Midseason Review: Top Teams in Class A

Oklahoma's Class A features a strong group of teams, as well as productive individual players. Today, we will take a closer look at some of the top teams. We measured recent success, past matchups and projections to come up with our final list. Let's dive into our teams ranked 6-10.   #10 Cheyenne/Reydon (11-4)   The Bears may be coming off a loss to Christian Heritage (2A) but had a big-time win to start last week against a very good Canute team. Canute was just outside of our rankings in Class A. The Bears are 2-1 against Class 2A squads and have challenged themselves with their schedule so far.   Top Performers   Rylan Pennington | Forward   The senior has been extremely active on defense this season. His ability to pressure ball handlers and force turnovers continues to create easy buckets in transition for teammates. Pennington plays with a high motor, showing consistent effort on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, he is best in catch and shoot situations, showing a quick release.   Jakota Boyett | Guard   Boyett is the straw that stirs the drink for this club on both ends of the floor. He is usually the “first to the floor” in loose ball situations and when paired with Pennington, proves to be another disruptor on defense. The senior is counted on to not only handle the ball for his team, but to also consistently move the ball and find the open man when they need a play on offense.   Ayden Bogges | Guard   The freshman has been shooting the ball extremely well from 3-point land lately. The lefty hit two clutch 3-pointers to extend leads against Canute. The Bears ran multiple sets to get him quality looks in the second half and he delivered. A big strength for this team is shooting, with Bogges being the most consistent thus far. Most recently, against a very good Christian Heritage team, Bogges led the team in scoring.   #9 Waukomis (14-1)   Undefeated against Class A opponents, Waukomis has not lost since an early December 9-point defeat to Dover. The Chiefs are undefeated against both Class 2A and 3A opponents as well. Look for them to continue to ride the momentum they have created with a powerful offensive attack.   Top Performers   [player_tooltip player_id='2823189' first='Brady' last='Helberg'] | Guard   Helberg leads the attack offensively as he can both shoot from 3-point range and get to the cup. The Chiefs are a solid defensive team, showcasing full court pressure at times. The sophomore forces the most steals and uses his speed to convert in transition. This team has several great pieces that work together, however, Helberg will need to continue to play well if they want to advance deep in the postseason.   [player_tooltip player_id='2053545' first='Reed' last='Hellman'] | Forward   The senior is a scrappy defender that consistently jumps passing lanes. His ability to read offensive players and understand opponents allows him to play fast on defense. Hellman dribbles well for his size and can handle the ball in the open floor in transition. He is a matchup problem as he can score inside with his length, shoot from the perimeter and provide outstanding court vision with his passing.   Colt Simunek | Guard   Simunek is a sweet shooting lefty that has deep range. The junior is always in range and finds his spots well in transition behind the arc. The Chiefs utilize a secondary fast break to get him shots when they aren't working the ball around in half court sets.   #8 Allen (13-1)   This team is continuing to ascend as we move closer to February. A recent 9-point win over Asher, avenging an early season loss to the Indians, shows an extreme amount of growth for this club. The Mustangs can score the ball well but showcase a lot of balance thanks to a very good defense. They are currently sporting a 12-game win streak.   Top Performers   Gavin Hamilton | Guard   The senior continues to impress with his ability to pressure the opposition. He shows active hands and feet, creating a ton of turnovers for the Mustangs. Hamilton is typically at the top of the full-court zone pressure his coaches like to use. The alignment they use allows guards to create havoc knowing that they have help from the players behind them who are able to keep eyes on the ball. On the other end of the floor, Hamilton shows an ability to feed the post and be ready for the ball to be kicked back out. He is a shot ready player that plays under control. In the open court, he consistently finishes his fast break layups no matter which side of the rim he is on.   [player_tooltip player_id='2378510' first='Landin' last='Tenequer'] | Guard   Tenequer pairs well with Hamilton as a pressure focused guard. His length allows him to finish above the rim in transition. The sophomore has been the beneficiary of many Hamilton steals, handling the ball well to get to the rim before the defense has a chance to get set. This team has a real chance of advancing deep in the postseason if Tenequer can continue to play well on both ends.   Kamden Adams | Forward   The sophomore is a versatile piece for the Mustangs. At 6'6”, Adams can finish around the rim, giving his team a post presence. His best quality so far this season has been his shot blocking. Adams plays in the middle when his team uses their 2-3 zone defense. His teammates can play aggressively on the perimeter because they know he will be able to step up behind them and block or alter shots.   #7 Velma-Alma (14-1)   The Comets have an impressive 3-1 record against Class 3A competition so far this season. This team can win in multiple different ways as they have relied on defense to win slower paced games and have also seen their offense lead them past the 60-point mark a dozen times so far this season.   Top Performers   [player_tooltip player_id='2625566' first='Jackson' last='Lohrer'] | Guard   Jackson is a combo guard that leads his team in steals. Both his ball pressure and finishing ability make his team dangerous no matter what the score or situation is. The 6'2 guard has long arms and has a knack for finishing off plays around the rim. The senior has a 45-point performance already this season and just surpassed 1,500 career points in a win over Geronimo last weekend. His ability to score in transition is also complimented by a quick release from beyond the arc.   Cameron Spigner | Forward   Spigner is a strong outside shooter for the Comets. If the freshman can continue to impact games on both ends, it will give Lohrer an added weapon heading into the postseason. Spigner has good size and length for his age, making him an x-factor moving forward for this team.   #6 Southwest Covenant (12-3)   Southwest Covenant has really challenged themselves with a very tough schedule so far. While they may be 0-2 against 4A opponents, both losses were less than 13 points to two very solid teams in Bethany and Oklahoma Christian School. The Patriots only loss in Class A came to Cyril, 70-65. This team will be battle-tested by the time postseason play rolls around.   Top Performers   [player_tooltip player_id='2079283' first='Gunner' last='Starnes'] | Forward   Starnes can impact games in a multitude of ways for the Patriots. On defense, he routinely blocks shots and can move his feet well for his height. At 6'7”, he runs the floor well and can finish above the rim. The senior can make a big-time impact on both ends of the floor, providing someone that can guard both perimeter and post-first forwards.   [player_tooltip player_id='2625551' first='Tripp' last='Niles'] | Forward   Niles is an all-around player offensively. He has a solid pull-up jump shot that he will utilize, while also having the ability to step out and stretch the defense from deep. The 6'4 senior is comfortable handling the ball and will use his size to see over the defense. Niles ball-handling has really taken a step forward this season as he seems extremely comfortable both in transition and half-court situations controlling tempo.   [player_tooltip player_id='1552356' first='Brady' last='Robertson'] | Guard   Brady can really shoot the ball from the perimeter. He is always shot-ready on the offensive end and plays within himself, limiting turnovers. Robertson loves to find a spot behind the arc in fastbreak situations, spotting up for teammates. On the defensive side of the floor, he works hard and plays with active hands. Look for the Patriots to continue to design plays in which he can simply catch and shoot.

Oklahoma's Class A features a strong group of teams, as well as productive individual players. Today, we will take a closer look at some of the top teams. We measured recent success, past matchups and projections to come up with our final list. Let's dive into our teams ranked 6-10.