Well, if you like OT...
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
The Boneman has entered his humbled abode here about 12:45 in the morning. You know, just a mere 13 hours after he left to watch basketball at the Carl Albert Titan Classic.
What did I see? How about two double overtime games and one quadruple overtime game where the winner only had 50 points.
The basketball gods were smiling on me because they knew I had not seen one game yet this year of HS basketball.
Let’s get to it…
Millwood 55, Ardmore 50 (boys): Falcons stepped up the defensive pressure and forced Ardmore to speed up.
You’d think that would be to the Tigers liking with their quickness, but they were out of control and Millwood turned a seven-point third quarter deficit into a fairly easy, if not long, win. The fourth quarter was clocked at 38 real-time minutes.
Carl Albert 52, Del City 42 (boys): I was here last year when CA’s Steven Johnson hit a floating game-winner at the buzzer.
No such heroics needed today. DC did a good job on Harrison Dupont, but that just meant that J.T. Realmuto had a fine day.
I liked what I saw from Carl Albert. I’m going to throw out a name that I think will determine how far the Titans go: PG Kendall Parks.
He doesn’t score much, but he’s going to have to be able to distribute the ball. I was surprised at how much Dupont was being the primary ball-handler. Parks is going to need to be that man down the stretch.
He showed glimpses of being able to cope with pressure just fine, so just has to put it together.
I’m a fan of the Calhoun boys at DC (Ismail and Isaiah). But this is a day Isaiah would like to forget. He only scored two points and had some real good looks at the bucket.
Ismail was on his game until he picked up his fourth foul with 3:51 left in the third, ouch.
Excellent atmosphere for the natural rivalry.
Midwest City 63, Guthrie 58, 2OT (Boys): And this is where the fun started. I kinda sat this one out and let my boy Ryan Aber cover it. Hey, Boneman’s gotta eat sometime, right?
MWC’s Xavier McClish was shooting lights out. Is he always like this? That was a fun outing to watch.
Also impressed with the development of Robert Wakefield in the post. I wrote a story on him last year, so I recognized that name right away.
Guthrie’s Donte’ Foster had a chance to seal the deal in regulation but missed about an 18-footer. Foster came through last year when Guthrie defeated MWC in last year’s Titan Classic final.
Amazed at how much Keaton Callins has progressed. Nice touch from the field and great poise under fire.
Tough way for the Jays to lose their first game of the season, but a HUGE win for Dewayne Bradley and company.
Booker T. 67, Union 65, 2OT (Boys): About three times I counted out Union in this game. See, shows what I know.
