Class 4A boys basketball: Douglass, Weatherford advance to state final
YUKON — The Class 4A boys basketball state semifinals took place Friday at Yukon High School. Here's a look at what happened:
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Douglass 31, Kingfisher 29
According to Landry Ballard Jr.’s story of the thrilling ending, the winning basket happened because of Terry McMorris.
“This guy right here,” Ballard said, standing next to the senior star. “He gave me confidence when I got down that we were down eight with a few minutes left.”
McMorris might have instilled belief in the sophomore guard, but credit goes to Ballard.
The final moment in the spotlight was his.
With the clock draining in overtime, Ballard dribbled to the right side of his defender and rushed into the paint. Cash Slezickey tried to contest the jump shot, pasting himself in front of Ballard, but it was too late.
The ball was falling through the hoop.
Douglass was toppling the defending state champion.
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Ballard’s game-winner capped Douglass’ 31-29 overtime victory against Kingfisher, sending the fourth-ranked Trojans into the Class 4A finals with Weatherford. After capturing three consecutive state titles, top-ranked Kingfisher’s championship streak is over.
Douglass (25-1), a former perennial champion, is back in the state title game for the first time since 2017.
“It feels good, but it feels like we’re supposed to be here,” Ballard said. “We’re not very shocked that we’re going this far because we practiced hard every day to get this far.”
Because of that dedication to practice, the Trojans weren’t caught off guard by Kingfisher’s slow-paced style. They had seen the stalling on film, and it happened in the semifinals.
The Yellowjackets (24-4) turned down the tempo, passing the ball around the perimeter and pausing the game before putting up shots. The halftime score reflected that pace: 13-10.
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“It’s just how they play,” McMorris said. “I just keep telling the team, ‘Just stay together; keep on fighting. It’s not over until it’s 0:00 on the clock.”
Even then, it wasn’t over.
Ballard stationed himself at midcourt and dribbled in the final minute of regulation, matching Kingfisher’s strategy as Douglass waited until the last few seconds to attempt a shot. McMorris took a chance, but it rattled off the rim, sending the game into overtime tied at 27.
But McMorris had powered his team to that moment, leading the Trojans with 13 points and fueling a fourth-quarter run. Ballard and James Greenhoward V each added six points.
And if you hear McMorris’ version of the game story, then Ballard gets his due credit.
“I swear, every day, he just works on it,” McMorris said. “Confidence. He had confidence taking the shot, and he made it.”
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Weatherford 61, Crossings Christian 45
Tate Sage and his teammates set out to bust a myth.
Throughout the season, the 1-3-1 zone has been a Weatherford staple, and Sage has heard the assumption from people outside his team saying it’s the only defense the Eagles can run.
The sophomore guard knows better.
After analyzing Crossings Christian’s offense, Weatherford boys basketball coach Derek Bull decided his team would open its state semifinal game in man-to-man defense, and it’s safe to say the strategy worked.
Third-ranked Weatherford put a damper on the second-ranked Knights’ typically productive offense, capturing a 61-45 victory Friday night in Yukon to reach the Class 4A state finals. The Eagles are one win away from their first title in school history.
“I’m at a loss of words,” Sage said. “This is almost my dream. I am shocked. It’s amazing.”
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As the Eagles (28-1) locked in on defense and forced turnovers, Sage delivered on the offensive end. The 6-foot-6 star reigned over the perimeter, spraying 3-pointers from all around the arc. He poured in a game-high 27 points, including seven 3’s.
“I made that first one, and it felt really good,” Sage said. “It gave me a little more confidence, and my teammates kept finding me, and I was open. Tonight, I was just knocking them down.”
With each triple, the lively Weatherford crowd created a wall of noise, giving the Eagles more fuel. The Knights (23-3) had substantial fan support as well, and spectators even wedged into the entryways to watch two of the top teams in Class 4A face off.
The Eagles maintained composure in the electric environment.
They jumped to an 11-3 lead in the first quarter and didn’t relent in the second. Eventually, Crossings sophomore guard Cal Furnish settled into a groove, adding 17 of his team-high 20 points after halftime. But Weatherford’s lead was insurmountable, and 6-foot-6 star sophomore CJ Nickson found his way to the basket in the second half, finishing with 13 points.
“We took advantage of some mismatches with him and got it to him inside more,” Bull said. “... We did a good job of recognizing those mismatches and getting it to him when we needed to.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSSAA Class 4A boys basketball state tournament semifinal scores
