Oklahoma Men's High School Basketball: Week Nine Rankings and Predictions
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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
No. 1 Union (Last week No. 1)
Union (11-0) has continued their streak as the only undefeated team in the division with a 65-42 win over 5A No. 13 Bishop Kelley (4-5) and a 62-39 win over Owasso (6-5). They are also the unanimous pick as the top team with 28 votes. Ethan Chargois led against Kelley with 22 points, but broke his hand in practice and is out for the season. Mo Garcia scored 11 against Kelley and stepped up with 20 against Owasso, aided by Adrian Rodriguez and N'Kiel Jamerson with 14 apiece.
The Redskins hold the No. 14 offense, No. 2 defense, and No. 5 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 9 Muskogee (8-1). Muskogee is the only team undefeated in the Frontier Valley Conference, with their only loss coming to an out of state team. The Redskins will also host the Union/Jenks Tournament this weekend with a first round game against 3A Holland Hall (7-5).
The picks:
Union 60 Muskogee 57.
Union 62 Union 48.
No. 2 Edmond North (2)
Edmond North (10-1) picked up a pair of wins last week, 73-50 over Southmoore (1-10) and 69-62 over No. 13 Norman (6-5). The Huskies hold the No. 4 offense, No. 13 defense, and No. 4 margin of victory in 6A and will host No. 17 Mustang (6-4) Tuesday before taking on 2A No. 19 Millwood (3-9) in the first round of the Carl Albert Tournament Thursday.
The picks:
EDN 61 Mustang 53.
EDN 67 Millwood 54.
No. 3 Midwest City (3)
Midwest City (10-2) topped 5A No. 6 Eisenhower (5-3) 87-70 last week and will host another top-ten team this Tuesday in No. 7 Putnam City West (8-6). They will also take on Bixby (5-6) in the first round of the Carl Albert Tournament this Thursday. The Bombers hold the No. 2 offense and No. 3 margin of victory in 6A.
The picks:
MWC 71 PCW 65.
MWC 70 Bixby 61.
No. 4 Westmoore (6)
Westmoore (11-1) dropped a few spots in the rankings in spite of a 66-46 victory over No. 17 Edmond Memorial (4-8). The Jags hold the No. 8 offense, No. 3 defense, and No. 1 margin of victory in 6A. They will travel to Stillwater (5-7) Tuesday, then will take on Ponca City (1-8) in the first round of the Deer Creek Tournament this Thursday.
The picks:
Westmoore 60 Stillwater 49.
Westmoore 64 Ponca 43.
No. 5 Norman North (7)
Norman North (6-2) moved up in the rankings after a bye week. Their Friday night game at No. 12 Yukon (7-4) was canceled due to weather. The Timberwolves hold the No. 1 offense and No. 2 margin of victory in 6A and will host Deer Creek (5-6) Tuesday before competing at the Shawnee Tournament this weekend.
The pick: Norman North 80 DC 56.
No. 6 Putnam City North (5)
Putnam City North (8-4) picked up a close 67-64 road win over rival No. 20 Putnam City (5-7) last week and had a home game against Choctaw (4-5) canceled for weather. The Panthers hold the No. 5 offense and No. 12 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host 5A No. 14 Del City (6-6). They will then rematch Del City Thursday in the first round of the Bruce Gray Tournament.
The pick: PCN 64 DC 60.
No. 7 Putnam City West (4)
Putnam City West (8-6) took a slight drop in the rankings after falling 54-52 to No. 15 Lawton (6-4). The Patriots hold the No. 10 offense and No. 17 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 3 Midwest City (10-2).
No. 8 Booker T. Washington (8)
Booker T. Washington (9-3) picked up a pair of double-digit victories last week, 72-56 over Will Rogers (5-9) and 58-45 over 4A No. 2 Tulsa Central (9-4). The Hornets hold the No. 7 offense, No. 20 defense, and No. 9 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Thursday at the Union/Jenks Tournament.
No. 9 Muskogee (9)
Muskogee (8-1) picked up a pair of conference wins last week, 47-42 over No. 18 Sand Springs (6-5) and 85-59 over Jenks (1-8). TyReece Berry scored 18 against Sand Springs, while Brooks Haddock scored 16 against the Sandites and 27 against the Trojans.
The Roughers hold the No. 6 offense, No. 15 defense, and No. 7 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host No. 1 undefeated Union (11-0).
No. 10 Edmond Santa Fe (10)
Edmond Santa Fe (7-3) had an unplanned bye week after their Friday night game against Deer Creek (5-6) was canceled due to weather. The Wolves hold the No. 13 offense, No. 7 defense, and No. 6 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 12 Yukon (7-4). They will also compete at the Union/Jenks Tournament this weekend.
The pick: ESF 61 Yukon 58.
No. 11 Broken Arrow (11)
Broken Arrow (7-4) suffered a 59-57 upset loss to No. 14 Sapulpa (6-2) last week despite a 24-point performance from Caleb Huffman. Braden Boyer added 15 and Tony Hall had 11. The Tigers hold the No. 19 offense, No. 6 defense, and No. 10 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host Jenks (1-8). They will also play the John Nobles Tournament this weekend with a first-round match against Harding Charter (11-5).
The picks:
BA 63 Jenks 51.
BA 58 Harding 50.
No. 12 Yukon (12)
Yukon (7-4) canceled their last week's game with No. 5 Norman North (6-2) due to weather and will be returning to the court Tuesday when they host No. 10 Edmond Santa Fe (7-3). The Millers hold the No. 12 offense, No. 16 defense, and No. 13 margin of victory in 6A. They will also be competing at the Sweet Pea Classic this weekend.
No. 13 Sapulpa (14)
Sapulpa (6-2) scored a 59-57 upset over No. 11 Broken Arrow (7-4) last week thanks to a 20-point performance from Keenan Ballance, a 17-point performance from Trey Phipps, and 12 points from Julian Smith. The Chieftains hold the No. 9 offense and No. 16 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action with a Highway 97 rivalry game at No. 18 Sand Springs (6-5). They will also take on Stillwater (5-7) in the first round of the Shawnee Tournament Thursday.
The picks:
CPHS 62 Sapulpa 57.
Sapulpa 67 Stillwater 48.
No. 14 Norman (13)
Norman (6-5) is coming off back-to-back losses, falling 48-41 to Mustang (6-4) and 69-62 to No. 2 Edmond North (10-1). The Tigers hold the No. 16 offense, No. 12 defense, and No. 11 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host Southmoore (1-10). They will also be competing at the Carl Albert Tournament this weekend.
The pick: Norman 60 Southmoore 50.
No. 15 Lawton (15)
Lawton (6-4) fell 83-78 to No. 20 Putnam City (5-7) last week in overtime, but topped No. 4 Putnam City West (8-6) 54-52. The Wolverines hold the No. 11 offense in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at 5A No. 16 Bishop McGuinness (5-8). They will compete at the Shortgrass Tournament this weekend.
The pick: Lawton 61 McG 57
No. 16 Owasso (unranked)
Owasso (6-5) topped Jenks (1-8) 66-52 last week, but fell 62-39 to No. 1 Union (11-0). Joshua Proctor scored 16 against Jenks, while Jake Thompson scored 10 against both opponents. The Rams hold the No. 18 offense, No. 11 defense, and No. 15 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action Tuesday at unranked Bixby (5-6), then will compete at the Coffeyville Invitational this weekend.
The pick: Owasso 58 Bixby 55.
No. 17 Mustang (unranked)
Mustang (6-4) earned their way into the rankings with a 48-41 upset of No. 13 Norman (6-5), followed by a 57-37 victory over Southmoore (1-10). The Broncos hold the No. 1 defense and No. 19 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action Tuesday at No. 2 Edmond North (10-1) before taking on Putnam City (5-7) in the first round of the Bruce Gray Invitational.
The pick: Mustang 56 Putnam 55.
No. 18 Sand Springs (18)
Sand Springs (6-5) put up a tough fight against No. 9 Muskogee (8-1) before falling 47-42 and notched their first conference win 76-71 against No. 19 Bixby (5-6). Colt Savage scored 20 against Muskogee and a career-high 34 against Bixby. Jacob Garbey also had a career-best 21 against the Spartans. The Sandites hold the No. 17 offense, No. 5 defense, and No. 8 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday against Highway 97 rival No. 13 Sapulpa (6-2), then will travel to the Coffeyville Invitational this weekend.
No. 19 Bartlesville (16)
Bartlesville (5-5) slipped in the rankings after a 76-68 overtime loss to No. 19 Bixby (5-6) and had their Friday night game against Sapulpa canceled. Barron Tanner scored 23 against Bixby, aided by AJ Archambo with 14 and Tayo Dina with 12. The Bruins hold the No. 9 defense in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at 5A No. 14 Bishop Kelley (4-5) before competing in the Coffeyville Invitational this weekend.
The pick: Bartlesville 51 BK 50.
No. 20 Moore (unranked)
Moore (6-5) won a close 62-58 victory over Stillwater (5-7) last week, led by Charles Watkins with 16 points and Beau Archer with 14. The Lions will return to action Tuesday when they host unranked Edmond Memorial (4-8).
The pick: EDM 56 Moore 52.
Dropped out: No. 17 Edmond Memorial, No. 19 Bixby, No. 20 Putnam City.
Conference Strength:
- Big Ten (51.5)
- Central Oklahoma (48)
- Frontier Valley (45.4)
- Green Country (43.1)
- All-City (32.09)
