By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
It's prediction time. Can the Putnam City boys and Mustang girls repeat as 6A champions? Can teams such as Jenks, Midwest City, and Lawton Eisenhower spoil the party for sophomore Xavier Henry in the boys ranks? Can Sapulpa erase memories of a one-point loss to Del City in the first round last season?
A lot of questions, but the answers will be settled on the court.
Class 6A Boys West
Top Two Advance to Area
Region 1 at Midwest City: U.S. Grant vs. Edmond Santa Fe, Midwest City vs. Choctaw
Breakdown: Midwest City is the clear cut favorite. U.S. Grant likes to push the ball, which makes them a danger. Edmond Santa Fe owns a key victory over Jenks this season.
Pick: Midwest City
Runner-up: Edmond Santa Fe
Region 2 at Putnam City North: Norman North vs. Mustang, PC North vs. PC West
Breakdown: Putnam City North or Norman North could come through. PC North is young and talented, while Norman North has been up and down all season long. Norman North, however, has four players 6-4 or taller.
Pick: Norman North
Runner-up: PC North
Region 3 at Lawton Eisenhower: Lawton vs. Westmoore, Lawton Eisenhower at Norman
Breakdown: Lawton Eisenhower downed Putnam City to avenge their only two losses of the campaign. Norman got off to a bad start, but are dangerous and talented.
Pick: Lawton Eisenhower
Runner-up: Lawton
Region 4 at Putnam City: Edmond North vs. Del City, Putnam City vs. Yukon
Breakdown: At least for Putnam City, the playoffs are a new beginning after finishing the regular season 3-2 after Feb. 3.
Pick: Putnam City
Runner-up: Del City
AREA (Selections in Bold)
Lawton vs. Del City (Del City eliminated)
Midwest City vs. Norman North (Midwest City advances to State)
Lawton vs. Norman North (NN advances to State)
PC North vs. Edmond Santa Fe (PC North eliminated)
Lawton Eisenhower vs. Putnam City (Putnam City advances to State)
Santa Fe vs. Lawton Eisenhower (Ike advances to State)
Class 6A Boys East
Region 1 at Tulsa Union: Edmond Memorial vs. Tahlequah, Tulsa Union vs. Ponca City.
Breakdown: Tulsa Union should remain unbeaten after hosting this Regional. Tahlequah has sophomore Matt Qualls, who has impressive numbers.
Pick: Tulsa Union
Runner-up: Tahlequah
Region 2 at Bartlesville: Tulsa Memorial vs. Muskogee, Bartlesville vs. Sand Springs.
Breakdown: Bartlesville has been quiet this season despite their 16-3 record. Tulsa Memorial are dangerous.
Pick: Bartlesville.
Runner-up: Tulsa Memorial.
Region 3 at Broken Arrow: Tulsa Washington vs. Owasso, Broken Arrow vs. Stillwater.
Breakdown: An interesting Regional with Tulsa Washington and Broken Arrow. On paper, Broken Arrow might be the favorite. Tulsa Washington has been through a lot this season including controversy surrounding their legendary coach, who is in his last season at Washington.
Pick: Tulsa Washington
Runner-up: Broken Arrow
Region 4 at Jenks: Enid vs. Sapulpa, Jenks vs. Moore.
Breakdown: It should be all Jenks. Jenks, who lost star Nick Sidorakis to an injury for a loss to rival Tulsa Union, could be better off in the long run because of the injury.
Pick: Jenks
Runner-up: Sapulpa.
AREA (Selections in Bold)
Broken Arrow vs. Sapulpa (Sapulpa eliminated)
Tulsa Union vs. Bartlesville (Union advances to State)
Broken Arrow vs. Bartlesville (Broken Arrow advances to State)
Tahlequah vs. Tulsa Memorial (Memorial eliminated)
Tulsa Washington vs. Jenks (Washington advances to State)
Jenks vs. Tahlequah (Jenks advances to State)
Class 6A Boys State Projected Bracket (Selections in Bold)
Tulsa Union vs. Norman North
Midwest City vs. Jenks
Tulsa Washington vs. Lawton Eisenhower
Putnam City vs. Broken Arrow
Semifinals
Tulsa Union vs. Midwest City
Tulsa Washington vs. Putnam City
Final
Tulsa Union vs. Putnam City
Why? Star power, that's why. Putnam City has the best player in the state other than Blake Griffin of Oklahoma Christian School, which are in 2A. Sophomore Xavier Henry is capable of puttting up 30 with little or no warning. Union, if the predictions are correct, would enter the final unbeaten. They have a good starting five, but wouldn't have an answer for Henry. If anybody can contain Henry, it would be Union's stingy defense.
Darkhorse: Jenks
Class 6A Girls West
Region 1 at Mustang: Westmoore vs. Putnam City, Mustang vs. Norman North
Breakdown: Mustang are the defending 6A champs and will likely coast through the home Regional.
Pick: Mustang
Runner-up: Westmoore
Region 2 at Norman: Lawton vs. Lawton Eisenhower, Norman vs. U.S. Grant
Breakdown: Norman or Lawton, at a neutral venue, would be a coin flip. Norman won their only meeting this season, but that was at home in November.
Pick: Norman
Runner-up: Lawton
Region 3 at Edmond Santa Fe: Midwest City vs. Putnam City North, Santa Fe vs. Putnam City West
Breakdown: An interesting Regional with Midwest City capable of spoiling Santa Fe's party despite losing five straight.
Pick: Santa Fe
Runner-up: Midwest City
Region 4 at Del City: Choctaw vs. Yukon, Del City vs. Edmond North
Breakdown: Del City are the well-deserved hosts, featuring twin sisters Porschea and Desiree Jeffries. Yukon has dazzling freshman Megan Henson.
Pick: Del City
Runner-up: Yukon
AREA (Selections in Bold)
Midwest City vs. Yukon (Yukon eliminated)
Mustang vs. Norman (Mustang advances to State)
Midwest City vs. Norman (Norman advances to State)
Westmoore vs. Lawton (Westmoore eliminated)
Edmond Santa Fe vs. Del City (Del City advances to State)
Edmond Santa Fe vs. Lawton (Santa Fe advances to State)
Class 6A Girls East
Region 1 at Sapulpa: Sand Springs vs. Bartlesville, Sapulpa vs. Moore
Breakdown: Sapulpa's only loss of the season was to Sequoyah-Tahlequah. Bartlesville is over .500 after playing a difficult schedule, with their meeting with Sand Springs could be a toss up. On Jan. 23 at Bartlesville, Sand Springs lost 38-36.
Pick: Sapulpa
Runner-up: Sand Springs
Region 2 at Tulsa Union: Owasso vs. Ponca City, Tulsa Union vs. Broken Arrow
Breakdown: If the Regional hosts were determined a week later, Owasso could have beat out Union. This is the most interesting Regional in 6A. Union and Owasso split the season series.
Pick: Tulsa Union
Runner-up: Owasso
Region 3 at Tulsa Washington: Enid vs. Edmond Memorial, Tulsa Washington vs. Tahlequah
Breakdown: Washington have quietly put together a 17-1 record this season. Enid is probably better equipped to come out as the runner-up.
Pick: Tulsa Washington
Runner-up: Enid
Region 4 at Jenks: Tulsa Memorial vs. Muskogee, Jenks vs. Stillwater
Breakdown: Jenks came through a killer schedule with losses only to Sapulpa (twice) and Owasso. Tulsa Memorial are a senior-laded team that has a point to prove.
Pick: Jenks
Runner-up: Tulsa Memorial
AREA
Enid vs. Tulsa Memorial (Enid eliminated)
Sapulpa vs. Tulsa Union (Sapulpa advances to State)
Tulsa Memorial vs. Tulsa Union (Union advances to State)
Sand Springs vs. Owasso (Sand Springs eliminated)
Tulsa Washington vs. Jenks (Jenks advances to State)
Owasso vs. Tulsa Washington (Owasso advances to State)
Class 6A Girls State Projected Bracket (Selections in Bold)
Sapulpa vs. Edmond Santa Fe
Del City vs. Owasso
Jenks vs. Norman
Mustang vs. Tulsa Union
Semifinals
Sapulpa vs. Owasso
Jenks vs. Mustang
Final
Sapulpa vs. Mustang
Why? The combination of senior Tatum Beer and 6-3 junior Alyssia Brewer are too difficult to contend with. Mustang has Lacy Ramon and Jordan Pyle, and should be equipped to make a serious run to repeat.
Darkhorse: Norman
Scott Hansen: shansen17@cox.net