BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Norman North overcomes slow start, wins McGuinness Classic
Jay lon White stole the Choctaw pass while sp ringing full speed at his basket.
The senior guard at Norman North didn't see the defender standing in his way. He quickly gathered and rose for a layup before a foul prevented him from getting the shot off. He sank the two free throws, increasing the Timberwolves' lead in the fourth quarter.
The steal was a microcosm of Class 6A No. 12 Norman North' s defensive performance that helped it knock off No. 7 Choctaw 59-52 on Saturday in the championship game of the 61st annual McGuinness Classic. Choctaw quickly jumped to a double-digit lead in the first quarter, but t he Timberwolves controlled the game the final three quarters, slowly shrinking the lead and then capitalizing on Yellowjacket turnovers down the stretch.
“We weren't executing the game plan at first ,” Norman North coach Kellen McCoy said. “They were doing exactly what we said they were going to try to do, and we weren't taking care of it. We started staying in front of them, boxing out and not giving them second chance sand it gave us more opportunities offensively to get back in the game.”
The win gave Norman North (6-2 overall) its third straight upset victory, including wins against No. 11 Edmond Santa Fe and top-ranked Edmond Memorial.
White was one of three Timberwolves to score in double digits. He and Caelin Hearne each scored 1 3 points while Kayden Carter, who tallied 11 points in the final quarter, led with 16 points.
Sean Franklin led Choctaw ( 5- 2) with 16 points, but he didn't score in the fourth quarter.
Wilson's big night helps Edmond North survive Putnam West
Joell Wilson took the pass and fired as hot from behind the arc. As the ball fell through the cylinder he turned to the sideline with a smile on his face. The 3- pointer was the fifth the senior guard from Edmond North had made, and it was the redemption shot he had been waiting to get another try at since last season.
“Last year when we played them I missed the game- winner,” Wilson said, “so I've been thinking about that the whole time, how I was going to get my revenge back from that shot and that was it right there.”
Wilson's 3-pointer in overtime was his final basket of the night and cemented a 28- point performance.
Wilson helped Edmond North survive Putnam West's late-game surge to win the Putnam City Invitational championship 85-82 on Saturday night. The Invitational championship meant more than just bragging rights for the Huskies. It was a revenge game for North, who had fallen to Putnam West in the area tournament last year. But North's win didn't come as easy.
Entering the fourth quarter, North had a 16 point lead over Putnam West. That' s when the Patriots took over. Running a full-court press, West forced North into multiple turnovers and t he Patriots capitalized on the opportunities to force overtime. Putnam West's Tobias Roland, Daylon Andrews, and Corey Gordon were nearly unstoppable late as the trio combined for 38 points in the second half and overtime.
Mount St. Mary cruises past Blanchard in Noble final
The Mount St. Mary boys basketball team has several players who can make a big impact on any given night.
On a roster filled with talent, junior Robert Kalsu III has solidified a particular role for the Rockets.
“He' s our lightning rod ,” Mount St. Mary coach Brandon Jackson said .“He brings a lot of energy in different ways.”
Kalsu certainly brought energy into the Noble Tournament finals against Blanc hard on Saturday night.
He finished with 21 points, leading Class 4A eighth-ranked Mount St. Mary to a 67-46 win.
Kalsu, who made five 3-pointers, was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Heist he grand son of J ames Robert "Bob" Kalsu, an OU all-American lineman in 1967 and the only professional athlete killed in the Vietnam War.
The Mount St. Mary guard was one of three Rockets to score in double figures Sat ur day.CJ Johnson had 17, and Luke Harstad added 14 against the 13th-ranked Lions.
“We were fired up ,” Kalsu said. “It was our first ranked team we played against.”
Tip-ins
• For the second time in as many weeks, Carl Albert topped Midwest City to win a tournament, this time in Bartlesville. The Titans won 55-47 and senior James Locke was named tournament MVP.
• Crossings Christian topped Bethel 63-51 to win the Stroud Tournament. Junior guard Reid Lovelace was named MVP.
• Shawnee won t he East Central Oklahoma Classic in Ada, topping OKC Storm 56-43. Junior Tanner Morris earned MVP honors.
•Class 4 A No .6 Tuttle topped Class 6A Yukon 66-62 to win the Weatherford Tournament.