SBLive Oklahoma Top 25 boys basketball rankings: Ranking the teams still alive, plus two champions
By Glen Brockenbush
Photo of El Reno vs. Del City area playoff by Michael Kinney
With teams from last week’s rankings having been knocked out of the playoffs, this week’s rankings will instead be a ranking of the 40 teams remaining in their respective state tournaments, plus the two teams who have already claimed state championships.
Note: Rankings were determined before the Oklahoma state tournaments started Tuesday with the Class 2A boys. Records are also prior to the state tournament games.
42. Wister (22-6)
The Wildcats are truly the Cinderella of not just the 2A tournament, but perhaps any tournament bracket this week. They shocked Oktaha to make it to the state tournament for the first time since 1942 and played one of the very best teams in the entire state in Dale.
Though the Wildcats' season ended at the hands of the Pirates on Tuesday, they’ve already turned heads just by getting here.
41. Hugo (18-9)
The Buffaloes are also an underdog, having beaten Purcell in the area round to make it back to the Class 3A state tournament for the fourth time in six years.
40. Colcord (18-7)
The Hornets have made the state tournament for the first time in 25 years, but their lack of quality wins puts them low on this list. They were defeated by Oklahoma Christian Academy in Tuesday's 2A quarterfinals.
39. Hobart (23-6)
Under first-year head coach Andrew Tuan, the Bearcats are in the tourney for the first time since 2005.
But the Bearcats' stay at state was short-lived, as they were defeated by Preston in Tuesday's 2A quarterfinals.
38. Pocola (21-7)
Derek Barlow's squad is back at the 2A tournament for a second straight year, and has wins over Oklahoma Christian Academy and Calera. They pulled off the biggest upset of the quarterfinal round on Tuesday with a 40-39 win against 2A No. 4 Hennessey.
Now, the Indians set their sights on taking down top-ranked Dale in Friday's semifinals.
37. Crooked Oak (24-3)
At state for the first time in a decade and just the fifth time ever, the Ruf-Nex squeaked past Tulsa Cascia Hall, 56-55, to win the area consolation title.
36. North Rock Creek (22-5)
One of the newest schools in Oklahoma, North Rock Creek is making its first-ever trip to the state tournament after beating Anadarko at area.
35. Prague (24-2)
The Red Devils have only lost twice this year, but the strength of schedule was somewhat questionable.
Their area championship win against Purcell was not questionable, though.
34. Stilwell (23-3)
Their most impressive wins this season are over Roland and Class A runner-up Okay. Other than that, their resume wasn’t enough to put them higher than the mid-30s.
33. Claremore-Sequoyah (25-3)
The Eagles are in the state tournament for the first time ever and have a legitimate chance to make some noise in a fairly open 3A bracket.
32. Tahlequah (14-11)
The party crasher in Class 5A, the Tigers beat a big, athletic Tulsa Hale team at area to make the state tournament. Hayden Smith is a big (6-foot-7), athletic post player, but Tahlequah will need more than him to upset Carl Albert in the quarterfinals.
31. Oklahoma Christian Academy (21-8)
The Eagles are in the state tournament for the first time, and made the most of their debut with a 2A quarterfinal win against Colcord on Tuesday. They were ranked 3rd in the final OSSAA rankings and already have a win over the team who finished second (Preston).
30. Lindsay (23-6)
The Leopards have a win over Purcell and three wins over Marlow, including the area consolation game that knocked the Outlaws out of the playoffs and sent Lindsay to the state tournament for the first time since 2007.
29. Choctaw (19-8)
In just their second state tournament ever, and first one since 1967, Choctaw is a feel-good story in 6A.
After losing the area championship game to Edmond North, the Jackets then beat Westmoore by one to head to state. The Yellowjackets have a pair of athletic big men in Will Smith and Isaiah Taylor, plus a senior playmaker in Cam Hunt.
28. Roland (24-2)
Carson Wiggins can be electrifying at times, and he is joined by a capable cast with Peyton Whisenant and the Halls (Davhon and Kyeree). The Rangers are a team to be reckoned with in Class 3A.
27. Edmond Deer Creek (18-8)
Sophomore Clyde Davis leads the Antlers to the state tournament for the first time since 2015 and the school’s first trip to the tournament in 6A.
26. Moore (19-6)
Despite being more under the radar than last year, the Lions still have a lot of talent back from the team that made the state championship.
Darian Hankins and Cameron Smith are going to be key for Moore in the quarterfinals against Choctaw.
25. Tulsa Booker T. Washington (15-9)
The Hornets earned two-point wins in each of their area contests, so they might feel as if there’s a “team of destiny” element going on. But they’ll need more than good fortune against Edmond North.
24. Newcastle (24-5)
The Racers have some exceptional talent, especially around the perimeter. Connor Boydstun, Chase Sucharda and Carlsheon Young give Newcastle a fighting chance against whoever they play, including against Weatherford.
23. Preston (25-4)
Malachi Ligons and the Pirates are enjoying one of the best seasons in program history and are a serious threat in Class 2A.
Preston will advance to Friday's 2A semifinals after a quarterfinal win on Tuesday against Hobart.
22. Tulsa Metro Christian (24-2)
The Patriots were one of the last teams to be unbeaten this season, and they are considered one of the favorites in Class 3A.
21. Owasso (17-8)
The Rams have been playing good basketball for the better part of the past two months, even in their losses. But back-to-back wins over Booker T. Washington and top-ranked Broken Arrow make them a team you can’t ignore heading into state.
Jalen Montonati has blossomed into probably the best freshman in the state.
20. El Reno (18-7)
The Indians have wins over Carl Albert, Choctaw and two wins over Piedmont this season. With Matthew Topfi and Carter Roman Nose in the backcourt and big James Reveles down low, El Reno has players who are disciplined and patient on offense.
19. OKC Millwood (15-10)
Despite their 10 losses, the Falcons are still seen as one of the top teams to consider when listing 3A title contenders, especially as defending state champs. Jaden Nickens is a matchup nightmare and Williams Mays is a talented floor general.
18. OKC Southeast (16-7)
Ladainian Fields leads a super-athletic Spartans team into the state quarterfinals, where they have the tall task of beating Midwest City Carl Albert.
17. Tulsa Holland Hall (21-4)
The Dutch have the lethal duo of Jadon Cool and Carter Benton on the perimeter and have blown through most of their schedule in their first year in 5A. They have an interesting game against El Reno in the quarterfinals.
16. Tulsa Edison (20-7)
The Eagles haven’t won a state tournament game since 2012, but led by the do-it-all Jay Overton-Tobie, they are back at state and would love to keep their memorable season going.
15. Hennessey (20-3)
The Hennessey Eagles had lost just one game in the past three months. However, that was before their one-point loss to Pocola to open up Tuesday's 2A quarterfinal round.
14. Norman (18-7)
The Tigers are back at state for the first time since 2000 and are coming off an impressive win against Edmond Deer Creek at area.
13. Oklahoma Christian School (25-3)
Led by big man Luke Gray, the Saints are looking to improve on their semifinal appearance from a year ago. But they first need to get past the next team on our list.
12. OKC Douglass (23-1)
Douglass is back at state for the first time since its incredible six-peat of the 2010s. The trio of Terry McMorris, Kaleb Moore and Keeveon Parker make the Trojans one of the bigger teams you’ll see in 4A.
Their quarterfinal game against OCS has the potential to be must-see.
11. OKC Crossings Christian (22-2)
Yet another 4A team, Crossings feels like it has unfinished business after pushing Kingfisher to the limit in last year’s semifinals.
With two of their best players being sophomores (point guard Cal Furnish and big man Cam Parker), the Knights possibly have more state tournament runs in them. But they’d rather take care of things this year.
10. Kingfisher (23-3)
As three-time defending state champion and winners of four of the last five 4A championships, the Kingfisher program has been a buzzsaw to the rest of the medium-sized teams in the state.
Xavier Ridenour is one of the best players that gets the least amount of attention. The senior leads an experienced group that is looking to make history.
9. Caddo (24-2)
The Bruins held off Okay on Saturday night for the school’s first basketball state championship. The scariest part (for Class A) is all but four players return next season, including star guard D.J. Dill and young sharp-shooters Carson Culbreath and Kale Brister.
8. Fort Cobb-Broxton (29-1)
Led by the senior core of Blayke Nunn, Ian Taylor, Jaxon Willits and Simeon Collins (along with junior point guard Kray Rogers and 6th man extraordinaire Eli Willits), the Mustangs took care of Calumet on Saturday to claim the Class B state championship, the program’s eighth title (all of them in the 21st century).
The championship win caps their awesome run, and we have them as our best “small school” team this year.
7. Weatherford (26-1)
Our rankings have had the Eagles as the top-ranked team in Class 4A ever since they got revenge on Kingfisher back on Feb. 3. They snuck past Oklahoma Christian School in the area championship.
Their quarterfinal game against Newcastle is a rematch of a Feb. 4 game won by Weatherford, 61-46.
6. Midwest City Carl Albert (21-5)
The Titans have versatile big men in Jayden Mott and Ryan Reynolds, plus a scoring wing in Quincy Hopkins.
They’ll be a tough out for anyone, and arguably have an easier path to the state title game than Del City or Tulsa Memorial have.
5. Tulsa Memorial (22-3)
After graduating nearly all the best players from their 2022 championship team, the Chargers are somehow still among the favorites to win their fifth title in six tournaments.
4. Del City (18-6)
Oklahoma State commit Brandon Garrison is a weapon that most teams just don’t have an answer for.
But it’s more than just him as the Eagles were runners-up a year ago and begin things against a stout Tulsa Edison team.
3. Edmond North (23-2)
The Huskies are trying to repeat as 6A state champs, but face a dangerous Tulsa Booker T. Washington team. Still, Edmond North has one of the best collections of talent in the state.
2. Dale (28-0)
The Pirates enter the 2A tournament as prohibitive favorites to repeat, led by junior star Dayton Forsythe.
There’s honestly not much else to say about a team that has beaten its last 11 opponents prior to state by an average of more than 41 points. The gold ball appears to be Dale’s to lose, and the Pirates are two wins away from that feat as they defeated Wister in Tuesday's 2A quarterfinal round.
1. Broken Arrow (25-1)
The Tigers suffered their first loss of the season, losing to Owasso in the area round, but bounced back to beat a really good Putnam City North team in the consolation bracket.
Broken Arrow will still be considered the favorite in the Class 6A bracket, but would need to go through Owasso (and Norman) to do so.
