Oklahoma Girls High School Basketball: Week Eight Rankings and Predictions

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

There were a lot of tournaments scheduled for this past weekend, and there were a lot of games cancelled due to the blanket of ice and snow that covered the state. For the first time this season there is a new number one team, but not due to head to head matchup.

No. 1 Edmond Santa Fe (Previously No. 2)

Edmond Santa Fe (10-0) picked up sixteen first-place votes to claim the top spot, despite not playing a game since the new year. The Lady Wolves hold the No. 6 offense, No. 3 defense, and No. 5 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Friday when they host their toughest opponent yet, No. 5 Deer Creek (9-1), who is also undefeated within the conference.

The pick: Deer Creek 48 ESF 47.

No. 2 Choctaw (1)

Choctaw (10-1) brought in eleven first-place votes and slipped from the number-one spot for the first time this season, despite a dominating 85-17 performance over Northwest Classen (3-4) in the first round of the Ada Tournament. Their only loss this season was 52-45 to 4A No. 1 Ft. Gibson (9-0) at the Tournament of Champions.

The Yellowjackets hold the No. 2 offense, No. 1 defense, and No. 1 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at 5A No. 13 Del City (4-6). They will also take on unranked Putnam City North (1-9) Friday. 

The picks:
Choctaw 70 Del 41
Choctaw 75 PCN 34

No. 3 Sand Springs (3)

Sand Springs (7-0) didn't get to play the whole Muskogee tournament, but they got in a 60-46 victory over Providence Academy before the ice storm hit and received two first-place votes. As always, the scoring was spread out with seven Lady Sandites on the scoreboard and three in double digits, led by sophomore Holly Kersgieter with a career-best 16. 

The Lady Sandites hold the No. 5 offense, No. 2 defense, and No. 3 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action Tuesday at unranked Muskogee (3-4), then will host unranked Bixby (3-7) on Friday. 

The picks:
CPHS 55 Muskogee 42
CPHS 55 Bixby 43

No. 4 Putnam City West (4)

Putnam West (10-1) handily swept the Putnam City Invitational last week with two blowouts and received one first-place vote. They dominated the OKC Storm (11-2) 70-49, topped in-town rival Putnam City (4-5) 81-72, then stomped No. 15 Union (6-3) 67-41. The Patriots hold the No. 1 offense, No. 14 defense, and No. 2 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action Tuesday when they host unranked Lawton (3-4). 

The pick: PCW 60 Lawton 43

No. 5 Deer Creek (5) 

Deer Creek (9-1) is still undefeated in 6A with their only loss coming to 5A No. 1 Collinsville (9-1). Last week they topped Class A No. 12 Ft. Cobb-Broxton (11-5) 71-36, 4A No. 10 Blanchard (8-3) 59-40, and 4A No. 8 Anadarko (7-3) 46-40 in the Anadarko Tourrnament. 

The Antlers hold the No. 7 offense, No. 9 defense, and No. 7 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action Friday at No. 1 Edmond Santa Fe (10-0). 

No. 6 Westmoore (6)

Westmoore (8-3) dropped a 51-48 upset to No. 9 Norman North (7-2) last week, then came in second at their home tournament, defeating the OKC Knights (3-8) 78-26 and No. 18 Sapulpa (5-4) 72-38 before falling 68-52 in the finals to 4A No. 2 Harrah (10-1). Junior Jessi Murcer led the team with 24.3 points per game, followed by freshman sister Kristen with 13.6. 

The Jaguars hold the No. 3 offense, No. 10 defense, and No. 6 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Friday when they host No. 13 Edmond Memorial (5-4).

The pick: Westmoore 54 EDM 41.

No. 7 Booker T. Washington (7)

Booker T. Washington (9-3) had a rough time at the Westmoore Tournament last week, dropping two games by a single point. They dominated unranked Enid (4-9) 69-38 in the first round before falling 44-43 to 4A No. 2 Harrah (10-1) and 53-52 to No. 18 Sapulpa (5-4). 

The Lady Hornets hold the No. 4 offense, No. 4 defense, and No. 4 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host unranked 4A Will Rogers (8-4). On Friday they will travel to another unranked 4A opponent in Tulsa Central (2-6). 

The picks:
BTW 61 Rogers 46
BTW 61 Central 32

No. 8 Norman North (9)

Norman North (7-2) bumped up a spot in the rankings after topping No. 6 Westmoore (8-3) at home last week. The Timberwolves hold the No. 8 offense, No. 12 defense, and No. 9 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Friday when they travel to No. 18 Yukon (7-4). 

The pick: NN 50 Yukon 45.

No. 9 Norman (8)

Norman (7-2) slipped a spot in the rankings after a bye week, but will get the chance to make up for it Tuesday when they travel to No. 14 Mustang (4-4) and Thursday when they host No. 17 Edmond North (5-4). The Tigers hold the No. 9 offense, No. 8 defense, and No. 8 margin of victory in 6A.

The picks:
Norman 50 Mustang 43
Norman 49 EDN 46. 

No. 10 Owasso (10)

Owasso (7-5) won two of three games last week at the Skiatook Tournament, defeating the 5A No. 11 host team (6-3) 53-42 before falling 52-47 to 5A No. 12 Pryor (6-4). In the consolations they topped No. 16 Mustang (4-4) 46-42. Terryn Milton led the team with 14 points per game, closely followed by Mya Bhinhar with 13.6.

The Lady Rams hold the No. 19 offense and No. 19 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host unranked Jenks (2-5). They will travel to No. 12 Union (6-3) Friday).

The picks:
Owasso 52 Jenks 46
Union 48 Owasso 44

No. 11 Midwest City (13)

Midwest City (7-4) made a statement last week with a 65-32 blowout over Lawton (3-4). The Bombers hold the No. 15 offense, No. 16 defense, and No. 14 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host 5A unranked Lawton Eisenhower (2-7). 

The pick: MWC 50 Ike 42.

No. 12 Union (15)

Union (6-3) received a bump in the rankings after winning two of three games at the Putnam City Invitational. They dominated Putnam City North (1-9) 62-31 and No. 11 Edmond Memorial (6-4) 52-29 before falling 67-41 to No. 4 Putnam City West (10-1). The Redskins hold the No. 16 offense, No. 4 defense, and No. 12 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host 5A No. 15 Bishop Kelley (3-4), then will host No. 10 Owasso (7-5) on Friday. 

The pick: Union 49 BK 39.

No. 13 Edmond Memorial (11)

Edmond Memorial (6-4) won two out of three games at last week's Putnam City Invitational, but dropped a 52-29 upset to No. 15 Union (6-3). They defeated Southmoore (2-7) 47-28 and Putnam City (4-6) 51-47. The Bulldogs hold the No. 17 defense in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host unranked Stillwater (2-8), then will travel to No. 6 Westmoore (8-3) on Friday. 

The pick: EDM 47 Stillwater 42

No. 14 Mustang (16)

Mustang (4-4) got a nice bump in the rankings after a 46-43 overtime win over No. 12 Bartlesville (4-5) in the first round of the Skiatook Tournament, despite falling 52-45 to 4A No. 1 Ft. Gibson (9-0) and 46-42 to No. 10 Owasso (7-5). Senior Abby Niehues led in two out of three games with an average score of 12. The girls hold the No. 18 defense and No. 17 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host No. 9 Norman (7-2) and unranked Southmoore (2-7) on Friday. 

The pick: Mustang 50 Southmoore 41.

No. 15 Bartlesville (12)

Bartlesville (4-5) took a drop in the rankings after winning only one of two games at the Skiatook Tournament. They fell 46-43 to No. 16 Mustang, hammered 4A McLain (2-7) 52-18, then lost 56-50 to 5A No. 11 Skiatook (6-3). The Bruins hold the No. 6 defense and No. 15 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at unranked Bixby (5-7), then will host No. 18 Sapulpa (5-4) on Friday. 

The picks:
Bartlesville 48 Bixby 45
Bartlesville 43 Sapulpa 38.

No. 16 Broken Arrow (14)

Broken Arrow (5-5) fell a few spots in the rankings after winning only one of two games at the Skiatook Tournament. They fell 38-35 to 5A No. 12 Pryor (6-4) and 52-48 to 5A No. 11 Skiatook (6-3) in overtime before getting a 48-40 win over 4A unranked McLain (2-7). Kinsey Callen led the team with an average of 13 points per game, followed by Jalise Smallwood with 9.6. The Tigers hold the No. 11 defense in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at No. 19 Sapulpa (5-4).

The pick: BA 45 Sapulpa 44. 

No. 17 Edmond North (17)

Edmond North (5-4) held on to their position in the rankings after a bye week. The Huskies hold the No. 13 offense, No. 15 defense, and No. 13 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at unranked Southmoore (2-7), then will travel to No. 9 Norman (7-2) on Thursday.

The pick: EDN 52 Southmoore 41.

No. 18 Yukon (19)

Yukon (7-4) moved up a notch after sweeping the Chickasha Tournament with three solid wins. They defeated unranked 3A Douglass (2-7) 66-51, 5A No. 16 MacArthur (5-5) 59-47, and 5A No. 17 Duncan (6-8) 69-39. The Millers hold the No. 18 offense, No. 20 defense, and No. 18 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Friday when they host No. 8 Norman North (7-2).

No. 19 Sapulpa (18)

Sapulpa (5-4) slipped a spot in the rankings despite a pair of impressive top-ten upsets at the Westmoore Tournament this past weekend. They defeated 5A No. 10 Carl Albert (6-5) 58-48, fell 72-38 to No. 6 Westmoore (8-3), then topped No. 7 Booker T. Washington (9-3) 53-52. Kiarra Brooks led the team with 13 points per game, followed by Taylor Dement with 9.6. The Chieftains hold the No. 20 offense in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host No. 16 Broken Arrow (5-5). On Friday they will travel to No. 15 Bartlesville (4-5). 

No. 20 Ponca City (20)

Ponca City (6-2) held on to their spot in the rankings after dominating unranked 5A Guthrie (3-6) 57-31 and unranked Jenks (2-5) 60-44 last week. Julissa Garcia scored 18 against Jenks, followed by Baylee Fincher with 14. The Wildcats hold the No. 12 offense, No. 7 defense, and No. 10 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action Tuesday when they host 5A No. 9 El Reno (6-4). 

The pick: Ponca 46 El Reno 45.

Conference Strength

1. Central Oklahoma (55)
2. Frontier Valley (39.5)
3. Big Ten (37.8)
4. Green Country (25.8)
5. All-City (9.9)

No. 3 Lady Sandites remain undefeated with 62-43 victory over Muskogee

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

CPHS 62 Muskogee 43

1Q Sand Springs 14-13
2Q Sand Springs 12-5
3Q Muskogee 15-11
4Q Sand Springs 25-10

Scoring: (Sand Springs) Kersgieter 14, Johnson 13, Mutiri 13, Pennington 12, McGee 7, Regalado 3. (Muskogee) Mims 20, Virgin 11, Patterson 8, Nash 1.

(Sand Springs only)
Offensive Rebounds: Mutiri 5, Pennington 1, Regalado 1. 
Defensive Rebounds: Pennington 8, Kersgieter 5, Regalado 3, Johnson 2, McGee 2, Mutiri 2. 
Steals: Johnson 2, Regalado 2, Kersgieter 1, Mutiri 1.
Assists: Pennington 5, Kersgieter 4, Regalado 3, McGee 2, Johnson 1.
Blocks: Mutiri 3, Johnson 1.
Fouls: Kersgieter 5, Johnson 3, McGee 2, Regalado 1, Grant 1.

CPHS 60 Providence 46

1Q Sand Springs 16-9
2Q Sand Springs 16-13
3Q Sand Springs 12-8
4Q Sand Springs 16-16

Scoring: (Sand Springs) Kersgieter 16, Mutiri 12, Johnson 11, McGee 7, Pennington 7, Regalado 5, Collins 2. (Providence) Webb 18, Curry 11, Buivydiate 11, Siemans 3, Kash 3.

The No. 3 ranked Charles Page High School varsity girls basketball team (8-0 overall, 4-0 conference) traveled to unranked Muskogee (3-5, 2-2) and secured their eighth-straight double-digit win Tuesday evening.

Four Lady Sandites doubled in the affair and sophomore Holly Kersgieter led with 14 points and five rebounds. Destiney Johnson and Gloria Mutiri both scored 13 and Sydney Pennington had 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. 

It was a slow starter for the Lady Sandites, who average a 30-15 lead at the half thus far this season. The girls were only ahead by a single point after the first quarter and were only four points ahead by the fourth. 

The Lady Roughers should have been a breeze considering the Sandites' past performances this season, but Trena Mims was unstoppable to start the game, scoring the first nine points for the Roughers to lead the Sandites 9-4. The Sandites finally found their feet late in the first quarter to regain the lead, and pushed it as high as 26-18 in the second before being outscored 15-11 in the third. 

Kersgieter went to work in the fourth quarter, scoring nine straight points, followed by six from Gloria Mutiri. The Lady Sandites dominated 25-10 for a final score more closely resembling the rest of their games.

This was Kersgieter's second team-high in a row as she also scored a career-high 16 points this past weekend. The Lady Sandites won their first round game in the Muskogee Shriner Tournament 60-46 over Providence Academy. The rest of the tournament was cancelled due to weather.

Sand Springs will return to action Friday when they host unranked Bixby (2-4, 0-3). 

Oklahoma Girls High School Basketball: Week Seven Rankings and Predictions

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The top of the girls 6A basketball rankings remained unchanged after a slow week during Christmas break. There is still no unanimous top dog, with four teams receiving number-one votes and two teams still undefeated this season.

No. 1 Choctaw (Previously No. 1)

The Yellowjackets (9-1) competed in the prestigious Tournament of Champions last week and ended their nine-straight win streak with a 52-45 loss to 4A No. 1 Ft. Gibson (6-0). Ana Llanusa averaged 21 points per game, including a 31-point performance in a 62-39 victory over 2A No. 3 Cashion (4-2) and a 21-point performance in a 69-46 win over over 5A No. 3 East Central (8-3). Sister Aliyah Llanusa led the team with 13 points in the loss to Ft. Gibson and averaged 9.6 points per game. 

Choctaw holds the No. 2 offense, No. 1 defense, and No. 1 margin of victory in 6A and brought in fifteen first-place votes despite the loss. They will return to action Thursday at the Ada Tournament.

No. 2 Edmond Santa Fe (2)

Edmond Santa Fe (10-0) picked up eight first-place votes after sweeping the Sapulpa Girls Tournament to remain the winningest team in 6A. The Lady Wolves hammered 2A unranked Northeast Academy (3-4) 80-11, topped No. 13 Midwest City (6-3) 43-22, then edged out Fort Smith Northside (7-6) 56-55 in overtime. 

Santa Fe holds the No. 6 offense, No. 3 defense, and No. 5 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action on the 13th when they host No. 5 Deer Creek (6-1).

No. 3 Sand Springs (3)

Sand Springs (6-0) picks up two first-place votes after a bye week. The Lady Sandites hold the No. 5 offense, No. 2 defense, and No. 3 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action this Thursday at the Muskogee Bedouin Shrine Tournament with a first round game against Providence Academy (7-6). 

The pick: CPHS 62, Providence 39.

No. 4 Putnam City West (4)

Putnam West (7-1) picked up a pair of first-place votes after a bye week. The Patriots hold the No. 1 offense, No. 5 defense, and No. 2 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action Thursday at the Putnam City Invitational with a first-round game against the OKC Storm (14-2).

The pick: PCW 69, OKC 48.

No. 5 Deer Creek (5)

Deer Creek (6-1) held on to their top-five ranking after a bye week and will return to action Tuesday when they host No. 19 Yukon (4-3). The Antlers hold the No. 8 offense, No. 16 defense, and No. 9 margin of victory in 6A. 

The pick: DC 56, Yukon 47.

No. 6 Westmoore (6)

Westmoore (6-1) is coming off a bye week and will launch the new year Tuesday at No. 9 Norman North (6-2). The Jaguars hold the No. 3 offense, No. 14 defense, and No. 6 margin of victory in 6A.

The pick: Westmoore 51, Norman North 50.

No. 7 Booker T. Washington (7)

Booker T. Washington (8-1) held on to their ranking despite a 50-37 loss to No. 17 Broken Arrow (4-3) in the opening round of the Sapulpa Holiday Classic. They doubled down on Bixby (3-6) 58-29 in the consolations, then hammered No. 14 Sapulpa (3-3) 72-37 in the consolation finals, led by an 18-point performance from Megan Jackson. 

The Lady Hornets hold the No. 4 offense, No. 4 defense, and No. 4 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Thursday at the Westmoore Tournament.

No. 8 Norman (9)

Norman (7-2) moved up a spot in the rankings after a 2-1 performance at the Ardmore Tournament. They lost their first game 58-53 to 4A No. 6 OKC Classen (11-0) but hammered 5A No. 8 El Reno (4-3) 52-38 and Bentonville West (1-8) 53-29 for fifth place. Bethany Franks, Turner Mattlingly, Darieanna Hunter, and Skye Watts all scored in double digits throughout the tournament. 

The Tigers hold the No. 9 offense, No. 8 defense, and No. 8 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action on the 10th when they travel to No. 16 Mustang (3-2).

No. 9 Norman North (12)

Norman North (6-2) received a big bump in the rankings after a convincing sweep at the Enid Holiday Classic. They pounded U.S. Grant (1-9) 84-17, topped Life Prep Academy (3-4) 50-38, then outlasted the OKC Storm (14-2) 48-43 for first place. Jacie Evans led the team with 17 points against OKC and was named the Tournament MVP and Kenna Stergell and Emma Base both made the All-Tournament Team. 

The Timberwolves hold the No. 7 offense, No. 10 defense, and No. 7 margin of victory in 6A and will host No. 6 Westmoore (6-1) Tuesday.

No. 10 Owasso (8)

Owasso (5-4) had a rough time at the Tournament of Champions, falling 61-53 to 3A No. 1 Adair (7-2) and 54-38 to 5A No. 1 Collinsville (8-1), but rebounded with a 71-59 win over Class A No. 3 Cyril (9-3). Terryn Milton scored 29 against Adair and averaged 17 points per game. Mya Bhinhar averaged 13.6 and Leiloney Culley averaged 10.6 including a 23 point performance against Cyril. 

The Lady Rams hold the No. 18 offense and No. 20 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Thursday at the Skiatook Tournament with a first-round match against 5A No. 11 Skiatook (4-2).

The pick: Owasso 47, Skiatook 45.

No. 11 Edmond Memorial (10)

Edmond Memorial (4-3) slipped a spot in the rankings after a bye week and will return to action at the Putnam City Invitational on Thursday. The Bulldogs will take on unranked Southmoore (1-5) in the first round of PCI.

The pick: Memorial 48, Southmoore 42.

No. 12 Bartlesville (11)

Bartlesville (3-3) slipped a spot in the rankings after their second-straight bye week. The Lady Bruins hold the No. 15 defense and No. 18 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Thursday with a first round game against No. 16 Mustang (3-2) in the Skiatook Invitational. 

The pick: Bartlesville 44, Mustang 43. 

No. 13 Midwest City (13)

Midwest City (6-4) maintained their ranking despite a 34-30 loss to No. 17 Broken Arrow (4-3) and took fourth place in the Sapulpa Holiday Classic. They defeated No. 14 Sapulpa (3-3) 48-36 but were sent to the consolation bracket after a 43-22 loss to No. 2 Edmond Santa Fe (10-0).

The Lady Bombers hold the No. 17 offense, No. 19 defense, and No. 17 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host unranked Lawton (3-2).

The pick: MWC 45, Lawton 42.

No. 14 Broken Arrow (17)

Broken Arrow (4-3) earned a winning record with a pair of upsets at the Sapulpa Holiday Classic, topping No. 7 Booker T. Washington (8-1) 50-37 and No. 13 Midwest City (6-4) 34-30, but falling 38-25 to Fort Smith Northside (7-6). Jalise Smallwood led her team in all three games, averaging 14 points with a 20-point performance against the Bombers. 

The Lady Tigers hold the No. 7 defense in 6A and will return to action at the Skiatook Tournament with a first round match against 5A No. 12 Pryor (3-3).

The pick: BA 41, Pryor 36.

No. 15 Union (15)

Union (4-2) held their ranking after a second-straight bye week and will return to action Thursday at the Putnam City Invitational. The Lady Redskins hold the No. 20 offense, No. 11 defense, and No. 14 margin of victory in 6A and will take on unranked Putnam City North (1-6) in the first round of the PCI. 

The pick: Union 50, PCN 38.

No. 16 Mustang (16)

Mustang (3-2) held their ranking after back-to-back bye weeks. The Broncos hold the No. 16 offense, No. 17 defense, and No. 15 margin of victory in 6A and will take on No. 12 Bartlesville (3-3) in the first round of the Skiatook Tournament on Thursday. 

No. 17 Edmond North (18)

Edmond North (5-4) earned a winning record at the Duncan Holiday Shootout, defeating 4A unranked Harding Charter (6-8) 73-44 and 5A No. 17 Duncan (5-6) 65-27 before falling 36-32 to 5A No. 7 Shawnee (6-4) in the finals. The Huskies hold the No. 12 offense, No. 18 defense, and No. 12 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action at unranked Southmoore (1-5) on the 10th. 

No. 18 Sapulpa (14)

Sapulpa (3-3) took a dip in the rankings after falling in two out of three games at their own tournament. They defeated 2A unranked Northeast Academy 53-26, but fell 48-36 to No. 13 Midwest City (6-3) and 72-37 to No. 7 Booker T. Washington (8-1). 

The Lady Chieftains hold the No. 19 offense in 6A and will return to action Thursday at the Westmoore Tournament when they battle 6A No. 10 Carl Albert (4-4).

The pick: Carl Albert 48, Sapulpa 47.

No. 19 Yukon (19)

Yukon (4-3) held on to their ranking after a pair of bye weeks, and will return to action Tuesday at No. 5 Deer Creek (6-1). The Millerettes hold the No. 13 defense and No. 16 margin of victory in 6A.

No. 20 Ponca City (20)

Ponca City (4-2) held on to their ranking after back-to-back bye weeks. The Wildcats hold the No. 13 offense, No. 9 defense, and No. 11 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday when they host 5A unranked Guthrie (3-3). 

The pick: Ponca 46, Guthrie 40. 

Conference Strength

1. Central Oklahoma (54)
2. Frontier Valley (41.3)
3. Big Ten (37.7)
4. Green Country (24.7)
5. All-City (9.9)

Oklahoma Girls High School Basketball: Week Six Rankings and Predictions

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The High School basketball season has slowed over Christmas break, but a few games have been played and several teams have shuffled around in the latest rankings by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association (OSSAA). Four teams remain undefeated and four teams picked up first-place votes in the latest coaches' poll.

No. 1 Choctaw (Last week No. 1)

The Yellowjackets (7-0) pulled in 14 first-place votes after a bye week. They are tied for first in the Big Ten Conference standings. They also hold the top offense, top defense and the largest margin of victory in the league. So far they have only played three ranked opponents and no ranked 6A teams.

Choctaw returns to action on Wednesday at the prestigious Tournament of Champions.

No. 2 Edmond Santa Fe (2)

Edmond Santa Fe (7-0) picked up one first-place vote after a bye week. They are tied for first in the top-rated Central Oklahoma Conference. The Wolves hold the No. 6 offense, No. 4 defense, and No. 6 margin of victory in 6A with wins over five ranked opponents and four ranked 6A opponents.

Santa Fe will return to action Wednesday at the Sapulpa Girls Tournament.

No. 3 Sand Springs (3)

The Lady Sandites (6-0) picked up two first-place votes after a bye week. They are the only undefeated team remaining in the Frontier Valley Conference. They hold the No. 5 offense, No. 2 defense, and No. 4 margin of victory in 6A with wins over five ranked opponents and four ranked 6A opponents.

Sand Springs will return to action after the new year at the Muskogee Bedouin Shrine Tournament.  

No. 4 Putnam City West (4)

Putnam West (7-1) picked up a pair of first-place votes after going 3-1 at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas last week. They topped Mullen, Colorado 53-31, Liberty, Nevada 64-22 and Bishop Gorman 66-64, but fell 51-47 to Campbell County, Wyoming. The Patriots are still undefeated in the Big Ten. They hold the No. 2 offense, No. 5 defense and No. 2 margin of victory in the league.

The Patriots will return to action after the new year at the Putnam City Invitational.

No. 5 Deer Creek (5)

Deer Creek (6-1) maintained their ranking after a bye week. They hold the No. 8 offense, No. 13 defense, and No. 8 margin of victory in 6A and are still undefeated in the Central Oklahoma Conference.

The Antlers will return to action after the new year when they host No. 19 Yukon (4-3).

No. 6 Westmoore (7)

Westmoore (6-1) moved up one spot after a bye week. They hold the No. 4 offense, No. 12 defense, and No. 5 margin of victory in 6A and are still a contender for the Central Oklahoma Conference title with only one loss thus far.

The Jaguars will return to action after the new year when they travel to No. 12 Norman North (3-2).

No. 7 Booker T. Washington (6)

Booker T. Washington (6-0) slipped a spot in the rankings despite a dominating 73-34 victory over 4A unranked McLain (3-3). The Lady Hornets are the only 6A team and only undefeated team in the Green Country Conference. They hold the No. 3 offense, No. 3 defense, and No. 3 margin of victory in the league.

Washington will return to action Wednesday at the Sapulpa Girls Tournament.

No. 8 Owasso (8)

Owasso (4-2) maintained their ranking after a bye week. They hold the No. 15 defense and No. 20 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Wednesday at the Tournament of Champions.

No. 9 Norman (11)

Norman (5-1) has continued to climb in the rankings after a four-straight winning streak and a sweep at the Southern Oklahoma Invitational. They hold the No. 7 offense, No. 7 defense, and No. 7 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Tuesday at the Ardmore Tournament.

No. 10 Edmond Memorial (10)

Edmond Memorial (4-3) maintained their ranking after a bye week. The Bulldogs hold the No. 18 defense in 6A and will return to action after the new year when they host unranked Stillwater (1-6).

No. 11 Bartlesville (9)

The Lady Bruins (3-3) slipped in the rankings after a bye week. They hold the No. 12 defense and No. 19 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action after the new year at the Skiatook Tournament.

No. 12 Norman North (13)

Norman North (3-2) moved up a notch after a bye week. The Timberwolves hold the No. 10 offense and No. 12 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Thursday at the Enid Holiday Classic.

No. 13 Midwest City (12)

Midwest City (5-2) dropped one spot after a bye week. The Bombers hold the No. 11 offense and No. 13 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Wednesday at the Sapulpa Holiday Classic.

No. 14 Sapulpa (15)

Sapulpa (2-1) moved up a spot in the rankings after a bye week. The Lady Chieftains hold the No. 14 offense and No. 18 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action when they host the Holiday Classic Tournament this Thursday.

No. 15 Union (14)

The Lady Redskins (4-2) slipped a spot in the rankings after a bye week. They hold the No. 19 offense, No. 9 defense, and No. 14 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action after the new year at the Putnam City Invitational.

No. 16 Mustang (19)

Mustang (3-2) moved up in the rankings after a bye week. They hold the No. 18 offense, No. 16 defense, and No. 15 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action after the new year at the Skiatook Tournament.

No. 17 Broken Arrow (16)

The Lady Tigers (2-2) slipped a spot after a bye week. They hold the No. 17 defense in 6A and will return to action Wednesday at the Sapulpa Holiday Classic.

No. 18 Edmond North (17)

The Huskies (3-3) dropped a spot after a bye week. They hold the No. 16 offense and No. 17 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action Wednesday at the Duncan Holiday Shootout.

No. 19 Yukon (19)

Yukon (4-3) held their spot in the rankings after a bye week. They hold the No. 20 offense, No. 11 defense, and No. 16 margin of victory in 6A and will return to action after the new year when they travel to No. 5 Deer Creek (6-1).

No. 20 Ponca City (unranked)

Ponca City (4-2) entered the rankings after a bye week. They hold the No. 13 offense, No. 8 defense, and No. 10 margin of victory in 6A. The Lady Wildcats are the only 6A team without a conference, playing an independent schedule since the collapse of the Centennial Conference.

They will return to action after the new year when they host 5A unranked Guthrie (1-2).

Conference Strength

1. Central Oklahoma (52)
2. Frontier Valley (43.2)
3. Big Ten (37.7)
4. Green Country (25.3)
5. All-City (9.9)

Frontier Valley Conference Womens' Basketball Standings

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The 2016-2017 womens' basketball season is under way and the Frontier Valley Conference is as competitive as ever with seven out of ten teams being ranked in their divisions. Three of the FVC girls teams are in the top-ten of 6A and the Lady Sandites are leading the way with an undefeated record. 

The FVC is currently ranked second out of the five 6A conferences in strength of schedule, but with several cross-conference match-ups approaching in the next few weeks, they could slip ahead to first place. 

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No. 3 Sand Springs (6-0, 3-0) is the only undefeated team remaining in the conference and they're one of only four teams to receive a first-place vote in the 6A rankings. The Lady Sandites have the best offense, best defense, and highest margin of victory in the conference. In addition to winning the Bishop Kelley Tournament, they also defeated Bartlesville 51-34, Bishop Kelley 71-36, and Broken Arrow 66-45. Five different players have led in scoring this season and three are averaging in double digits, led by Sydney Pennington with 13.5 points per game. They return to action after the new year when they compete at the Muskogee Bedouin Shrine Tournament.

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No. 9 Bartlesville (3-3, 2-1) holds the No. 6 offense, No. 3 defense, and No. 4 margin of victory in the conference. They lost their season opener 51-34 to Sand Springs, but beat Owasso 52-39 and Union 42-33. Owasso got payback, however, with a non-conference 39-33 win at the Bixby Tournament. Jena Williams has led in scoring for the last five games and is averaging 12.8 points. The Lady Bruins return to action after the new year when they play No. 18 Mustang (3-2) at the Skiatook Tournament.

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No. 8 Owasso (4-2, 2-1) holds the No. 7 offense, No. 4 defense, and No. 5 margin of victory in the conference. They lost their season opener 52-39 to Bartlesville, but defeated Muskogee 49-39 and Bishop Kelley 48-32. They also got payback on the Lady Bruins with a 39-33 non-conference win at the Bixby Tournament. The Lady Rams have two players averaging in the double digits, with Terryn Milton leading the team with 13.3 points per game. They will return to action on the 28th at the prestigious Tournament of Champions with a first round game against 3A No. 1 Adair (6-0). 

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No. 14 Union (4-2, 2-1) holds the No. 4 offense, No. 2 defense, and No. 2 margin of victory in the conference. They lost their season opener 42-33 to Bartlesville, but have won their last four games, including a 61-34 victory at Jenks and a 41-36 win over Broken Arrow. The Lady Redskins are led by Taylor Malham with 13.7 points per game. They will return to action after the new year when they take on unranked Putnam City North (3-4) in the first round of the Putnam City Invitational.

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No. 15 Sapulpa (2-1, 2-1) holds the No. 2 offense, No. 8 defense, and No. 3 margin of victory in the conference. They defeated Jenks 56-45 and Muskogee 53-51, but fell 51-44 to Bishop Kelley. They are led by freshman Ray Osborn with 12.7 points per game and will return to action at the Sapulpa Holiday Classic when they take on No. 12 Midwest City (5-2) in the first round.

No. 16 Broken Arrow (2-2, 2-2) holds the No. 9 offense, No. 5 defense, and No. 8 margin of victory in the conference. They defeated Bishop Kelley 43-37 and Bixby 36-31, but fell 66-45 to Sand Springs and 41-36 to Union. They are led by Jalise Smallwood with 17.8 points per game and will return to action in the first round of the Sapulpa Holiday Classic when they take on undefeated No. 6 Booker T. Washington (6-0).

Muskogee (2-4, 1-2) holds the No. 3 offense, No. 9 defense, and No. 6 margin of victory in the conference. They defeated Bixby 51-40, but fell 49-39 to Owasso and 53-51 to Sapulpa. They are led by Trena Mims with 21.4 points per game. They will return to action at the Bedouin Shrine Classic when they take on 3A unranked Okmulgee (2-2).

Jenks (2-4, 1-2) holds the No. 5 offense, No. 10 defense, and No. 10 margin of victory in the conference. They lost their season opener 56-45 to Sapulpa, then fell 61-34 to Union before registering a 57-49 win over Bixby. The Lady Trojans are led by Makenley Church with 9.7 points per game and will return to action at the Bedouin Shrine Classic against Ponca City (4-2). 

5A No. 15 Bishop Kelley (3-4, 1-3) holds the No. 10 offense, No. 7 defense, and No. 9 margin of victory in the conference. They lost their first two games 43-37 to Broken Arrow and 71-36 to Sand Springs, then won three-straight including a 51-44 victory over Sapulpa before falling 48-32 to Owasso. The Lady Comets are led by Macy Craig with 9.7 points per game and will return to action after the new year when they travel to Union. 

Bixby (2-4, 0-3) holds the No. 8 offense, No. 6 defense, and No. 7 margin of victory in the conference. They have yet to secure a conference win this season after falling 36-31 to Broken Arrow, 51-40 to Muskogee, and 57-49 to Jenks. The Lady Spartans are led by Maddie Bittle with 17 points per game.

Conference Strength:

1. Central Oklahoma (50)
2. Frontier Valley (45.5)
3. Big Ten (38.7)
4. Green Country (26.5)
5. All-City (9.4)

FVC Leading Scorers (points-per-game)

1. Trena Mims (Muskogee) 21.4
2. Jalise Smallwood (Broken Arrow) 17.8
3. Maddie Bittle (Bixby) 17.0
4. Taylor Malham (Union) 13.7
5. Sydney Pennington (Sand Springs) 13.5
6. Terryn Milton (Owasso) 13.3
7. Jena Williams (Bartlesville) 12.8
8. Ray Osborn (Sapulpa) 12.7
9. Hailey Morrison (Sapulpa) 12.0
10. Sadie Moyer (Union) 11.0

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Editor's Note: We are currently missing individual scoring results for several games. Please forward results to SanditePrideNews@gmail.com

Missing:

• 12/6 Muskogee vs Owasso
• 12/8 Muskogee vs NOAH
• 12/8 Jenks vs Edmond Santa Fe
• 12/8 Union vs Anadarko
• 12/9 Union vs Putnam North
• 12/9 Muskogee vs Tahlequah
• 12/9 Jenks vs Edmond North
• 12/10 Union vs Edmond North
• 12/10 Jenks vs Putnam North
• 12/10 Muskogee vs Yukon
• 12/13 Bixby vs Muskogee

Oklahoma Girls High School Basketball: Week Five Rankings and Predictions

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The fourth week of Oklahoma High School basketball has come to an end, still without a consensus number-one team. Five undefeated schools remain and three picked up first-place votes in the latest OSSAA rankings. Last week we picked fifteen games and were 13-2 with an overall accuracy of 85% for the season.

No. 1 Choctaw (1)

The Yellowjackets (7-0) pulled off one of their most powerful wins of the season Friday when they hosted 5A No. 19 Lawton Eisenhower (1-5) and hammered them 78-18. Six of their seven wins this season have been by 30 points or more and their average margin of victory is the best in 6A at 42 points. They also have the number two offense and number one defense. Their schedule has been light, however, with only three ranked opponents and no ranked 6A teams. They received 22 first-place votes this week.

Choctaw will return to action on the 28th at the prestigious Tournament of Champions.

No. 2 Edmond Santa Fe (2)

Edmond Santa Fe (7-0) is tied with Choctaw as the winningest team in 6A. Their wins haven't been as massive as the Yellowjackets', but they've arguably played the tougher schedule. Despite going up against five ranked opponents, they've still held on to the fifth-best margin of victory in the division at 21 points. They hold the No. 6 offense and No. 4 defense in the division and most recently topped No. 11 Norman North (3-2) 55-43. They received two first-place votes this week.

The Wolves will return to action on the 28th at the Sapulpa Girls Tournament. 

No. 3 Sand Springs (tied 3)

The Lady Sandites (6-0) are off to their best start in years, pummeling their way through the Bishop Kelley Tournament, and making short work of No. 10 Broken Arrow (2-2). The Lady Tigers trailed by more than 30 points before scoring the final 12 against the Sand Springs bench to make it 66-45. Four Lady Sandites doubled in the affair, led by sophomore Isabella Regalado with 15. They picked up one first-place vote this week.

Sand Springs holds the No. 5 offense, No. 2 defense, and No. 3 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action after the new year at the Bedouin Shrine Tournament in Muskogee.

No. 4 Putnam City West (tied 3)

Putnam West (6-0) is just a point behind Choctaw in margin-of-victory and took down their first ranked opponent this past week, topping 5A No. 15 Bishop McGuinness (2-2) 86-37 on the road. The Lady Patriots are currently in the middle of the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas where they will resume action on Monday. On Friday they beat Mullen, Colorado (2-5) 53-31, then beat undefeated Liberty, Nevada (6-1) 64-22 on Saturday. They received two first-place votes this week.

West holds the No. 1 offense in the state at 74 points per game and is tied for the No. 2 defense, holding their opponents to 33. 

No. 5 Deer Creek (5)

Deer Creek (6-1) notched their biggest win of the season this week at No. 16 Edmond North (3-3), hammering the Huskies 64-33. The Lady Antlers hold the No. 8 offense, No. 14 defense, and No. 8 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action after the new year when they host No. 17 Yukon (4-3). 

No. 6 Booker T. Washington (7)

The undefeated Lady Hornets (5-0) dominated 5A No. 18 Tulsa Memorial (3-6) 73-27 on Tuesday, then spent the weekend in Arkansas, defeating Ft. Smith Northside (4-5) 61-54. Booker T. holds the No. 10 offense, No. 5 defense, and No. 4 margin of victory in 6A. The Hornets will take on 5A unranked McClain (2-0) on Tuesday.

The pick: BTW 65 McClain 42

No. 7 Westmoore (6)

Westmoore (6-1) picked up their first ranked win of the season Friday when they topped in-town rival No. 20 Moore (3-4). The Lady Jags rolled to a 69-38 win on their home turf to close the year with their second win of thirty points or more. Westmoore holds the No. 4 offense, No. 12 defense, and No. 5 margin of victory in 6A. They will return to action after the new year when they travel to No. 14 Norman North (3-2). 

No. 8 Owasso (8) 

Owasso (4-2) rebounded from a 52-30 loss to 5A No. 2 Collinsville (6-0) with a 48-32 Friday night win over 5A No. 17 Bishop Kelley (3-4). Rylie Booner scored a team high 15, followed by Leiloni Culley with 13 and Terryn Milton with 11. The Lady Rams will return to action on the 28th at the Tournament of Champions.

No. 9 Bartlesville (9)

Bartlesville (3-3) took a bye week after falling 54-49 to No. 4 Deer Creek (6-1). The Lady Bruins won't play again until after the new year at the Skiatook Tournament.

No. 10 Edmond Memorial (13)

Edmond Memorial (4-3) played only one game this past week and topped No. 17 Yukon (4-3) 42-28. Taking the rest of 2016 off, the Bulldogs will return to action after the new year when they host unranked Stillwater (1-6). 

No. 11 Norman (12)

Norman (5-1) has won four-straight since a close loss to No. 6 Westmoore (6-1) in week one. The Tigers took a bye week after sweeping the Southern Oklahoma Invitational, but will return to action on the 27th at the Ardmore Tournament. They hold the No. 7 offense, No. 7 defense, and No. 7 margin of victory in 6A.

No. 12 Midwest City (14)

Midwest City (5-2) picked up a pair of wins last week, dominating unranked Putnam North (1-6) 57-32, then coming out on top of 5A No. 15 Bishop McGuinness (2-3) 47-39. The Lady Bombers hold the No. 11 offense in 6A and will competed at the Sapulpa Holiday Classic on the 28th.

No. 13 Norman North (11)

The Timberwolves (3-2) dropped a 55-43 loss to No. 2 Edmond Santa Fe (7-0) Friday and had their Saturday game against No. 17 Edmond North (3-3) postponed. They will return to action on the 29th at the Enid Holiday Classic. They hold the No. 10 offense and No. 12 margin of victory in 6A.

No. 14 Union (18)

Union (4-2) picked up a pair of notable wins this past week, dominating unranked Jenks (2-4) 61-34 and topping No. 10 Broken Arrow (2-2) 41-36 for their fourth-straight victory. Taylor Malhalm led her team in both games with 37 total points. The Lady Redskins will return to action after the new year at the Putnam City Invitational. They hold the No. 9 defense and No. 14 margin of victory in 6A

No. 15 Sapulpa (15)

Sapulpa (2-1) went 1-1 this past week, falling 51-44 to 5A No. 17 Bishop Kelley (3-4), but topping unranked Muskogee (2-4) 53-51. Rayveen Osborn led her team in both games, averaging 15, while Hailey Morrison tied Osborn with 13 points against Muskogee. They will return to action at the Holiday Classic on the 28th.

No. 16 Broken Arrow (10)

Broken Arrow (2-2) had a tough week with some strong competitors and fell 66-45 to No. 3 Sand Springs (6-0) and 41-36 to No. 18 Union (4-2). Jalise Smallwood was the only Lady Tiger to double in either game and averaged 24 points between the two. They will return to action at the Sapulpa Tournament on the 28th. 

No. 17 Edmond North (16)

The Huskies (3-3) suffered a 64-33 loss at the hands of No. 5 Deer Creek (6-1) Friday and had their Saturday game against No. 13 Norman North (3-2) postponed. They will return to action at the Duncan Holiday Shootout.

No. 18 Mustang (19)

Mustang (3-2) took a bye week after sweeping the Plainview Tournament and won't return to action till the new year at the Skiatook Tournament. 

No. 19 Yukon (17)

The Millerettes (4-3) split last week's games, trumping unranked Southmoore (1-5) 51-40, but falling 42-28 to No. 13 Edmond Memorial (4-3). Yukon holds the No. 11 defense in 6A and will return to action after the new year when they travel to No. 5 Deer Creek (6-1).

No. 20 Moore (20)

Moore (3-4) lost their lone game last week, 69-38 to No. 6 Westmoore (6-1). The Lionesses are done for the year and will resume the season at the Weatherford Tournament. 

Conference Strength

1. Central Oklahoma (50)
2. Frontier Valley (45.5)
3. Big Ten (38.7)
4. Green Country (26.5)
5. All-City (9.4)