YOUR 5-MINUTE GUIDE TO THE CLASS B TOURNAMENT

Championship picks Players to watch Whitesboro’s 71-year return to state Sibling rivalry could go head-to-head

BOYS The Oklahoman’s championship picks

Jacob Unruh: Calumet. It took the hard way back, but that doesn’t mean count Calumet out. With star Riley Island, fun and exciting things are always possible.

Adam Kemp: Calumet. The defending champions bring back the most explosive scorer and have good size across its front line with Kobe Kennedy and Justin Miller.

Three players to watch

Christopher Goldston, Sr., Leedey: He runs the show, leading in averages in points, rebounds at 5.6 and nearly five assists per game.

Riley Island, Sr., Calumet: He was the star of the state tournament last year and he’s returned on a mission, averaging more than 30 points per game. Grayson Nix, Sr., Red Oak: The 6-foot-3 forward is adept at getting to the rim and finishing or getting to the free throw line, as he averages more than 21 points per game.

A long time coming

It’s been 71 years since Whitesboro made it to the state tournament, despite a drive of nearly 200 miles most of the community located in southeast Oklahoma is expected to attend.

Whitesboro’s last trip to state tournament came in 1947, when the Bulldogs won once and lost in the semifinals. Coach Billy Karr said achieving this goal has been on his team’s mind all season.

“It’s been our motto all year long to get to the state tournament,” Karr said. “We have never been afraid of going to play anybody, so I think we’ll be ready.”

GIRLS The Oklahoman’s championship picks

Jacob Unruh: Hammon. With only one loss to a Class B team this season, the Warriors are in good position to take advantage of a wide-open field.

Adam Kemp: Sasakwa. It looks primed for a run after putting together four dominant wins in the playoffs so far, winning each contest by 23 points per game.

Three players to watch

Stephanie Croft, Sr., Burlington: She’s made playing this week routine as a four-year starter who has made it every season. She’s also the team’s leading rebounder. Madison Factor, Jr., Sasakwa: A 5-foot-8 guard, Factor is one of the tournament’s top scorers with nearly 17 points per game to go along with 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

Madyson Kinsey, Jr., Varnum: One of the classification’s top players last year, she suffered a torn ACL over the summer. She’s played just eight games, but has shown signs of her old self off the bench.

Family love

Head coaches Leah Beer and Lance Carpenter grew up with a sibling rivalry, and now that could take center stage at The Big House.

Should Beer’s Hammon and Carpenter’s Leedey win their state quarterfinal matchups the sister and brother will meet in Friday’s state semifinals. And it’s part of a rivalry for towns separated by less than 20 miles.

The two teams met in November, with Carpenter getting the best of his sister in a 40-35 victory.