already have, that'll be a valuable combination.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1357063"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Another senior that we saw quite a bit of this offseason on the Prep Hoops Circuit was senior wing [player_tooltip player_id='1357063' first='Percy' last='Green']. The senior would be on our short list of players on the verge of a breakout season. He was so good this offseason and showed a variety of skills on the offensive side of the floor. His length on the perimeter is also going to give the Eagles a boost on the defensive end. Especially with McMorris moving over to Douglass, the Eagles will rely on Green more to replace that production this season. Green has a ton of momentum going into this season and we think that his combination of scoring and then length on the defensive end will provide the Eagles with a spark several times this season.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":4,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>MORE NAMES TO KNOW</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1372134' first='Damarious' last='Vealy'] - 2023 Guard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jaylon Wiley - 2023 Guard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kanijal Thomas - 2023 Guard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kentrell Thurston - 2024 Guard</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->