Still the '1': Top-ranked Broken Arrow boys stay perfect after defeating Tulsa Booker T. Washington
By Mike Moguin
Connor Dow, left, and Dason Cook led Broken Arrow in scoring with 15 points each, helping the Tigers to victory against Tulsa Booker T. Washington on Tuesday night
TULSA - When you’re on top, you have a target on your back.
That is the reality for Broken Arrow this season as it has held the No. 1 spot in many boys state basketball polls, including OSSAARankings.com and SBLive Oklahoma throughout the season.
The Tigers got a challenge from Tulsa Booker T. Washington (No. 5 in OSSAA) Tuesday night when they fell behind 7-0, but eventually clawed their way back to prevail, 60-52, at the Nathan E. Harris Fieldhouse.
Oklahoma State signee Connor Dow and Dason Cook led Broken Arrow (18-0), which remains unbeaten, with 15 points each. The host Hornets were led by Ty Holdman’s 17 points. B.J. Harris also scored 10 for BTW.
“Booker T. always creates havoc. That’s what they do, that’s how they play and they’ve always done that,” Broken Arrow coach Beau Wallace said. “We knew that.
"We haven’t done a very good job the last few games of starting very fast, but I got a lot of faith in the guys. I called an early time out just to settle them down.”
The Hornets stretched their lead to eight, 11-3, before BA began a 9-0 run capped by a 3 from Dow with 2:19 remaining in the first period, giving the Tigers their first lead, 12-11.
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BTW countered with a trey immediately on the other end from Jamari Simpson. The score was 19-15 in favor of the home team as the first quarter closed.
Broken Arrow regained the lead, 23-22, on a basket from Lincoln Smith. Dow later nailed an impressive 3-pointer in front of the top of the key zone late in the opening half.
After the Hornets’ Holdman hit another basket, BA's Ethan Ellison got a trey before the half and it was 29-24, Tigers.
“We started getting stops on the defensive end, which helped open shots on the offensive end for us,” Wallace said. “I’m really proud of our guys for locking down and getting stops defensively.”
The third quarter was a back-and-forth seesaw battle as both teams exchanged baskets. It began with Holdman getting a 3 for BTW, with Cook leaping for a layup to make it a 31-27 game.
Another trey by Holdman gave the Hornets the lead back with 5:22 left in the period, 33-31. Cook scored from the inside lane after taking a pass from a teammate 17 seconds later to tie it and added the next basket to put his team up.
Another Cook field goal put BA up, 42-41, before the third ended.
“Both teams found openings in both defenses. We kind of worked our way through that and came through that fourth quarter, where we pulled away,” Wallace said. “Just kept getting stops, making them take some shots, rebounded, and it gave us more opportunity down on the offensive end.”
By the time the final session began, Broken Arrow took over, having worn down BTW, going on a 14-3 run. Most of it was from taking advantage of Hornet fouls, by sinking shots from the free throw line.
