10,000 Foot View: Class 2A Preview

Basketball season is upon us! Scrimmages start this weekend and the coverage of Oklahoma high school basketball is ramping up! Here's an intro to Class 4A!   Defending Champs: Dale   Not one. Not two. Not three. Not four? Can the Pirates make it 5 straight in 2A? This will likely be the biggest challenge of their dominating run, as the program is going through a bit of reset. They graduated their often under appreciated Class of 2025 and have a new coach at the helm. They still have an ace up their sleeve, although there's no surprises when it comes to a Forsythe at Dale.   Last season, [player_tooltip player_id='1672779' first='Denton' last='Forsythe'] stepped out of the shadow of his older brothers and blazed his own path. Including 38 points with a sizzling shooting performance in the semifinals. He followed that up with a great spring and summer, capped off with a commitment to Tulsa. He's a physical guard, who can make it rain from deep or bully his way to the hoop. The Pirates will lean on him in their Gold Ball chase, with big contributions from juniors [player_tooltip player_id='2565158' first='Keldan' last='Meely'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2831204' first='Jeremiah' last='Skaggs'].   Top Contenders   Fairland: Quarterfinalists from last year, they traded blows with Dale in the semifinals for about a half before the Pirates pulled away. They return their own star senior guard in [player_tooltip player_id='1552316' first='Carson' last='Schertz']. He'll fill it up, while also being surrounded by quality shooters like [player_tooltip player_id='2874316' first='Max' last='Stephens']. Stephens has one of the purest shots in Oklahoma. The Owls will get a chance at revenge and give a potential State Tournament preview when Fairland makes the long trip from northeastern Oklahoma to Dale on January 30th.   Oklahoma Christian Academy: Last season, OCA was in Class A but they have familiarity with Class 2A. Including playing for the Class 2A title in 2023. Last season despite a 13-17 mark, they were only a game away from State in Class A. Expect the regular season record to be improved. And for the postseason run to be improved. Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2382095' first='Matt' last='Mason'] and sophomore wing [player_tooltip player_id='2408566' first='Carter' last='Coleman'] might be the best 1-2 punch in Class A. Watch out for junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='2672356' first='Cane' last='Davidson'] as well.   Rejoice Christian: With a roster heavy on football standouts, the Eagles might get off to a slower start in December. But come February, few teams will want to see one of the most athletic teams in Class 2A. And while the football athletes are what could possibly push Rejoice over the top, they have a quality senior backcourt pairing as well. Senior Zach Blake is a sharpshooter, who hit 5 three points and scored 19 points to send his team to State with a win over Oktaha. Senior [player_tooltip player_id='2368415' first='David' last='Price'] is a quality point guard, who helps run the show and provides scoring as well.     Keep an Eye on: Christian Heritage Academy   An area team last year, the Crusaders will be looking to make their first State Tournament appearance since 2019. There's a lot of intriguing talent on their roster, including newcomer [player_tooltip player_id='2374600' first='Swift' last='Moore']. Moore is a 6 foot 7, bouncy forward. He'll provide size and athleticism that few fellow Class 2A teams can match. Sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='2836066' first='Zac' last='Warren'] and [player_tooltip player_id='2831927' first='Eli' last='Laws'] both were promising during the spring and summer. If Moore and his teammates can gel, the Crusaders will make a lot of noise this winter.   Best Player in the Class   [player_tooltip player_id='1672779' first='Denton' last='Forsythe'], Senior Guard, Dale   Few players have four-peated in Oklahoma, and in doing so the youngest Forsythe would add an accomplishment that not even his brother pulled off in high school. While he's a team first player, who can elevate his teammates with creation. The scoring numbers for Forysthe should be off the charts this winter.   Breakout Underclassman:   [player_tooltip player_id='2958602' first='Sterling' last='Moore'], Freshman Forward, Christian Heritage Academy   As mentioned above, the Crusaders have a lot of potential on their squad. Moore is one of the top examples of that. Already a plus athlete for his age, he plays with a hunger as well. With the other size on the CHA roster, Moore will have a chance to dominant games in the paint for the 2A sleeper squad.   Class 2A Preseason All State   [player_tooltip player_id='1672779' first='Denton' last='Forsythe'], Senior Guard, Dale: Forsythe, Denton. See the previous "Best Player in the Class" and "Defending Champs: Dale" portion of this article.   [player_tooltip player_id='2335349' first='Keilan' last='Robinson'], Senior Guard, Hooker: One of the most under appreciated athletes in Oklahoma, the panhandle based star has quick twitch off the bounce. With shooting and scoring to match his impressive athleticism.   [player_tooltip player_id='1552316' first='Carson' last='Schertz'], Senior Guard, Fairland: A do it all guard, Schertz led Fairland in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He's a physical guard who can wear opponents down.   [player_tooltip player_id='2820266' first='Kamieon' last='Compton-Nero'], Sophomore Guard, Rejoice Christian: A special athlete, who has already led Rejoice Christian to a State Title in football and a State Tournament appearance in basketball.   [player_tooltip player_id='2408566' first='Carter' last='Coleman'], Sophomore Wing, OCA: The future is now for Coleman, a 6 foot 7 wing with true guard skills. Good motor and athleticism around the rim, while having true handles, a dash of vision for playmaking and big time shot making potential.

Basketball season is upon us! Scrimmages start this weekend and the coverage of Oklahoma high school basketball is ramping up! Here's an intro to Class 4A!