Hoops' best: As seen by one guy, a champ rises above all

Jul. 9—When it comes to state champions, the area girls clearly have had the edge over the course of a near-completed generation.

The coverage areas have changed, but the memories are all in the annals here.

One team in particular made a habit of making state tournaments and since 2001-02 has the only state championship.

And it's been 19 seasons without one now. Some have come close, but no more gold balls for the boys.

Still, there's a lot of talented teams and memorable title bids.

In the third sport broken down, here are the 10 best and some honorable mentions since my first year here, 2001-02.

1. Sequoyah, 2002-03

The first — and still only — state champion on the boys side despite many state tournament appearances over the last two decades. Solomon HorseChief, the Phoenix's Male Athlete of the Year in 2003, had 25 points as the Indians beat top-ranked Metro Christian 58-47 at State Fair Arena. It was the seventh straight win by double digits, including upsetting the top three-ranked teams in three straight days in the 3A tourney.

2. Muskogee, 2008-09

The double-post punch of Daniel Moore and current MHS assistant coach Oren Faulk, along with Devante Smith and point guard Micah Smith, led the Roughers.

They beat 6A No. 1 Jenks by overcoming a 15-point deficit at home in the regular season — Jenks' only loss to that point, then after trailing 34-30 at half, lost 69-53 at Lloyd Noble to the Trojans in the semis. Finished 18-9 and one game short of first state title game since 1978. They trailed by 10 early in the second quarter before beating Southmoore 62-57 in the quarters.

3. Sequoyah, 2006-07

Gerald Jones kept Vian from winning football in a title game. The Tennessee football signee knocked Sequoyah out in this one as 3A No. 2 Millwood upended the Indians 55-51. Jones sank two free throws with 10.5 left, Lance Soap had to exit the game late for Sequoyah with what was thought to be a tailbone fracture, and missed free throws by his replacement proved costly. The Indians were 22-3 that year.

4. Fort Gibson, 2015-16

The Tigers, who had struggled to make a title game, launched this first one with an upset of Harrah and OU-North Carolina standout Brady Manek in the 4A quarterfinals on Ricco Ybarra's 3 at buzzer. At 24-7, they lost 57-45 to Douglass in the title game. It was Gary Hendrix's first trip to the title game in 31 years of coaching. Kyle Dortch had 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead a team that had returned just one starter — Cole Hamilton.

5. Sequoyah, 2004-05

It took a future Oklahoma standout who went on to the NBA, and his non-NBA brother to take down the Indians in this one. Taylor Griffin had 19 points and Blake Griffin 12 points and 9 rebounds as the Oklahoma Christian School Saints took a 51-34 win in the 3A title game. Sequoyah (23-5) beat OCS 52-51 in December.

6. Sequoyah, 2007-08

Before what was to that time the second-largest crowd in 30 years in a playoff game at State Fair Arena (13,000), Rotnei Clarke, capping a career-scoring state record of 3,758 points, had 35 here before going on to Arkansas, then Butler University. Verdigris was No. 1 in 3A going into the game. Verdigris won 62-51.

7. Sequoyah, 2013-14

The Indians lost to No. 1 Okemah 59-54 in the 3A semifinals this time. B.J. Leach, Elijah Tucker and Caisen Green combined for 31 points and finished 24-4.

8. Fort Gibson, 2016-17

After knocking off No. 2 Tulsa Central 62-58 in the 4A semis, the Tigers, whose only loss to that point came to Victory Christian on a buzzer-beater in the area finals, appeared primed to grab gold. But after playing the late game on Friday, their legs were gone in a 45-33 loss to Kingfisher and a smothering defense that had held Victory to 29 points in the semifinals. It was the lowest point output for Fort Gibson all season, beating the 45 that came against Victory. Kyle Dortch had 16 points.

9. Muskogee, 2009-10

Three D-1s (Wilson, San Jose State; Faulk, Hartford; Adrion Webber, ORU) helped Muskogee make it back-to-back trips to state under coach Terry Scott after a decade's absence. The Roughers were 21-4 but lost 53-41 to Putnam City West in the 6A quarterfinals, despite rallying from 10 down to take a brief lead with 6:56 to play on a Wilson basket. They also won the Bedouin Shrine Classic that year.

10. Oktaha, 2007-08

Cale Elam was a dazzling 3-point shooter for Oktaha, which at one point in the year rocked Hulbert for seven 3s, most from 30 feet out, in the Bedouin Shrine Classic. But he wasn't Keiton Page. Pawnee's holder of the state's single-season scoring record had 42 points in a second straight 2A semifinal win over the Tigers, 84-52. He had 26 in the second half of a game that was tied at 31 before the Tigers (23-6) watched Pawnee score nine unanswered in the final 1:22 before the break. Page had 53 in a 111-60 semifinal against Oktaha the previous year.

Also:

Okay, 2016-17

The Mustangs went 29-3, making it back to the title game off a miracle buzzer layup off a loose ball following an inbounds pass on the Mustangs' baseline, a 72-71 win over Pond Creek-Hunter. Okay would stumble out of the gate in the 1A title game, trailing 14-2 and lost to Fort Cobb-Broxton, 67-52.

Okay, 2015-16

The Mustangs were 28-4 as coach Chad Clark made it back to state as a coach after going as an Okay player in a 1998 1A quarterfinal year. Okay lost to Fort Cobb-Broxton again after knocking off Pond Creek-Hunter in the semis.

Fort Gibson, 2013-14

The Tigers (24-4) beat 4A No. 1 Victory Christian to get their first state trip since 2010, but fell victim to Stilwell's height in the quarterfinals.

Fort Gibson, 2008-09

B.J. Pennington scored 29 of his 31 points through three quarters and was a perfect 14-of-14 from the field as Fort Gison won its first 4A state tournament game, 80-61 over Bethany. It took McGuinness, vying for a four-peat title, ending Fort Gibson's year 69-56 at Moore High School. Fort Gibson finished 24-5.

Braggs, 2018-19

Zack Askew, Parker York and Jase King led the Wildcats to their first state appearance in 64 years, losing to Kinta in the Class B quarterfinals and finishing 21-6.