Who are the top Oklahoma high school basketball players? Coaches explain their picks
It’s early in the Oklahoma high school basketball season, but several of the state’s rising stars have already shown their talents through a few games.
Who are the standouts this season?
No one knows better than the coaches who have to scheme against them. At The Oklahoman’s winter sports media day last month, we asked girls and boys basketball coaches to name the top players to watch across the Oklahoma high school hoops scene.
Here are their anonymous answers:
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Girls basketball
Katelyn Davis, Choctaw
“She is someone that is very underrated. She is a walking bucket. She actually hit the halfcourt shot against us last year, so she can shoot it, and people really don’t know about her. She’s definitely gonna make some noise this next year.”
Keziah Lofton, Zya Vann and Kayten Donley, Bethany
“I think they’re going to be the toughest team to scheme against and play against.”
Keeley Parks, Norman
“One-person full-court press. Can score any way she wants. The kid’s always involved.”
Caya Smith, Putnam West
“She’s a phenomenal player.”
Maddi Stewart, Tulsa Lincoln Christian
“She’s tough as nails, plays really hard and does a lot of good things for them.”
El Reno team
“I think El Reno is going to be really good. They got everybody back. They’ve got some tough posts and tough guards.”
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Boys basketball
CJ Nickson, Weatherford
“He’s a true stud. I know people are aware of him being a really good football player but he’s also one of the best basketball players in the state too. He’s going to be a problem on the court this year.”
Titus Miller, Catoosa
“Titus is one of the more underrated players in the state of Oklahoma. Not only can he shoot the lights out of the ball and is a tough shot maker, but he has sneaky athleticism at the rim and is lengthy on defense.”
Roy Henderson, Midwest City
“He's tough. I heard Roy averaged about 18 points and shot over 40% from beyond the arc as a freshman and gave us problems whenever we matched up against him. He’ll be even better this year as a senior, I guarantee it.”
Anthony Leonard, Putnam City North
“Anthony is super explosive, man. He can really score at all three levels and plays really good, reactionary defense at the point of attack. The scariest part of it all is he’s only a junior. That’s a name people should get used to hearing this season because I expect him to really turn some heads.”
Dayton Forsythe, Dale
“I mean Dayton is an easy answer because he's obviously one of the best players this state has to offer. There isn’t much he can’t do offensively, he’s lethal at all three levels as a scorer. There’s a reason why Coach Moser at OU recruited him so hard — that kid is as real as it gets.”
Carlsheon Young, Midwest City
“We played against him last year in the Newcastle tournament. He's tough. If I have to say one person that we played against, I’d say him. We didn’t have much of an answer for him that day and I know he was a force in the AAU circuit this summer so I expect him to be one of the best players in the state this year.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma high school basketball coaches name top players in the state
