Ten Takeaways from State
This past weekend was an outstanding display of the immense talent that is spread around the state of Oklahoma. Here are 10 takeaways from what was noticed this weekend.
RJ Fuqua is the real deal
No matter who the defender was this weekend, Fuqua ended the possession with a bucket. After recently committing to ORU, Fuqua put on a show Friday night in the Mabee Center against Union. He finished 30+ points and was the main reason Booker T. Washington pulled off the upset. Fuqua has a bright future.
Edmond North has the best starting lineup in the state and it showed
The Huskies starting lineup was the main reason they won the 6A championship. Basically starting five players who will or could play college basketball at some level. A few players stepped up for the Huskies off the bench but the starting lineup was too much to handle for BTW and others. Elite offense wins championships and Edmond North proved that to be true.
Claremore was the darling of the tournament due to Jeffrey Oxford and Layton Hartloff
The Zebres were adored ever since they showed that they could give Carl Albert a competitive game. Claremore plays a beautiful style of ball that fans can appreciate. Oxford showed that he isn’t just a shooter but he can score off the dribble which showed in his game-winning floater to defeat CA. Hartloff showed that he can hang with any big man in the state and that he will be a player to watch this summer and in 2018.
Tulsa Union had a great year but their weaknesses were exposed against BTW
Guard play is what wins in March no matter what the level. Union has the big man combination in the state but they are at the mercy of their guards. BTW pressured Union down the stretch and they didn’t respond.
Caleb Nero is a D1 guard no doubt about it
Nero had a fantastic state tournament and showed he is a top tier scorer. Aggressiveness is one of Nero’s strengths because his defenders never get a possession off. With the help of Kobe Rose and others, Nero led the Chargers to another state championship. Nero is unsigned but his phone is about to blow up with college coaches wanting his services.
A lot of impressive young size on display
Seth Hurd of BTW, Keylan and Kalib Boone of Tulsa Memorial, Blake Owen of Pc North, and others were very impressive on the big stage. Oklahoma doesn’t usually have this much size around the same time. Be on the look out for future class’ to see how these talented big men develop.
PC North is the top contender in 6A in 2018
The Panthers are returning a large majority of their talent including Micah Thomas and Adokiye Iyaye. Chris Braggs and Blake Owens are back to hold down the paint. PCN was a few possessions away from reaching the championship. With this experience in their back pocket, the Panthers will be the favorite heading into the winter.
Callen Haydon outperformed the hype
Haydon has been talked about since his sophomore year. When people thought of El Reno, his name was immediately brought up. Haydon proved that he was ready to win a championship with a classic performance on Thursday vs Del City where he score 48 points. He then went on to score 30+ again versus the eventual champions Tulsa Memorial. No reason Haydon shouldn’t have scholarship offers waiting on him this upcoming spring.
Lawton Ike has nothing to be ashamed of
Eisenhower put on a spectacular performance in the first round against Tulsa Memorial. Ike came out hot and showed that they were tough enough to pull off the upset. Eisenhower’s DeShawn Secton and Romio Harvey had great performances but Nero and Rose were too much for Ike to handle down the stretch. Ike should hold their heads up because that is a game that they will never forget being apart of.
Douglass Dominance
Douglass won their 7th championship in 8 years. That is unheard of around here. From Stevie Clark to Coryon Mason, Douglass has passed the baton along to the next star player to lead the Trojans to another title.