2020 OSSAA 6A State Tournament: preview
Booker T. Washington (20-5) 1973 1977 1981 1984 1985 1986 1987 1995 1996 1997 1999 2001 2002 2010 2011 2019 Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Booker T. Washington and its five-star, McDonald’s All-American, Bryce Thompson Bryce Thompson 6'5" | CG Booker T. Washington | 2020 State #15 Nation OK , have stood…
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Continue ReadingBooker T. Washington (20-5)
1973 1977 1981 1984 1985 1986 1987 1995 1996 1997 1999 2001
2002 2010 2011 2019
Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Booker T. Washington and its five-star, McDonald’s All-American, Bryce Thompson Bryce Thompson 6'5" | CG Booker T. Washington | 2020 State #15 Nation OK , have stood toe-to-toe with not only the best teams in the state, but the nation this season, with only two in state losses (Del City and Sand Springs). A twelve-game win-streak for Thompson and the Hornets may be just the momentum they need to win their second consecutive championship. Thompson and coach Conley Phipps will need a great scoring contribution from Oklahoma-commit Trey Phipps Trey Phipps 6'1" | PG Booker T. Washington | 2020 State #171 Nation OK , who a year ago in the same arena, scored 42 points in the state final to lift the Hornets to their 16th Gold Ball — the most in state history.
vs. Putnam City West (16-11)
It has been no secret that the Patriots have received a boost from the outstanding play of their leader, Rondel Walker Rondel Walker 6'2" | SG Putnam City West | 2020 State #120 Nation OK , who has had bouts of 33, 32 and 25 points so far in the postseason. The Oklahoma-State commit has led P.C. West out of what appeared a lackluster season early to a 14-3 run to end the season. Coach Lenny Bert will look school’s all-time leading scorer to orchestrate a brilliant run in his final game(s) to lead the Patriots to their first Gold Ball in four years. The contributions of sharpshooter Daylon Andrews Daylon Andrews 5'10" | PG Pc West | 2021 State OK , the Patriots’ second-leading scorer; and MJ Warrior MJ Warrior 6'1" | PG Putnam City West | 2020 State OK , the Patriots’ senior floor general, could be as valuable to P.C. West.
Thursday, March 12 @ Tulsa Memorial High School / 3:30 p.m.
Edmond Memorial (22-4)
Coach Shane Cowherd’s Bulldogs appear again in the 2020 State Tournament following a regular season with four top-fifteen losses. Led by the scoring triad of senior CJ Campbell CJ Campbell 5'11" | PG Edmond Memorial | 2020 State OK , junior Sean Pedulla Sean Pedulla 6'1" | PG Edmond Memorial | 2021 State #81 Nation OK and sophomore JV Seat, Memorial boasts a stellar 22 wins from one of the most outstanding seasons in the state — including titles in the Edmond Open and McGuinness Classic and a runner-up finish in the Bruce Gray Invitational. Despite a relatively small line-up, Cowherd’s squad packs all of the talent, diversity, scoring excellence and showmanship that prompted the three-times-championed coach to call the 2020 Bulldogs one of the “funnest teams” he has coached.
vs. Jenks (21-5)
Credit: @BasketballJenks
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The Trojans were, perhaps, the come-up team of the regular season; turning in a 21-5 record, the Trojans were only bested by top-eight teams, finishing at No. 3. The play of sophomore Chase Martin, an elite guard-forward with three-level scoring capabilities and defensive tenacity, lifted the Trojans to a spectacular season and a state-tournament birth with the help of forward Anfernee Nelson Anfernee Nelson 6'3" | SF Jenks | 2020 State OK . The Trojans now vie to claim their first title in school history.
Thursday, March 12 @ Tulsa Memorial High School / 2 p.m.
Union (21-5)
Vying to return to its dominance of the early 2010s, the Redskins enter the tournament with hopes of claiming the first title of the new decade. Sparked by the stellar talents of Seth Chargois Seth Chargois 6'3" | SF Union | 2020 State OK , Nehemiah Boykins Nehemiah Boykins 6'4" | SF Union | 2020 State OK , Mason Mecke Mason Mecke 6'0" | SG Union | 2020 State OK , Micah Lovett Micah Lovett 5'10" | PG Union | 2020 State OK and RJ Forney RJ Forney 6'1" | SG Union | 2020 State OK , Union has a full-head of steam headed into their first-round matchup on Thursday afternoon. The Redskins have played as well as well as anybody, with each of their five losses coming to state tournament teams — and two being avenged, last weekend against Jenks, the Redskins could be the sleeper most are taking for granted.
vs. Southmoore (22-4)
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If the SaberCats can find a way to run the gauntlet this weekend and hoist a Gold Ball, it certainly will not be worthy of being called an upset. Southmoore shared the No. 1 spot with Booker T. Washington in the regular season, alternating near the mid-season before finishing at No. 2 a vote short of tying the Hornets in the coaches’ poll. Coach Tim Stogsdill mastered his star-studded roster last season, including all-time Southmoore scorer Jordan Thompson Jordan Thompson 5'11" | PG Southmoore | 2020 State OK and Wofford-signee Sam Godwin Sam Godwin 6'9" | PF Southmoore | 2020 State #257 Nation OK . With the contributions of Damian Kline Damian Kline 6'0" | PG Southmoore | 2021 State OK , J’Lynn Counter J’Lynn Counter 6'0" | PG Southmoore | 2020 State OK , Steven Jackson Steven Jackson 6'2" | SF Southmoore | 2020 State OK and Darrin Ryan Darrin Ryan 6'1" | SG Southmoore | 2020 State OK , the SaberCats now have something they lacked last time — an appetite for retribution.
Thursday, March 12 @ Tulsa Memorial High School / 7 p.m.
Midwest City (22-3)
Perhaps the contender worthy of the highest praise, Midwest City’s three-loss record seemed to fall short of its appropriate praise in the basketball community; Dewayne Bradley’s squad may be the most dominant, weakness-averse team in the tournament. Led by East-Central-signee Christian Cook Christian Cook 6'2" | SG Midwest City | 2020 State OK , the Bombers’ three-headed monster of Cook, Kevin Overton and Makale Smith Makale Smith 6'1" | PG Midwest City | 2021 State OK was only 7 points short of finishing undefeated. Two of those losses were equalized later as the Bombers bested two of their aforementioned competitors in the state tournament: Edmond Memorial and Putnam City West.
vs. Sand Springs (18-7)
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The Sandites proved on multiple occasions in the regular season that they are capable of playing one of the grittiest, most explosive and competitive brands of basketball in the state. Especially in a Jan. 14 win against Booker T. Washington, Sand Springs appeared as capable as anybody. Central-Oklahoma signee Davon Richardson Davon Richardson 6'3" | SG Sand Springs | 2020 State #489 Nation OK can guard each of the five positions, score, rebound and pass and, with the assistance of Marlo Fox Marlo Fox 6'0" | PG Sand Springs | 2021 State OK at the point and Jaeden Hurd Jaeden Hurd 6'6" | C Sand Springs | 2021 State OK in the post, Sand Springs has the talent to hang with anybody in the tournament.
Thursday, March 12 @ Tulsa Memorial High School / 8:30 p.m.
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