CLASS 5A BOYS BASKETBALL Tulsa Holland Hall 51, El Reno 36
Back in December, Tulsa Holland Hall’s boys basketball team wasn’t dreaming of a chance to compete in Lloyd Noble Center for a Class 5A title.
Coach Teddy Owens’ squad had plenty of promise as a state tournament contender. But the Dutch started in Class 4A, chasing an opportunity to play in State Fair Arena. Then the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association discovered a classification error, so in a rare midseason move, the Dutch bumped up to their new class.
Wednesday evening in Norman, they proved they belonged there.
Holland Hall sailed past El Reno, 5136, in the Class 5A boys basketball quarterfinals on Wednesday, reaching a semifinal matchup with Carl Albert. The 5A East third-ranked Dutch are one step closer to their first state title in program history, and they’re welcoming every test.
West third-ranked El Reno rolled into the quarterfinals with gusto. Only four days earlier, senior guard Diante Palmer drained a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to secure his team’s state tournament berth, but the momentum ran out against Holland Hall’s stifling defense.
After claiming a 28-18 halftime lead, the Dutch (22-4) held El Reno scoreless throughout the third quarter. Owens said his team’s offense has struggled recently, but even with some missed shots, Holland Hall had an advantage because of defense.
Despite dealing with a lingering knee injury, senior forward Nate Mullendore dominated the glass. He recorded game highs of 13 points and 10 rebounds.
In the fourth quarter, Evan RomanNose catalyzed a 6-0 run, making a jump shot that ended El Reno’s scoring drought. Carter Roman Nose led El Reno (18-8) with 11 points, while Matthew Topfi added 10.
Carl Albert 62, Tahlequah 50
Casey Baker speedily weaved between Tahlequah’s defenders and dribbled until he approached the lane.
The Carl Albert junior guard never stopped moving as he lobbed the ball to Jayden Mott, who was open on the right side of the basket. Mott sprung toward the basketball, clasped it in his hands and slammed it through the hoop as Carl Albert’s bench players rose to their feet.
The Titans had already built a comfortable lead, so why not have some extra fun in a college arena?
Carl Albert ran past Tahlequah, 6250, in the Class 5A quarterfinals, advancing to face Holland Hall in the semis. The Titans relied on their uptempo offense, pouring in 17 fast-break points as they showed why they’re the top-ranked team in Class 5A West.
And Mott cranked up the energy with a trio of fourth-quarter dunks.
Mott was a member of the team when Carl Albert captured a state title in 2021, but as a freshman, he found himself far down the depth chart. This time, he can make a difference, and he did with 11 points against East 11th-ranked Tahlequah.
So did junior guard Ryan Reynolds, who erupted for 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Reynolds added 15 of those points in the first half, setting the tone for the Titans’ potent offense.
Hayden Smith led Tahlequah (14-12) with 19 points, but Carl Albert claimed an early advantage, heading into halftime up 35-22. The Titans (22-5) kept rolling, and several guys contributed to the highlight reel. Quincy Hopkins finished with 15 points.
Del City 49, Tulsa Edison 40
Lenny Hatchett gathered his team in a huddle after Tulsa Edison (20-8) knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to narrow Del City’s lead.
Senior center Brandon Garrison heard the message of urgency from his coach during the timeout: the Del City Eagles were starting to relax like any other team would, and they had to keep applying defensive pressure.
Fortunately for Hatchett, Del City is not any other squad.
This group knows how to thrive and advance in the state tournament, and the 5A West second-ranked Eagles showed that experience Wednesday night with a 49-40 quarterfinal victory against Tulsa Edison.
Del City (19-6) is one win away from its fourth straight appearance in a state championship game, excluding 2020 when there was no tournament. The Eagles won a Class 6A title in 2021 and lost to Tulsa Memorial last season in the 5A finals.
Although Garrison had one of his quieter scoring nights with eight points, he made a major impact. The Oklahoma State signee excelled in the paint with a game-high 14 rebounds to go with two assists and a block, embracing a supporting role at times.
Tulsa Memorial 70, Southeast 45
Seth Pratt let the basketball fly from the top of the key.
Swish. Nothing but net, and exuberant cheers from the Tulsa Memorial crowd mingled with the sudden blast of the third-quarter buzzer.
That moment encapsulated the game for the senior guard and his teammates.
For the second straight year, Tulsa Memorial (23-3) ended Southeast’s season. The defending Class 5A champions rolled past the Spartans, 70-45, advancing to a semifinal matchup with Del City. It will be a rematch of last year’s finals, and the Chargers walked away with the 2022 title.
On the way to that championship, Tulsa Memorial eliminated Southeast in the semifinals. This year, the Spartans had a tougher draw, meeting the 5A East top-ranked Chargers in the quarters. After leading 26-19 at halftime, Tulsa Memorial broke away, and Pratt had a tremendous night with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
“He’s been unreal in the playoff,” said Tulsa Memorial coach Bobby Allison.
LaDainian Fields led West fourthranked Southeast with 14 points and eight boards, while Mishaun Graham provided 12 points. But with only one player taller than 6-foot-2 and no one above 6-foot-4, the Spartans (16-8) were outsized.