Who to see: Jan. 29
In this article:
Below is a list of games to watch Friday night. (6A) No. 8 Broken Arrow @ No. 9 Bixby – 8 p.m. [player_tooltip player_id="745361" first="Tyler" last="Pinder"] (left) and [player_tooltip player_id="1049323" first="Aaron" last="Johnson"] (Joshua Cleary/Prep Hoops). The East-side playoff bracket is loaded…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingBelow is a list of games to watch Friday night.
(6A) No. 8 Broken Arrow @ No. 9 Bixby – 8 p.m.
The East-side playoff bracket is loaded with talent this season. Due to Sapulpa’s exit from 6A to 5A, four teams, rather than three — Putnam City West, Del City, Norman North and Midwest City — will head to that side of the state to balance the bracket, which could result in some of the best teams from the 918 being left out come March.
Because of that, the implications of Friday night’s game between Broken Arrow and Bixby could be mega. Parker Friedrichsen Parker Friedrichsen 6'4" | SG Bixby | 2023 State #165 Nation OK has led the Spartans to their best start in some time, exceeding expectations and busting through tournament brackets on the way. Meanwhile, Anthony Allen Anthony Allen 6'5" | SF Broken Arrow | 2022 State OK is back-in-action for Broken Arrow, and adding his post presence to a roster stacked with guard talent — George McCurdy George McCurdy 6'2" | PG Broken Arrow | 2021 State OK , Tyler Pinder Tyler Pinder 6'2" | PG Broken Arrow | 2021 State OK , Ian Golden Ian Golden 6'1" | PG East Central | 2021 State OK , Aaron Johnson Aaron Johnson 6'3" | CG Broken Arrow | 2022 State OK and more — may be the tipping point that could lead to the Tigers’ break-through in this game and throughout the post-season.
Jaiell Talley Jaiell Talley 6'4" | PF Broken Arrow | 2021 State OK , on the other hand, may have his hands full with Xavier Glenn Xavier Glenn 6'4" | SG Bixby | 2021 State OK and Luke Hasz Luke Hasz 6'3" | SF Bixby | 2023 OK ; and any time you have a knock-down sharpshooter like Braden Weaver Braden Weaver 6'1" | SG Bixby | 2021 State OK playing against you, you can expect to be bitten a couple times or more.
Tip-off for that game is set for 8 p.m.
(4A) No. 1 Kingfisher @ (5A) No. 1 Carl Albert
If you scroll through Twitter tonight and catch a tweet mentioning career nights from Bijan Cortes Bijan Cortes 6'2" | PG Kingfisher | 2021 State #195 Nation OK , Matthew Stone Matthew Stone 6'4" | SF Kingfisher | 2021 State OK and James Locke James Locke 6'3" | SG Carl Albert | 2021 State OK , there’s no need for a double take.
This will be the sixth or seventh time I have watched a No. 1 versus No. 1 during my time writing for Prep Hoops — the last being Kingfisher’s 27-point night against Edmond Memorial on Dec. 12. Friday night, however, could be much different from that game. Carl Albert is a particularly fast team, maybe the fastest in the state, and if Kingfisher burns the clock, it may burn them against the transition-dominant Titans.
There is no question that hardly anybody can stop Bijan Cortes Bijan Cortes 6'2" | PG Kingfisher | 2021 State #195 Nation OK with the ball in his hands, but at the rate James Locke James Locke 6'3" | SG Carl Albert | 2021 State OK has been going this season, he may have a legitimate shot at equaling him. MVP Jimmy is on a scoring tear this season.
Matthew Stone Matthew Stone 6'4" | SF Kingfisher | 2021 State OK , on the other hand, could lead to further complications. The 6-foot-5-inch guard-forward is likely to have a big night as long as he stays out of foul trouble. Adding Maverick Ridenour Maverick Ridenour 6'3" | SG Kingfisher | 2021 State OK on the wing to knock down shots potentially at a remarkable percentage would overwhelm most teams; however, where the YellowJackets are top-heavy, the Titans have matchups across the board that could trouble Kingfisher.
Jarrett Birdwell Jarrett Birdwell 6'4" | SF Kingfisher | 2021 State OK will have his hands full with the post-tandem of Antonio Watson Antonio Watson 6'3" | PF Avon | 2021 State OK and Quentin Woodson, and who will stop Curtis Rose Curtis Rose 5'10" | SG Carl Albert | 2021 State OK ? That does not even mention the inflated athleticism of Maurice Cudjo Maurice Cudjo 6'0" | SG Carl Albert | 2021 State OK or the facilitatory talents of Jaden Harrell Jaden Harrell 5'9" | PG Carl Albert | 2021 State OK , who has been known to tally five-or-more assists on zero shot attempts.
Tip-off for that game is set for 8 p.m.
(4A) No. 6 Tuttle @ No. 2 Heritage Hall – 8 p.m.
Will Isaac McDoulett Isaac McDoulett 6'6" | SG Tuttle | 2022 State OK and Kaden Vande Kaden Vande 6'7" | SG Tuttle | 2022 OK have what it takes to overpower the No. 1 player in the state, Trey Alexander Trey Alexander 6'4" | SG Oklahoma City Heritage | 2021 State #55 Nation OK ? It is hard to say.
Meanwhile, post-scorer Tylor McCarthy has quietly been showing great improvements in the paint, and he could be the star of the game for the Tigers.
For the Chargers, on the converse, it will come down to their back-court. Sebastian Perry Sebastian Perry 6'1" | PG Heritage Hall | 2023 State OK needs to make great passes and finish shots at the rim, but most importantly, he needs to play fast on the outlet. CJ Smith CJ Smith 6'7" | SF Putnam City North | 2023 State OK , on the other hand, needs to knock down shots, finish through contact, and he needs to be prepared to defend, most importantly.
Tip-off for that game is set for 8 p.m.