Holland Hall's Gregory driven to succeed
TULSA — Gene Gregory made his daily trip to Holland Hall High School on Tuesday. He chased rebounds and made shots. He passed the basketball. For the better part of an hour, he worked. All for his daughter, Holland Hall superstar senior Gabby Gregory. “She's special,” Holland Hall coach Crystal Lawson said. “I have not been around an athlete as self-motivated as she has been all four years. She does not miss a day of shooting.” As the Class 4A state tournament gets set to open
Thursday at Mustang High School, attention will turn to Gregory's final run. She's regarded by many as the state's top player, a 6-foot prolific scorer and rebounder who has signed with Oklahoma. And with the Sooners opening the Big 12 Tournament down the road at Chesapeake Energy Arena near the end of a disappointing season, Gregory is must-see basketball. She's part of a wave of talent coming OU's way. “I feel like my class coming in is really strong, so I feel like my class can make a big impact,” Gregory said. “I hope I can contribute in any way possible.” Playing at OU is a dream for a girl who was born in Oklahoma, lived in Plano, Texas, for six years and returned to challenge Oklahoma record books. Gregory was raised in Sapulpa until her family moved. She caught on with an AAU team in Dallas and won a national title in the fourth grade. Yet, when she moved back to Sapulpa before her eighth-grade year, she still wasn't convinced she was an elite talent. But her first Holland Hall workout was impressive. Lawson was convinced Gregory was already the program's best player. As a freshman, Gregory started to live up to the hype. She led Holland Hall to the Southwest Preparatory Conference title. Holland Hall then joined the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, and Gregory has led the way to state each year. Last season, everything clicked. In a game against Fort Worth's Trinity Valley, Gregory dropped 33 points against Madi Williams, winning a 1-on-1 battle. Williams was named a McDonald's All-American a week later, and she's been a bright spot for OU this season. “That was the first time I was like, `Yeah, I think I'm pretty good,'” Gregory said. “I always wondered how I would be able to play against someone who is a freak athlete.” Gregory has since shined against the No. 1 Nike team in the summer, played overseas and became one of only four Oklahoma players to reach 2,500 career points and 1,000 rebounds. Yet, she didn't achieve one goal. She was not named a McDonald's All-American, even after shining in front of three judges last summer. That's why Gregory shoots every day with her father. She wants to prove she's the best.