By Scott Hansen
MaxPreps.com
WARNING: Trying to figure out Class 5A basketball in Oklahoma can be hazardous to your health.
Heading into the Class 5A playoffs, you can take history and events that happen "on paper" and run them through the shredder. For instance, Carl Albert's boys have the best record in Class 5A at 19-2. After that, Bixby has four losses.
For the girls, Tulsa Edison and Harrah have three losses. Bishop Kelley and Carl Albert check in with four losses.
Don't be fooled. A lot of Class 5A teams fill their schedules with the Class 6A elite. The enrollment disparity between the higher attended schools in 6A and a common 5A school is mind-boggling.
Class 5A Boys West (Top Two Advance to Area)
Region 1 at Carl Albert: Carl Albert vs. Duncan, Ada vs. John Marshall (OKC)
Pick: John Marshall
Runner-up: Carl Albert
Region 2 at Guthrie: Shawnee vs. Northwest Classen (OKC), Guthrie vs. El Reno
Pick: Northwest Classen
Runner-up: Guthrie
Region 3 at Lawton MacArthur: MacArthur vs. Altus, Ardmore vs. Harrah
Pick: Ardmore
Runner-up: Lawton MacArthur
Region 4 at Capitol Hill (OKC): Durant vs. Chickasha, Capitol Hill vs. Noble
Pick: Capitol Hill
Runner-up: Chickasha
AREA
Lawton MacArthur over Chickasha (Chickasha eliminated)
John Marshall over Northwest Classen (John Marshall advances to State)
Lawton MacArthur over Northwest Classen (Lawton MacArthur advances to State)
Carl Albert over Guthrie (Guthrie eliminated)
Capitol Hill over Ardmore (Capitol Hill advances to State)
Ardmore over Carl Albert (Ardmore advances to State)
Class 5A Boys East
Region 1 at Tulsa East Central: East Central vs. Catoosa, Claremore vs. McAlester
Pick: East Central
Runner-up: McAlester
Region 2 at Tulsa Edison: Tulsa Bishop Kelley vs. Miami, Tulsa Edison vs. Tulsa Rogers.
Pick: Tulsa Edison
Runner-up: Bishop Kelley
Region 3 at Tulsa Central: Tulsa Central vs. Western Heights (OKC), Pryor vs. Deer Creek (Edmond)
Pick: Tulsa Central
Runner-up: Pryor
Region 4 at Bixby: Tulsa Hale vs. Coweta, Bixby vs. Skiatook
Pick: Bixby
Runner-up: Tulsa Hale
AREA
Tulsa Hale over Pryor (Pryor eliminated)
East Central over Tulsa Edison (East Central advances to State)
Tulsa Edison over Pryor (Edison advances to State)
Bishop Kelley over McAlester (McAlester eliminated)
Tulsa Central over Bixby (Tulsa Central advances to State)
Bixby over Bishop Kelley (Bixby advances to State)
Class 5A Boys State Projected Bracket
Tulsa East Central over Lawton MacArthur
Bixby over John Marshall
Ardmore over Tulsa Central
Capitol Hill over Tulsa Edison
Semifinals
Tulsa East Central over Bixby
Capitol Hill over Ardmore
Final
Tulsa East Central over Capitol Hill
Why? Parody. Don't look at the records in the 5A field and think that it lacks greatness. East Central enters the playoffs with five losses this season to 6A contenders Tulsa Union and Broken Arrow, along with losses to Sequoyah-Tahlequah, Memorial, and Edison.
Darkhorse: John Marshall
Class 5A Girls West
Region 1 at Harrah: John Marshall vs. Ada, Harrah vs. Northwest Classen
Pick: Harrah
Runner-up: John Marshall
Region 2 at El Reno: Noble vs. Guthrie, El Reno vs. Altus
Pick: El Reno
Runner-up: Noble
Region 3 at Durant: Lawton MacArthur vs. Duncan, Durant vs. Capitol Hill
Pick: Durant
Runner-up: Lawton MacArthur
Region 4 at Carl Albert: Ardmore vs. Chickasha, Carl Albert vs. Shawnee
Pick: Carl Albert
Runner-up: Chickasha
AREA
Lawton MacArthur over Chickasha (Chickasha eliminated)
Harrah over El Reno (Harrah advances to State)
El Reno over Lawton MacArthur (El Reno advances to State)
John Marshall over Noble (Noble eliminated)
Carl Albert over Durant (Carl Albert advances to State)
John Marshall over Durant (John Marshall advances to State)
Class 5A Girls East
Region 1 at Tulsa Edison: Tulsa Hale vs. Pryor, Tulsa Edison vs. Catoosa
Pick: Tulsa Edison
Runner-up: Pryor
Region 2 at Bishop Kelley: Tulsa East Central vs. Tulsa Rogers, Bishop Kelley vs. Skiatook
Pick: Bishop Kelley
Runner-up: East Central
Region 3 at Claremore: McAlester vs. Tulsa Central vs. Claremore vs. Miami
Pick: Claremore
Runner-up: McAlester
Region 4 at Bixby: Coweta vs. Deer Creek, Bixby vs. Western Heights (OKC)
Pick: Bixby
Runner-up: Coweta
AREA
McAlester over Coweta (Coweta eliminated)
Bishop Kelley over Tulsa Edison (Bishop Kelley advances to State)
Tulsa Edison over McAlester (Edison advances to State)
Tulsa East Central over Pryor (Pryor eliminated)
Bixby over Claremore (Bixby advances to State)
Tulsa East Central over Claremore (East Central advances to State)
Class 5A Girls State Projected Bracket
Bishop Kelley over John Marshall
Carl Albert over Tulsa Edison
Bixby over El Reno
Harrah over Tulsa East Central
Semifinals
Carl Albert over Bishop Kelley
Harrah over Bixby
Final
Carl Albert over Harrah
Why? It is tough to beat a team three times in one season, which is why Carl Albert is picked to win the final over Harrah. Carl Albert features two 6-foot freshmen in Kylie Mayes and Desiree Bradley. Mayes controls the paint, while Bradley likes to shoot the three.
Darkhorse: Tulsa Edison
Scott Hansen: shansen17@cox.net
