Tulsa Celtics

2011-10-15T17:22:00.005-05:00

Great group of young men who joined together for a Hardwood Basketball Productions Tournament.

Players from Tulsa area high schools Union, Holland Hall, Broken Arrow, Edison, NOAH played unselfishly throughout the tourney and won the Championship trophy.

Players have dispersed to colleges around the country including Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, California and North Carolina to play college basketball.

Former Celtic has Career High to lead Denver to Victory

2011-01-29T13:33:00.005-06:00

Several years ago it was apparent that Tyler Thalken (2nd row middle of picture of Tulsa Celtics after winning a HARDWOOD Productsions Basketball Tournament in 2006) had a nice three point stroke.
The red shirt sophomore from Tulsa's Bishop Kelley HS nailed all five of his 3 pt attempts and finished with a career high 19 points in Denver's Sun Belt victory over Arkansas State on Jan. 20th, 2011.

Congratulations Tyler! Keep it going.

Basketball Camp and Training FAQ | Point Guard College

2010-11-21T19:11:00.005-06:00

As a former High School point guard on a State Championship team, I am almost jealous of the training aids and opportunities that today's youth basketball players have. Beginning with "watching" TV and You Tube videos. OMG!!
Back in my day, typically there was one NBA game on per week. Don't LOL...

I've heard great things about this "college"... if you have a serious player, you might want to check it out.

Keep dribbling, but keep your head up~

POINT GUARD COLLEGE

Be sure and tell them the Tulsa Celtics told you about them!!
(we don't receive a nickel from this endorsement, in case you were wondering~)

it's HERE!!!

2010-10-14T21:45:00.009-05:00

Basketball Season.
Ahhhhhh....
October 15th.
Midnight Madness. Coach's whistle's piercing the gyms across college campuses all across the country.

College players have been playing every day...but, it wasn't "season" yet.
No Coaches allowed to Coach their recruits.

Now, they OWN those bodies.

It was 30 Years Ago ... Final Four -Indianapolis

2010-03-30T22:10:00.011-05:00

Nolan Smith was 8 yrs old when his father died. Derek Smith was highly successful NBA performer for 9 years. Besides being one of the initiators of the "high five" hand slap, Smith had some incredible NBA performances as you can see in the above video. But it was what Nolan's dad did 30 years ago that makes this year's Final Four pretty interesting for me. You may call it a coincidence.

Since a friend gave me the James Redfield book called Celestine Prophecy around 1993, I've held a new belief regarding coincidences. In the novel, the main character undertakes a journey to find and understand a series of nine spiritual insights from an ancient manuscript in Peru.

Synchronicity. Like a book falling off a shelf at the library that ends up being exactly what you were looking for.

Derek Smith was a leading player for Louisville in 1980 when the "Doctors of Dunk" won the NCAA Championship. Coincidentally, or not, Smith and his fellow Cardinals knocked off UCLA 58-54 to take the title. And James Redfield [author of Celestine Prophecy] would definitely say, that it was not a coincidence that the 1980 Final Four took place in Indianapolis, Indiana; Yes, the same place that Nolan Smith and his Duke teammates will join Michigan State, Butler and West Virginia to battle for this years Gold Ball.

Smith's Career Game

Duke and Baylor were in slugout for 37 minutes with the Bears having more control during the 2nd half. I believe a "blown" call took a basket away from Baylor while at the same time kept Duke's postman from fouling out, and the Devils rode the inspired performance of Nolan Smith to earn their trip to Indy before a crowd of over 47,000 fans.

Smith popped in a career high 29 points to lift the Dukies to victory. With Baylor up 59-57 Smith scored Duke's next 7 points including a 3 pt dagger with 3:33 left to play that practically nailed down the Blue Devil victory. Baylor really appeared to be in control; but Smith's quickness and strength enabled him to penetrate the long and difficult Baylor zone, and he added 4 out of 6 from beyond the arc.

Since the day his father died, Smith took over and tried to be a ROCK,, even though he was just 8 yrs old.

Just after Derek died, Nolan wrapped his mom in his arms and told her, "I'm the man of the house now."

When interviewed after the Baylor game, he could have said the same thing.

It sure does appear that it's a script out of Hollywood. And the proper ending would seem to be another DUKE National Championship. With Derek Smith's son Nolan leading the way.

Now wouldn't that be a coincidence~?

"LUCKY" Cornell....wanna Re-Consider?

2010-03-24T19:01:00.007-05:00

Ryan Wittman, Cornell vs John Wall, Kentucky.

Do you consider Cornell as being "LUCKY" to make it to the NCAA Sweet 16? Consider how this "TEAM" was put together in the first place.

Consider Jeff Foote, Cornell's 7-foot center. His college career began as a 205-pound walk-on player for St. Bonaventure. His mother, Wanda, worked as a nurse at an Elmira, N.Y., hospital. When Cornell guard Khaliq Gant was sent to that hospital for treatment after injuring his spine in a January 2006 practice, she noticed the attentiveness of the Cornell coaches and players.

Wanda, who be-friended the Cornell coaches, suggested to Jeff that he consider a transfer to Cornell.

During the next three years, Foote gained 50 pounds and became an All-Ivy League player and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Earlier this season, he battled Kansas big man Cole Aldrich to a draw: 12 points and six rebounds for Foote; 13 points and nine rebounds for Aldrich.

Consider Ryan Wittman, the sharpest of Cornell's three-point sharpshooters and the son of former Indiana star Randy Wittman. Cornell Coach Steve Donahue has noted how lucky the Big Red got in getting Wittman. That good fortune started when the player sustained a deep thigh bruise that hindered him throughout his senior year of high school. Big Ten schools doubted his athleticism, so Wittman fell into Cornell's lap.

He became only the fifth Ivy League player to score 2,000 points in a career.

Many consider Wittman to be among the best 3 pt shooters in the country. [John Wall on the other hand, is likely to be in the NBA next year; his speed, gracefulness and competitive nature is something to behold.

Consider Louis Dale, the 5-foot-11 senior point guard. A native of Birmingham, Ala., Dale drew no interest from programs in the Southeastern or Atlantic Coast conferences. So he created a video tape of his high school highlights and a scrapbook of clippings and sent them to various schools. Only Cornell responded with an invitation to make an official recruiting visit.

Donahue prepared the usual charm offensive. But it wasn't needed. When he arrived on campus, Dale handed the coach a $400 check his mother wrote to pay for the application fee.

He became an All-Ivy League player.

Consider Jon Jaques, a native Californian best known as a blogger for The New York Times. In his first three seasons, he scored 33 points in 34 games. He did not get off the bench in this season's first three games.

Then a teammate's injury created opportunity. After a freshman failed to seize the chance, Donahue tried Jaques. On a team that leads the nation in three-point shooting accuracy, Jaques has made 47.2 percent of his shots from beyond the arc and averaged seven points.

Having won its third straight Ivy League championship, Cornell beat Temple and Wisconsin last week to post the school's first ever NCAA Tournament victories. No Ivy League team had won a NCAA Tournament game since Penn in 1979.

It's a veteran team with eight seniors. All roommates in an off-campus house the team shares.

On a teleconference Tuesday, Wittman noted how well those veteran players have bonded.

"Really strong team chemistry," he said. "That really makes basketball fun."

I remember Wittman's dad as being a great shooter. Kentucky better not give him to many open looks tomorrow night or everyone might consider Kentucky choked.

But, I don't think Temple or Wisconsin choked......it was just that Cornell got LUCKY.

Tommy Mason Griffin- "house 4 momma?"

2010-03-24T09:01:00.008-05:00

Although the Oklahoma University basketball program has not confirmed it, and we know how people can change their minds,,,as of now,, it appears likely that Tommy Mason Griffin, one of college basketball's PREMIER point guard talents, will be getting PAID TO PLAY when he dribbles next year in competition.

NBA? Overseas?
Time will tell.

This is open for discussion.

It was reported yesterday that TMG's facebook page said:

"its a official dat i am leavin skool and enterin draft so if yue see me and ask me y i aint doin anotha yr yue mite get ignored."

Hmm.. OK.

And this morning, he added this:

"Dat walk inside a spot niggas wisperin dats him ..dats dat nigga who hoop...dey dnt see da shit behind da scenes...so dats y i work 2 get mii motha a house and stay on dat hollywood status...triple treo we almost dere...for now da struggle continues"

Not for certain that this is HIS story,, as it might be lyrics to a song,, but my guess is the "triple treo" might be TMG, Willie Warren and Tiny Gallon. Three McDonald All Americans who didn't quite become OU's Tremendous Trio.

Coach Capel has been recruiting hard since they were ousted [blown out!] of the Big 12 Tourney by in state rival Oklahoma State. It was assumed before the year began that this was Warren's last year.

It'll be too bad for Sooner followers if Gallon and Griffin leave....as it appears they will... as they are enormous talents.

University of Richmond Coach Chris Mooney

2010-03-24T02:13:00.002-05:00

Richmond Spider head coach Chris Mooney, 37 and a Princeton graduate who previously was head coach at the Air Force Academy.
When his Richmond contract was extended last March, Mooney said,"The biggest thing is I think we've brought in both good players and good kids who have been good students . . . Overall, the program, the foundation, is very strong right now."

Rumors are swirling that he may be a top candidate at Seton Hall University.
Mooney is familiar with Seton Hall's Northeast recruiting base and runs a system (Princeton-style offense, match-up defense) that may allow an underdog to achieve in the highly competitive Big East.
Also, Mooney's Spiders began gaining traction in the A-10 by becoming one of the league's best defensive teams. Seton Hall this season allowed an average of 75.4 points, 15th among 16 Big East members.

Does Character matter in Basketball??

2010-03-22T23:39:00.006-05:00

Tad Boyle led Northern Colorado Bears to a 25-8 record and their first ever post season appearance.

"This didn't just happen overnight," Boyle said. "They worked. They worked hard, and they've turned into a great group of young men. They have great chemistry and great character.

Coach Boyle added, "The longer I coach, the more of a premium I put on character -- and we are very fortunate to have kids of great character.... who have made themselves into very good basketball players."

Are you UPSET with SELF? ~ ONLY N OKLAHOMA

2010-03-21T03:22:00.008-05:00

Bill Self.

Coach Self.

Grew up in Oklahoma.

Played some pretty heady basketball for Oklahoma State.

Coached ORU.

Coached Tulsa University. Took the Cane to Elite 8 and pushed the North Carolina Tar Heels to the edge before succumbing and just missing out on a FINAL FOUR for the Hurricane.

Coached Illinois.

Took over as head honcho for the Kansas Jayhawks and their storied basketball program.

T. Boone Pickens, gazillionaire deluxe, tried to lure Wild Bill back to Stillwater but Bill decided to stay put in Lawrence.

Although Self didn't move back to Oklahoma, you wonder if he ever wants to step foot in the state again. {I know he well, since his family still lives here!}

Why do I say that? How about I give you four reasons why, namely:

It was March 18th, 2005, around five years ago when the heavily favored JAYHAWKS were ambushed by the mighty squad from BUCKNELL.
The last two times Self brought his #1 Ranked Jayhawks to his alma mater, the ORANGE from aggie land knocked Kansas for a big LOSS.
[Stillwater Loss; 2 in a row!!]
And just hours ago,,, in the OK CITY NCAA REGIONAL at the Ford Center, Northern Iowa from the Missouri Valley Conference ended Self and the Jayhawks season with another SHOCKING DEFEAT.

And take a look at who hammered the final nail into the Kansas coffin.

Ali Farokhmanesh.

Ali who? Ali, you know, the kid who attended junior college his freshmen year because no D-1 wanted him on their team. Could you blame them? Maybe 5'10" tall, and not a great jumper, and not super quick. Gosh,, ya think there will be a recruiting RUN on Ali Farokhmanesh type players now? Hah! Don't count on it!

But "he can PLAY!", those who knew him kept saying. Well, his first juco coach was so impressed that HE didn't even play Ali. Poor Ali!

So he moved on to another junior college for his second year. That is where Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson saw something he liked in the "not your stereotypical Division I #2 shooting guard!"

Back to Self.
Having kind of a BAD STREAK here in Oklahoma performances, dontcha think?

Could it just be KARMA?
Payback for not returning to our roots (while being offered MILLION$ of Dollar$ to do it!) can be a very stinging, painful experience.

What March Madness is all about..ST MARY's GAELS

2010-03-20T14:13:00.006-05:00

St. Mary's Gaels have just knocked off the #2 Seed Villanova Wildcats 75-68 propelling the group to the school's 2nd NCAA victory ever and into the SWEET 16 next week in Houston.

This game follows an equally impressive first round upset victory over the #7 seed Richmond Spiders on Thursday.

Coach Randy Bennett and his band of Gaelic warriors could be featured in a "HOW TO" video on winning basketball with great teamplay. Even watching on the television, I can FEEL the very special feeling that we in sports get when we see a group of individuals place their own goals behind the TEAM goals.... and as we watch,,, we know we're witnessing a special chemistry that can best be labeled as TeamWork.

I remember the acronoym T E A M,,, Together Everyone Achieves More. And Bennett has certainly assembled the key ingredients, and as chef, has created a splendid Gaels masterpiece. Regardless of what happens next week in the Sweet 16 game, Bennett and the Gaels followers have been treated to a very special season!

Thanks goodness for March madness as I only saw brief glimpses of their midnight [CST & EST] clashes with Gonzaga and other conference games.

Style~
Impressive!!! The TOUCH passes, the spacing, the TOTAL focus of each player on doing whatever is required,, on every shot,, on both ends of the court. Three point shooting, strong post play, and the unselfish attitude contribute to their success. That attitude comes from one source. The Coach.

Great Job Coach!

Kansas versus Kansas State- Clemente

2010-03-13T18:07:00.004-06:00

K-State missed their first 12 shots of the half, yet trail by just 4 points at halftime.

Denny Clemente, K State guard from Puerto Rico, is a superb jump shooter off the dribble. Incredibly fast,,, he is a one man fast break. His speed is tough to contend against. But what impresses me most is how fast he can get his shot off. When he puts the ball on the court, he is so smart at using his available pics, and when he picks up his dribble, it's a "no wasted motion" thing of beauty. Quick release personified.

I don't think K State has the front court that can beat Kansas, but the guards are as good as any pair in the country.

It was Twenty Years ago Today~ Sgt. Hank Gathers Left us & Showed us how to PLAY

2010-03-06T18:37:00.021-06:00

Jack Patton asked me a question about Loyola Marymount on a previous post about the Loyola Marymount fast break, and coincidentally it was exactly twenty years ago today that the college basketball world was stunned by the sudden.. on court death of Hank Gathers. I felt the urge to reminisce and share a touching story.

Twenty years ago today, March 4th, Hank Gathers Passed away. I'm going to tell you an incredibly touching story...but first let me share some background.

Today's basketball players probably don't recognize the name. Hank Gathers. Believe me, Gathers was an incredibly talented basketball player....let me just tell you a little bit about him.

Raised in the Raymond Rosen Projects in North Philadelphia, Gathers had his sights set on making the NBA when he was 12 yrs old. Thinking every rebound was his, and that he could make every shot he took, Hank became a cocky, 6'7" strong, athletic forward for the LMU Lions. A beast on the boards. A terror to contain in the paint.

He was 23 at the time, and played for Loyola Marymount [Ca.] under head coach Paul Westhead who was notorious for being the ultimate coach of run and gun basketball. High speed, full court pressing, attacking running game were his trademarks.

Westhead had previously been a head coach for three different NBA teams and also coached for 9 yrs at LaSalle. Offensive players LOVED playing his style. Last year he took over the head coaching position of the Oregon Ducks women's program!
In 2007, Westhead coached the Mercury to a WNBA championship, making him the only coach to win a championship in the NBA and the WNBA. But this isn't about Westhead.

Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble transferred from USC to play for Westhead at LMU on the other side of town. It became the Hank & Bo show. The year before his death, the 6'7" Gathers led the NCAA in both scoring (over 32 points per game!) AND rebounding (just under 14 RB's per game!). How good was Gathers? His warrior mentality and confidence meant he would never back down.

Loyola Marymount was the media darling with their fan friendly,, free style run-and-gun offensive attack. A month before his death, LMU headed east to play a nationally televised game before a sell-out crowd in Baton Rouge against Louisiana State.

LSU had a pretty good youngster by the name of Shaquille O'Neal. Also on that squad was Stanley Roberts, 7'0" and 285 lbs, who also had a nice NBA career. They had an all american guard named Chris Jackson. The game began and Gathers had his first FIVE shots blocked from what Coach Westhead remembered!! About 14,000 LSU faithful were going nuts as their star studded Tigers looked like they would destroy the high scoring Lions on the Tiger homecourt. But Gathers, Kimble and company did not go down easily.

It was a track meet and a game of runs; LSU held a 72-58 lead at halftime. Loyola was leading the country in scoring and LSU Tiger Coach Dale Brown had decided he was going to run with LMU, arguably the best conditioned team in the country. Gathers recovered from the BLOCK festival to finish with 48 points; 20 of 35 field goals and 8 of 11 free throws. [Many fans never noticed, but Gathers would shoot his free throws both right handed and left handed.]

LSU held on to win what might have been the most entertaining game ever in college basketball. The Tigers were forced into overtime before winning 148-141.!

The twin towers O'Neal and Roberts combined for 41 points including 19 of 22 combined from the field. But Gathers and Kimble and their teammates were something special when they would steal, rebound, or grab the ball as it came through the basket they attempted to defend. And they clawed their way back into the game. [Opponents scored often and early against the Lions.]

OK,, what happened to Hank? Exactly one month and one day after the memorable nationally televised game at LSU, Gathers was playing against Portland in their conference quarterfinals.

Terrell Lowery [who later played baseball for the Texas Rangers after a several years playing here in Tulsa with the Drillers] made a steal and fed Gathers for an alley oop dunk. There was 13 minutes left in the first half, running back on defense, Gathers slapped hands with Lowery before collapsing at half court.

The crowd went silent.

With Gathers mother, Lucille Gathers Cheeseboro, and other family members courtside, Gathers died. Five days later he was buried. Projected as an NBA lottery pick, his heart failure made his performance a month earlier even more impressive.

Kimble, who led the NCAA in scoring that year, said, "People identified with his greatness on the court, but he was even greater as a person."

NCAA RUN by Gathers-less LIONS
Five days after Gathers was laid to rest at Sharon Hill cemetery in Philadelphia, LMU began an improbable run through the tournament before falling to UNLV one game short of the Final Four.

"It was all a blur to me," Kimble says softly. "When that ball went up in the air, guys were playing for the love and respect of Hank."

HONORING HANK
In honor of his fallen teammate, Kimble elected to shoot the first free throw in all four of the NCAA Tournament games LEFT HANDED. Oh my god...I remember seeing video of each of those shots.

Tears mounted each time I watched; it made the "game" seem so trivial. I remember thinking the free throws were more important than who won the game!! I will never forget the feeling I had as Kimble readied his left handed shots. Amazingly,,,or not....Bo converted all four of the left handed charities.

Forty-four for Life Foundation
Today, through his non-profit Forty-four for Life Foundation (44forlife.org), Kimble continues to honor Gathers' legacy. The foundation raises money to donate defibrillators and educate people around the world about sudden cardiac arrest.

"It's all about giving back to save lives," Kimble says.

"It's a sign of respect for Hank."

Jack, thank you for asking about Loyola Marymount's pressing defense. Although you may be right about it being the "key" to their fast break, they were equally good at breaking after MADE baskets! While leading the country in scoring, they may have had the worst defense based on opponents scoring. But Lowery and Tony Walker were ultra quick, and Kimble and Gathers had the basketball smarts to make numerous interceptions and steals.

My dad, Len Morton, used to broadcast Tulsa University basketball games in the 60's and 70's and a lot of the stat sheets were handwritten during the game. I used to devour those stat sheets after each game. I found this box score of that unbelievable game.

#44 Eric "Hank" Gathers ~ I hope you are resting peacefully Hank!

Coaching~ Teacher_ John Wooden Interview

2010-02-08T00:36:00.002-06:00

"Your students. No two are identical", John Wooden said.
"Your players. No two are identical" he said.

He "taught" basketball.

One of my heroes. I heard him speak at Friends of Finance at the University of Tulsa about 4 years ago; he was much younger then,,, I think he was around 94 yrs old!!! Incredible speaker. Awesome man. Possibly the greatest coach ever....a true teacher.

Enjoy~

Coaches/Parents: Excellent Hoop Drills

2010-02-08T00:10:00.006-06:00

If you are a youth coach, or a parent, and want to help your team or your kids improve their basketball skills then check out these excellent drills.

This first video is from Gannon Baker. He is one of my favorite online teachers. He is a Nike and NBA skills trainer and has worked closely with LeBron James, Vince Carter, Amare Stoudemire, Deron Williams, and Kobe Bryant at each of their Skill Academies. [You HAVE to admit that those five players form an impressive list of players who also have chosen to LEARN from Gannon.]

Ganon also has trained multiple NBA stars such as Chris Paul and Jerryd Bayless and is currently Amare Stoudemire's Personal Skill Development Coach. In addition, Ganon has authored 42 Instructional Basketball DVDs in eight years and has started his own production company, GBake Productions.

Enjoy and Learn.

In Basketball- FIVE Fingers= Team

2010-02-05T05:17:00.010-06:00

Five fingers (people) = Team.

You have five players on the court at all times.

How good is YOUR team? Do your fingers work together as if they were one hand?

The talent and ability of each finger, coupled with how well they mesh together like a hand, will determine how good your team is.

It is very simple.

Yet, not easy.

Let's explore the offense side of the equation today. At the core, these three concepts are basic, and cut to the chase:

If a person can't pass, the ball stops moving.
If a person can't shoot, he or she will always be open.
If a person can't dribble, he or she cuts their value to the team by one third. (AND, if a person can't dribble, the defense will attack that person.)

Each "finger" is critical to the success of the team~

The team pictured above, Tulsa Celtics-2006, meshed and possessed the skill set which enabled them to win three highly competitive tournaments in a row. We didn't "practice" together very often, as the players were from different schools including Cascia Hall, Jenks, Bishop Kelley, Union & Holland Hall. But they all could play,,, and at least during these tournaments, all six players were focused on being a TEAM...... maximum effort with no concern other than stopping each opponent from scoring, and working the ball until we had a quality shot.

This post is about the key components of offense. Defense is simple too....and the five "fingers" working together, again, is the critical factor.

FREE Basketball Tips for Parents and Coaches!

2010-01-31T20:35:00.000-06:00

Yes, we will send you ongoing FREE basketball tips to your United States Postal Address. You can submit your mailing address at the end of today's discussion with our special guest.

Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints "Point Guard" Quarterback!

Many football analysts marvel at the way Drew Brees runs through his progressions and most of the time makes brilliant decisions. Obviously, he couldn't do that without having an incredible offensive line that allows him time to evaluate the defense.

It is very similar to the POINT GUARD on the best basketball teams; they have to read and make the pass which will most effectively advance his or her team closer to a quality shot.

Although the QB is typically the only football player that has to distribute the ball to the best possible receiver, in basketball, the championship teams play as if they have five QB's [or point guards], although typically there will be ONE that handles the ball more than the others.

We are very excited and pleased to welcome Brian McCormick, a highly qualified basketball trainer & author from California, to discuss what some feel is a lost art in this day of 3 pt shots and dunks.

Brian:

Thanks for allowing me to share my beliefs on this subject. Young players struggle in regards to using "court vision". Inexperienced or less skilled players devote more attention to protecting the ball, which affects their vision, and they lack the anticipatory skills gained through experience. Also, many coaches teach players that the ball is supposed to go to one specific player at one time, so players develop tunnel vision for this player and miss open players five feet away in the other direction.

To develop better individual players and offensive tems, all players – not just the point guard – need to develop the scanning and anticipatory skills of a quarterback. During a Feast Week game, Len Elmore said that he did not believe that college players need more passing practice right after he criticized the team’s passing skills. I think Elmore – like many coaches – considers passing practice to be the stationary two-line passing drills used to introduce the basic passes. These are form passing drills, and he is probably right: college players probably do not need to engage in form passing drills.

However, players at every level need to practice passing in live environments. These players did not need to develop the movement elements of the pass, but the perceptual elements. Most importantly, they need the anticipatory and scanning skills.

Celtic Coach:

With our Tulsa Celtic team we did some half-court and full-court scrimmaging where dribbling was outlawed. I remember one weekend tournament after we used that drill extensively and it was amazing how it impacted our passing game.

Brian:

That's a great drill. We use various offensive advantage passing games to develop confidence in passers before moving to more pressure passing drills. I also vary the drills from games like 2v2 Gael Passing to 3v3 Full Court/no Dribble to 4v4 Volleyball Passing. I have started to use 5v5 Full Court/no dribble to incorporate the full requirements of scanning the court and anticipating the opening. By taking away the dribble, the defender has more confidence to pressure the ball and the passer has to work harder with their pivots to create a passing lane and protect the ball.

Celtic Coach:

Brian, when I drilled younger players on the basic fundamentals, we worked hard on PIVOT drills, and feel it is one area of basketball that many players lack even at the high school level.

Brian:

When I watch players, the ball handler’s body posture has a big impact on their ability to scan the floor or anticipate where they should pass. Players who do not use their pivot foot limit the range for their passes which condenses the court and increases the pressure. To be effective offensively, players have to be comfortable pivoting under pressure to see the entire court and keep their shoulders directed toward the offensive basket. The only way to develop this comfort is to practice pivoting against defensive players, and no-dribble passing drills are one way to put players in these situations.

Thanks Brian! We appreciate your time and look forward to visiting about more HOOP SPECIFICS in the future.

If you would like to join our OFF-LINE mailing list for "FREE COACHING TIPS FOR YOUTH BASKETBALL PARENTS AND COACHES" please send us your name and mail address to FREE YOUTH BASKETBALL COACHING TIPS!

Keep Dribbling!! ..........but don't LOOK at the ball~

Stanford Basketball Coach - Fantastic Leadership

2010-01-23T15:35:00.002-06:00

Before leaving Columbus, VanDerveer, a former guard at Indiana University, played in a pickup game against her Ohio State players. She played another with her new Cardinal players upon arriving in Palo Alto. Shocked by the disparity in talent at the two schools, VanDerveer wondered if she had signed on to a nightmare.

But she was enticed by the beauty of the campus, the magnitude of the University and the very adversities that argued against her decision. "It was kind of like the ultimate challenge," she says.

Five seasons later, Stanford went 32-1 and won the NCAA title.

As she looks back now, VanDerveer, 56, is crystal clear about how good a fit Stanford has been for her.

To read entire article click here

Dribbling: Work Hard - Persistence - Pays Off

2010-01-10T12:34:00.007-06:00

Success is very simple.

Simple does not equate to "easy".

Decide on a GOAL.

List all the "mini-achievements" / goals that will be necessary to attain the #1 Goal.

Are you willing to make the necessary sacrifices to achieve the GOAL?

Playing basketball demands hard work. One dimensional players are not sought after by coaches. True, a great "shooter", or "shot blocker" that can do little else CAN have a place on certain teams... and play pivotal roles. But the player who is skilled in overall skills and understands the game is much more valuable to a coach. Why not be an all around player that is an exceptional shooter, or incredible lock down defender?

Check out the drills, tricks and capabilities of this "ball handler". Truly a magician with the ball. Every basketball player can improve his "worth" by being persistent and putting in the hard work to improve their ball handling skills. Advanced ball handling.

A Coach is a Teacher~

2009-08-01T18:16:00.006-05:00

John Wooden - One of my Heroes!

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. - William Arthur Ward

I previously shared a wonderful experience I had with John Wooden. "Coach" is known for his string of NCAA Championship titles, AND his Pyramid of Success
I read that John Wooden, 98 years young, was named the greatest Coach of All Time. He is one of my idols, and is quite an amazing man.

Little Tip~ Nice Reward ~ Youth Basketball AND up!

2009-07-28T19:14:00.004-05:00

Coached 5 games last weekend in a Jim Cox Hardwood Productions basketball tourney; before one of our games, watched the end of an 8th grade game. In the last minute, the ball went out of bounds and the offense had the opportunity to execute one of their inbound plays.

The man assigned to pass the ball in from out of bounds, raced to stand by the official and had both his hands out begging for the ball. After a second or two, the ref handed him the ball......but guess what? Two of his four teammates were not in position. In fact, they were not even watching as their teammate took control of the ball.

The Coach on the sideline yelled, and basically their "success" on the play was defined in that they didn't lose possession. They brought the ball in bounds but had no advantage, and no opportunity to score on the play.

So what is the TIP?
The person taking the ball out of bounds....needs to.....TAKE THEIR TIME GETTING TO THE BALL.
And conversely, the 4 teammates need to get to their spots QUICKLY, before their teammate gets to the ball.

It's amazing how important inbound plays can be for teams. Our Celtic group had about 4 plays we ran, and one of them worked three straight times in a high school game against a quality team coming off a State Championship season. It was amazing!

Let me know if you'd like me to give you the play.

There is only ONE BALL

2009-07-08T03:28:00.006-05:00

Basketball has 10 players on the court at one time. Five per team.
There is only ONE basketball.
So, almost 100% of the time, 90% of the players will not have the ball in their hands.
Guess what the best coaches and scouts are watching when they are recruiting players? They are watching how the players play when they DON'T have the ball.

One of my favorite basketball blogger/tweeter is Eric Musselman. He tweeted recently that: "Basketball is played on the flight of the ball NOT on the catch."

Getting position, creating space, blocking out, going for deflections or interceptions,,, these are what the greatest basketball players are doing while the ball is in flight. Wasn't it Carly Simon who sang, "AN TISS A PAY TION".... ah yes!

So, from elementary school through high school, the BEST coaches teach the 9 guys without the ball what they're supposed to be doing, and HOW they should be doing it.

Working without the ball. Away from the ball screens. Use your teammates or your opposition as PICKS without their knowledge to create space and passing lane.

And when a shot goes up, regardless of offense or defense,, every player should know what to do. Position. Block out. Drop back safety. See the ball, run to where it is GOING to be....and then go for it with all you've got. Think Dennis Rodman. [for those of you not familiar with the flamboyant, crazy Rodman, he is regarded as one of the most relentless rebounders in basketball history; played with Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls [the Michael Jordan era!]. His off court activities is a whole different subject!

I love what Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo said about rebounding:
"Rebounding is a wrestling match AND a fist fight."
You better be tough when you go against the Spartans~

Bottom line: Basketball is the ultimate team sport; defense and offense is a FIVE PRONGED attack or defense. Learning how to be successful on the court, is an ongoing process and the best teams and coaches, improve dramatically from the beginning of the season until it's tournament time.

Water ~

2009-07-04T23:26:00.003-05:00

Our most precious resource. If it was scarce in our country, the cost would be OUT OF THIS WORLD~ Guess what? One out of six people IN THE WORLD,,, do not have access to clean and safe water. That is why I've selected this organization as the one we are helping for the next year. From July 4th 2009 until July 4th 2010, I am committing to help this charity expand and grow in their improving this horrific safe water ratio.

WHY WATER.
Right now, 1.1 billion people on the planet don't have access to clean and safe drinking water. That's one in six of us.

charity: water is a non profit organization bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations. charity: water gives 100% of the money raised to direct project costs, funding sustainable clean water solutions in areas of greatest need. Just $20 can give one person in a developing nation clean water for 20 years.

Versatility~ a coaches ace in the hole

2009-06-13T12:04:00.011-05:00

When you have a player that is more than one dimensional, it allows the coach more options with fewer players; a way to attack an opponents weak areas. Lack of turnovers, being able to make the correct pass and deliver it to the right area in a rhythmic fashion is ultra valuable. A few nights ago in the Lakers "lucky" victory at Orlando, Kobe Bryant kicked out the ball to Derek Fisher who unleashed his lefty bomb that sent the game into overtime.

Defending, rebounding, scoring, shooting, ball handling and being selfless is a pretty good arsenal for a young basketball player. Add to that a touch of height, and lots of physical upside, and you have quite a prospect.

Check out Brock Morton, Class of 2009.
17 yr old w/ tremendous upside-
6' 4 1/2" 194
High schools ALL TIME LEADING SCORER that has pass first mentality-
2nd All time Rebounding
As 15 yr old sophomore, moved from wing to Pt Guard halfway through soph season and led team to 8 straight victories-
2008 AAU - led his team in scoring each game at Adidas 64 tourney in Las Vegas last July; including 15 of 23 from beyond 3 PT arc in the tournament. [shot 50% from field, and 40% from 3 pt. line during senior HS season where he led his sophomore laden squad to 21-4 record]
Great court vision- makes the RIGHT pass~
Extremely low turnover ratio-
Uncanny on offensive boards-
Great leader- team captain AND MVP last 2 seasons
All State last 2 years-
All Conference 3 years
28 on ACT-
Class of 2009-

7 Minute Highlight - Combo Guard - Versatile -ball handler, Shooter, Distributor, Rebounder

Overview of Brock Morton Class of 2009

Brock was used strictly as a #2 guard for Team Oklahoma, his AAU team from last summer. Several coaches say Brock could be similar to Blake Stepp [Gonzaga] or Pat Calathes [Florida]. The bottom line with Brock is that he will do whatever the coach asks of him, and whatever the team needs.

Small Ball Anyone?

2009-06-03T18:47:00.002-05:00

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."- Mark Twain

Agility and Shooting Drill for Serious Hoopsters~

2009-06-03T17:46:00.007-05:00

This video shows an agility drill and shooting drill that any serious basketball player could incorporate into their workout. UCLA's Jrue Holliday is actually doing the workout at the Sacramento Kings training facility.

At :36, Holiday does a standard box agility test where he shuffles, sprints and backpedals around the cones. Since this agility drill can easily be set up and measured, it's very popular. Coaches can compare players times and evaluate improvement.

The shooting drill is a two-spot shooting drill, basically a "catch and shoot" off the curl & then off a flare (1:07). then a one dribble pull up jumper.
At 1:07, he does a standard two-spot shooting drill, shooting off the curl and then off a flare. At about 1:54, he moves to one-dribble pull-up jump shots.

Having a purpose when you work out improves your personal time management, and allows you to maximize the time you allot for improving your game.

Zig Ziglar, one of the most popular motivation guru's, had a great quote that I made my 5th grade Tulsa Celtics memorize.

He said:
"The HARDER you are on yourself,,,,, the EASIER Life is,,,, On you!!!"

Assistant Coach - Calipari Style~ Think like a Head Coach!

2009-05-29T09:34:00.011-05:00

My first year in high school at Tulsa Memorial high school, I made varsity; it turned out to be the last year of Coach Doug Dugger's long and successful coaching career. One of his traits, as I was warned by the seniors, was his love of watching game film. At times, when the only noise was the old school projector running the click click click of the black and white video tape,,, it was very difficult to stay awake. Laying on the hard court, flipping from leaning on my left hand supported by my left elbow, flip flopping to the right hand and elbow support, to the old hands-clasped behind the neck and LIFT position, after the first hour to hour and a half, it became increasingly difficult to stay awake.

Tulsa Memorial High School Basketball note: My senior year the Memorial Chargers won their first State Championship by knocking off Oklahoma City Northwest Knights in the championship game. Twenty years later, in 1994, the Chargers captured their 2nd championship. They added a third Championship in 2006.

Compare that to what writer Darrell Bird learned when he interviewed Kentucky assistant coach John Robic regarding the use of tape.

"The first time these guys will see any film will be at the pre-game meal the day of the game. That's it," Robic said. "Cal puts a lot of emphasis on us, not the other team, so we're not a big film program at all. Never have been.

"We didn't watch an entire game film once in the last four years. We want everything short, concise and to the point. Even when us coaches watch film, it's cut down so Cal can watch it without ever hitting the remote."

The same is true for film from his own team's recent play.

"Cal may just say, 'Have them pull out this, this and this and we'll watch it before practice,' " Robic said. "I guarantee it won't be more than five minutes of tape. I think that has a lot to do with Cal coming from the NBA, where you don't have time."

John Robic has been on John Calipari's coaching staff for 13 years beginning at UMass, Memphis and now Kentucky.

"I know what he's thinking when he's thinking it," Robic said.

He also said you won't see even ONE of the assistant coaches watching the games with clipboards, or keeping statistics during the game. He wants all five of his assistants to act like they are the boss.

"We don't take notes or do stats during the game. He wants us to coach," Robic said. "You're not going to see five guys with clipboards. You're going to see no guys with clipboards. Cal wants us to be thinking like a head coach all the time."

Click this to read Bird's entire article.

Tizzz the season~

2009-05-21T18:34:00.007-05:00

Tizz the day to be joyful for the incredible influence that Waymon Tisdale spread to all who were lucky enough to be a part of his life.

I was fortunate enough to be assigned by the Tulsa World to cover the Booker T. Washington Hornets basketball game in Waymon's sophomore season. It may have been his first game. He was featured in the story because the (then) scronny, 6' 4" sophomore notched 26 points with a feathery touch on his short mid-range jumpers, snatched 12 rebounds, and blocked 6 shots,,,, all while that [later to be famous!] patented, wide, infectious smile permeated the high school gymnasium, and the spectators from both teams.

When I was assigned a HORNET game the next season, my excitement turned to dismay as I watched the Hornets go through their pregame layup drills.

"Where was the tall skinny kid?" I wondered, so upset that he wasn't present.

As I watched the two lines cycle through their layups again, my jaw dropped when I saw that familiar big, genuine and infectious smile running right at me.

"Thank God!" He was present. Waymon was in the house! I WOULD see him play again!
I still could not believe my eyes though, because the sleek, SKINNY armed sophomore was history. Waymon had become a MAN. His little chest had ballooned out; his arms had the definition of someone who today would be accused of using illegal steroids. Whether he did the Herschel Walker program of pushups and situps, or got in the weight room, the junior version of Waymon was an amazing physical upgrade.
My first thought was that he was TOO muscular to have kept that feathery, smooth, delicate jumper. After all, basketball players can't look like that and still shoot accurately. Wasn't that the message of those days?
But it didn't phase Tiz as he continued to fire that perfect rotation, soft jumper that regularly ripped the nets,,,,,and as history has shown, the strength only made Waymon the beast that he was to become when he moved up to the next level and play for Billy Tubbs in Soonerland.

Although I didn't have the priviledge of getting to know Waymon as I followed every turn around jumper of his OU and NBA career, I feel very fortunate to have become close with his brother William and his son, William jr.
When my son brought William Jr. home with him the first time, it was as if I was finally getting to know Waymon, his uncle, in a round about way; the nephew also had that great smile; an incredible presence; polite without the Eddie Haskell factor, and a true enjoyment of life was evident. William jr, and his mom Shari and dad are true gems and warm, incredibly wonderful people. They undoubtedly will continue spreading the Tisdale charm and love of life that their family is known for.

All of Tulsa will miss Waymon; the NBA world~ the music world~ and the Tulsa World.
Thank god that the Tisdale factor will continue to enlighten our world for many years to come.

Rest in peace Waymon.

Click here to see incredible coverage by the Tulsa World of the Celebration of Waymon's life.

Nolan - Tubby - Hollywood = Tulsa University

2009-05-08T01:40:00.004-05:00

Tulsa University basketball has had its ups and downs over the years. I started watching TU as a very short and small person. Joe Swank was the head coach. We played our home games in the Fairgrounds Pavilion, and the seats were mostly wooden.

I remember the thick haze of SMOKE that would linger like a cloud in the upper portion of the pavilion. At times, birds would chirp and make a flight from one crevice to another.

The Golden Hurricane broke the color barrier when they signed players Sherman Dillard, Julian Hammond, Larry Cheatham, Herm Callands and Eldridge Webb [LIVE FROM NEW YORK!!!! writers note: what a superb talent!] to name a few.
Ken Hayes became the next head coach and had standout scorers like Steve Bracey, Bobby "Bingo" Smith and long range bomber Willie Biles whose high arching shots from the deep corner only counted for two points, while he still would easily score over 30 points.

Three hours ago I enjoyed visiting with three coaches that formerly coached at the University of Tulsa. Interestingly, all three of them reached the pinnacle in their chosen career of coaching.

What did these former Hurricane coaches do?

They won the national championship in the NCAA March Madness national championship tournament.

Nolan Richardson led the Arkansas Razorbacks to the title in 1994. They knocked off Duke and Coach K. Grant Hill was the star of the team. Cherokee Parks had the best name. The Duke guard in the game is now the OU SOONERS head coach. Not many of you will remember, but Tulsa's own Clint McDaniel from Booker T Washington nailed a clinching free throw late in the game. One of Arkansas' fans that attended the game just happened to be the person who made Monica Lewinsky and cigars a famous combination. Scotty Thurman hit his 3rd three pointer of the game to put Arkansas in the lead, while current Oklahoma University Coach Capel had a shot blocked by Hog All American Corliss Williamson. Wanna see a few clips? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrZG_qgqrco

Orlando "Tubby" Smith left the friendly confines of Tulsa to the hotseat in Lexington Kentucky. It didn't take him long to show that it was a good hire. He led the blueblood Wildcats to a National Championship in their first year. Tubby was very popular during his Tulsa stint. The personable coach with the fun to say nickname left a lasting impression on our city. After the "Bring your plate home with you" dinner, I had each of the three national champion coaches sign the imprinted white collector plate. As I visited with Tubby, we spoke of a book I had given him during his first months in his head coaching debut job in Tulsa. He asked for my email address and without thinking, I pulled out of my front pocket, the brand new recruiting DVD I had just produced for my 17 yr old, 6' 4 1/2" senior combo guard that can also play the point. And I said, "Coach, this is the only thing I have with my email address on it." He took it, wrote my name on the clear plastic case, and said "Is that your boy?", pointing to the color picture of Brock which was imprinted on the front of the DVD.

I don't know if anything will come of it, but I in surfing around, I found that his son GG, who I saw play in high school at Cascia Hall before Tubby left for Kentucky, is back in the coaching business and is at Loyola of Maryland as an assistant.
I uploaded the two different short "highlight" videos to You_Tube so I could include them in emails if I wanted to.
Brock Morton -Class of 2009 - Video #1
Brock Morton -Class of 2009 - Video #2

Then last year, former Hurricane coach Bill Self, the OSU Cowboy from Edmond who began his coaching career at Oral Roberts University before moving all the way from 81st and Lewis to 11th and Harvard to guide Tulsa University and lead them to the Elite 8. He then jumped over to Illinois before being wooed to Kansas. Self led the Kansas Jayhawks to an improbable late comeback to steal the Championship away from Memphis State.

Nolan may have had the best line of the night when he said, "Everyone keeps asking how I lost all the weight." After the appropriate comediennes pause, he answered, "When I got my ass fired, all the rats left the house,, and there was nothing left to eat!"

The three "Champions" were honored by Herb Suggs, former Tulsa player under Richardson who runs the Basket of Dreams program to help inner city children become healthier, and provide the guidance and support to be great kids. Because great kids become great adults.

My son played basketball for Basket of Dreams three or four years ago and it was a valuable experience for him.

A few former Hurricane players in attendance were Jeff Malham, Jeff Rahilly, David Moss, Anthony Fobbs, Steve "Silk" Harris, Mike Anderson (who happened to coach his Missouri Tigers to the Elite 8 this year!), Tracey Moore, Bob Patterson, Steve Ballard, Rod Thompson, Dante Swanson [one of my all time favorites who is still playing in Poland], Jason Parker [like myself, a member of a Memorial High School State Championship team; Jason played in the NBD league for a team from Texas, but said he is going to Europe this next year], and otheres.

basketball- NOT 101 ...Basketball .best.v1.0

2009-04-23T09:58:00.003-05:00

-- Good players beg for the ball, not so much with their tongues (though they do sometimes shout) as much as with their body movements and facial expressions. Good players want the ball, and that want is obvious to whoever has it. The average fan would likely say that all players want the ball, and they do, but not like good players want it. Good players want it in a way that they are always close by, always popping out, always looking at the guys with the ball with a sort of desperation.

=======================================================

You should learn to score from everywhere with one dribble. That means, when you get the ball in shooting position (at a distance you can shoot from) you should expect to be able to get to the basket in one dribble. It is a matter of wanting to get there in one dribble, practicing, and developing the habit.

================================================================

-- Most basketball players, even the ones who usually don't dribble very much, dribble too much. For many point guards, the problem is one extra dribble, the failure to pass at the right time because of the desire to show off that dribbling ability one more time. For big men inside, often even one dribble is too many. A move should be able to be made effectively without any dribbles at all, so the defensive guards have no chance of stripping the ball on its way up from the floor. Analyze your game. Chances are you often take unnecessary dribbles. Unnecessary dribbles may not seem as though they hurt you, but they always end up hurting a team. Unnecessary dribbles give opponents extra chances to steal the ball or get into defensive position.

=================================================================

-- Faking, almost all fakes, work great in games, and there is a very good reason why. Most players, even a lot of good ones, don't fake, or at least not very often. As a result, very few defenders have had the opportunity to react to fakes, so when they meet one in a game they fall for it and get faked out. The most important rule on faking is, "Use fakes."

============================================================================

-- Never leave your feet on defense -- not even to block a pass, not even to block a shot. For every pass you block by jumping, two will get by you and you will be slow getting to good defensive help-position. You have to wait until you come down to move. For every shot you block, twice you will foul unnecessarily and another time or two the shooter will miss but be able to run by you for the rebound, since you cannot block out in the air. Jumping is not a valuable skill on defense (unless you are a gifted, intimidating center). Don't jump. Never leave your feet. Keep your feet on the floor at all times on defense.

=============================================================

-- If you decide to go one-on-one, do it immediately after you get the ball, or don't do it at all. The longer you hold the ball and look around or jockey for position, the more time the defense has to get in good help-position to stop you and clog the lane. A good rule to follow is this: When in doubt, pass. Or, if you've held the ball, pass. Seldom does a team lose for having passed up open shots. You lose by missing shots, by shooting too fast, by taking bad shots, and by shooting tentatively.

keep dribbling [but do NOT watch the ball,,, and only enough dribbles to get off clean: pass or shot!!!!!]

Coach

Tulsa Turnovers Costly so far against Auburn

2009-03-20T20:24:00.004-05:00

Just listening to part of the Tulsa ga me, it appears that turnovers may end their chances at getting to New York for the NIT Final four.

Justin Hurtt scored Tulsa's first 10 points; unfortunately, Tulsa's 8-5 lead turned into a 20-10 deficit as turnovers plaqued the Hurricane. That and the fact that no one else could score for almost 8 minutes.

Now it's 54-38 2nd half. Ouch! Looks like 6 more turnovers already in 2nd half.

Season over. 18 turnovers. Shoot 34%. Lose 74-55 on the road in Alabama. Finish the year 25-11, so all in all, a pretty solid year by the Cane.

"Why are you cheering for them Mom and Dad?"

2009-02-24T23:46:00.004-06:00

What would your son or daughter do if you were found at their athletic event yelling, cheering and supporting the OTHER TEAM?

I'm not talking about the parent of a kid who is sitting on the bench and mom or dad are privately wishing the other team would start kikkin their teams backend~~ No, I'm talking about 1/2 the parents and fans of a high school, meeting, organizing, making banners to support their kids opponent.

Crazy? Yep,, but it really happened.

Former Sports Illustrated writer Rick Reilly wrote this story for ESPN.

"They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.

It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.

Did you hear that? The other team's fans?

They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions. "

This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.

So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"

And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."

Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!

"I thought maybe they were confused," said Alex, a Gainesville lineman (only first names are released by the prison). "They started yelling 'DEE-fense!' when their team had the ball. I said, 'What? Why they cheerin' for us?'"

It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"

Maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game's last two touchdowns. Of course, this might be because Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end. Still.

After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."

And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.

As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home—a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.

The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."

And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.

Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.

Hope.

Coaches: Want to Improve your Team's FT percentage??

2009-02-22T10:44:00.005-06:00

There are thousands of theories on how to improve your FT percentage. If you ask Wilt Chamberlain, he might laugh and say, "No, there are millions of ways!"

He tried quite a few. I remember seeing the 7 foot Wilt the Stilt shooting "granny" style free throws while dominating the paint for the Philadelphia 76ers. Granny style is two hands, underhand, and bring the ball down beneath your crotch and softly with backspin launch the ball in the basket. Unfortunately, if the hands aren't precisely in rhythm, you have a tendency to be either left or right.

Super scorer Rick Barry, whose many children played and still play in the NBA, mastered the technique and shot a high percentage while with the Golden State Warriors. Wilt didn't. Chamberlain reverted to a regular one handed shot, but moved back into the middle of the keyhole to shoot his "FREE" shots. He never did attain success the way he desired.

Shaquille O'Neal, whose hand engulfs the ball, has never had a solid free throw game.

Kelvin Sampson used a drill at the end of practice to improve his team's FT percentage. One of his assistants, Jim Shaw, is now an assistant at University of Washington. The Huskies shot 59% from the Free Throw line last year. That was the worst in the nation!!! This year has been different, and the Huskies have ridden improved FT shooting to a 19-7 record.

In a Valentine's Day win over Oregon, the Huskies connected on 36 of their 46 FTA. Two days earlier, Washington went 21-29 from the line in a win over Oregon State. And in a road win over Stanford on Feb. 8, UW hit 21-28 of their free throws.

Shaw convinced head coach Lorenzo Romar to implement the drill at the beginning of this season.

THE LADDER~

At the end of every practice, all 13 players gather in a circle around the free-throw line, then take turns shooting free throws, each getting two at a time — either shooting a one-and-one, or a two-shot foul depending on the day (the team alternates by day.)

The drill isn't complete until the players combine to make 19 of 26 on days when the situation is a one-and-one, or 20 out of 26 on days when it's a two-shot situation. The totals are kept on a scoreboard, and it's referred to as "climbing the ladder" for the team to get to its requirement to pass the drill.

Players who miss head to the sideline for extra conditioning.

Some days, the team has needed as many as 45 minutes to complete the ladder, switching ends of the court with each failure.

Player of the Week Tulsa World - Brock Morton

2009-02-06T20:17:00.008-06:00

Holland Hall's 6'5" senior, combo guard Brock Morton added to his growing list of achievements this week when he was named the Tulsa World Player of the Week. It came on the heels of the Dutch's Friday night / Saturday afternoon S.P.C. conference double-header with Fort Worth's All Saints Episcopal and then Arlington Oakridge. Morton notched 39 points against All Saints incuding 18 of 20 free throws.

The Dutch raised their record to 19-2 on the season, and 7-0 in the SPC conference. But Arlington Oakridge gave them all they could handle. The Texas squad employed a slowdown game, often forcing Holland Hall to play defense for over 40 seconds per possession. They held an 18-12 advantage at halftime. But the Dutch came out with a newfound energy in the 3rd quarter as Morton drained a 3 pt shot from the corner and then zipped into a passing lane for a steal and the Dutch were on their way back. They tied the game going into the 4th quarter, and Morton and Kwami Sexton keyed the comeback victory. Morton scored 11 points in both the 3rd and 4th quarter and the ultra athletic Sexton dazzled the crowd on both ends of the court. Click here to see the Box Score.

Click here to see the Tulsa World Player of the Week.

VYPE ELITE 8 - December 2008 Issue . Eastern Oklahoma
Morton joined 7 other top basketball players to pose for the VYPE Magazine cover in December.
The picture of Brock Morton on the tricycle was included in VYPE magazine's December feature where Brock, Bryson Pope- Jenks Trojans [University of Tulsa commit] , Cameron Downing - Memorial Chargers & Tyler Ridgeway of Foyil were named as the four boys on the ELITE 8 issue of Vype High School Sports Magazinethe magazine.

SPC CONFERENCE SHOWDOWN
The Dutch jumped out to a 15-0 lead on Trinity Valley on January 17th, 2009 at the Dutch gym. Trinity entered the game with a 17-6 record in Texas, and Holland Hall hit them hard. But Trinity was not ready to head back to Texas with their head held down, and actually fought back to tie the game at 51-51. But Morton again came through in the clutch for the Dutch, and nailed 4 straight free throws to seal the victory and keep Holland Hall undefeated in conference play.

1/14/2009
Morton seals it for No. 4 Dutch

12/20/2008
Holland Hall 61 - Cascia Hall 60
The mighty Cascia Hall Commando's came into the Holland Hall's gymnasium a prohibive favorite. The Tulsa World focused in on the girls game, but did give some paragraphs to the boys battle too. Good thing they did, as the Cascia girls won easily, while the boys game went down to the last seconds as Holland Hall knocked off the highly ranked Commandos 61-60, led by Brock Morton's 28 points. Bailey Miles drilled three straight trifecta's in the 3rd quarter to spark the Dutch.

Basketball Gems~ For coaches & players..from a coaching legend~

2009-01-27T17:35:00.004-06:00

I remember the 1996 NCAA Tournament when #13 Seed Princeton knocked off the powerful and defending national champion UCLA Bruins 43-41 in a huge first round upset. Princeton scored the games last 9 points including a back door cut [see pic] which shocked the college basketball world.

Princeton had barely made the tournament in '96. They had been routed in the season's last game against Penn, which tied them with the Quakers for the Ivy League title. The two teams squared off on a neutral site for a tie-breaker game five days before the start of the NCAA tournament. The game went into overtime with Princeton pulling it out. Following the game, Pete Carril, Princeton's longtime coach, wrote "I am retiring" on the blackboard in the team's locker room. But not before he led the Tigers to the dramatic first round knockout of the mighty Bruins from UCLA.

Pete Carrill coached Princeton University, the perennial Ivy League powerhouse for 29 seasons before his 1996 retirement. Carril preached winning through intelligence, selfless play, and dogged defense.

Here are a few excerpts from Coach Carril's book titled: The Smart take from the Strong- [feel free to buy this book from the link below for less than $10.00 !!! ~ incredible Value for both COACH and PLAYER!~~]

-- Whatever you emphasize and to the degree that you do, you get better at it. It's results that count, and they should determine your principles. It is a mistake we all make as coaches to think there is only one way of doing something. There is not. Whatever works, works.

-- There's a tendency for players to believe that because the coach is talking to someone else, they don't have to listen. If they're all listening, the coach won't have to repeat the same thing to the guys who weren't involved.

-- I always spent a good half-hour every day on basics. And one thing I noticed: Sometimes in an effort to shorten our practices, we cut out the basics. If we did that for a long period of time, the guys began to slip. The basics remain the key to success on every level of the game, and you can teach them.

-- There is a difference between teaching and coaching. When you are instructing your team about the actual game, you are teaching them, transmitting knowledge and information to them. The best situation of all is to be able to attract the best talent and be a teacher; that is what distinguishes coaches like Mike Krzyzewski, Bobby Knight, Rick Pitino, Dean Smith -- although it is unfair to single them out because there are another 150 like them whose schools are not as prominent so they can't attract the talent.

-- As a player, you want to be good at those things that happen a lot -- that cannot be overstated. What happens a lot? You dribble, you pass, and you shoot -- you want to be good at those skills. If what you are doing -- what you are good at -- doesn't happen that often, then there's no real benefit to being good at it. A wise player understands that.

-- Les Yellin [the former coach at St. Francis College in Brooklyn] summarized the main virtues [of players we value] as "IQ," "EQ," and "RQ." IQ means what it always means -- the function of intelligence. Behaving intelligently covers the whole realm of knowing what to do. EQ is energy quotient, which means having the energy to work at what you're doing. When your EQ is good, you practice harder, play the game harder, and when it looks as though you cannot move anymore, you find a way to move some more. RQ stands for responsibility quotient. You know what to do, you have the energy or EQ, and now you have to know that whatever it is, it must be done.

-- I tell my guys that if they work hard every day, then they don't have to worry about game plans, or where they play, or whom they play, or about rankings and so on. The quality of their work habits can overcome anything: praise, criticism, good or bad coaching. They have their daily behavior to fall back on.

-- I can check the level of your honesty and commitment by the quality of your effort on the court. You cannot separate sports from your life, no matter how hard you try. Your personality shows up on the court: greed, indifference, whatever, it all shows up. You cannot hide it.

-- Kids are not learning the basic skills of the game because it takes too much time to teach them, because coaches and players alike want immediate results, and because the number of coaches who can and will teach you kids is declining. It is hard to teach things that take time to learn. The players themselves, when they're young, are impatient, and they don't want to take the time to develop other skills if they see right away they what pleases their coach, what produces immediate results like winning and success, is performing one particular function. So they don't learn the skills, and it becomes hard for them to adjust and improve.

-- If a guy cannot pass, the ball stops moving. If he cannot shoot, he will always be open. If he cannot dribble, he cuts his value to the team by one third. Furthermore, if he cannot dribble, the defense will attack him. If you want to become a better dribbler, dribble. Dribble on a court, with a man guarding you. You would think that at the highest level of player -- the NBA -- everybody could dribble. But they can't. It's one of those skills we are not paying enough attention to.

-- No drill is any good unless it's used in some form in the game. There is no transfer of learning. I emphasize to my guys that anything we do in practice is not a drill. If they get to thinking it's a drill, they won't notice it's the same thing that goes on in the game. I have to tell them that what we're doing in practice is exactly what happens in a game. Everything we do in practice must show itself somewhere in the game, or else we don't do it.

-- Passing was the single greatest attribute of my teams over the years. A passer who can see people open is the same guy who sees where and when to screen, avoid picks, helps on defense -- in other words, he can see. The passer is the same guy who knows where weaknesses are, where the drives are, and where everybody on the floor is. To score, you gotta move the ball. We pass to move the defense, and every pass counts. What I also love about passing is how much it helps to build team morale. Passing takes the tension out of a game. Passing makes everybody feel a part of the game, a part of the team. No single aspect of basketball does more to develop good team play than passing. The first thing I look for in a high school player is, Can he pass? If he can, he's the same guys who can cut, and can defend.

-- If you want to learn how to shoot a specific shot in basketball, get the mechanics straight, then go out and practice hard. Once you have the right basics, you can teach yourself how to shoot.

-- Here's the thing about teaching basketball: It's just like teaching a subject in school. You stand in front of the class saying the same thing to everyone, and yet you have these differences in their ability to learn and utilize the information. The same is true in basketball. There is a limitation to what you can teach.

-- When a player is told what he has to do to become a better player, does he get mad at the coach, or at himself? If he gets made at the coach, he'll never get better as a player. If he gets mad at himself, he will get better.

-- There's a difference between the guys who play to win and those who play not to lose. A big difference. When you play to win, you do all of the extra things that maybe aren't visible, but the results is that you come out on top. Playing to win [means] subordinating [your] needs to those of the team. Remember, some guys walk out of a losing game having scored 25 points and are perfectly content. If you have guys like that on your team, you're not going to win too many games. You cannot ever forget the human equation in sports.

-- The essence of character is what I call mental and physical courage. Everybody has the potential for courage, but some people -- because they have had to demonstrate it all their lives -- are good at it, whereas others are not until the need suddenly arises and they have to learn to react. Basketball brings out the need for courage.

-- Everybody makes such a big deal today about team play because there's such a scarcity of it. Greed is a reason. You have to understand the influence of greed. A player has to be selfish in the pursuit of the development of his skills, but he cannot be selfish when it comes time to blend them in with what's good for his team.

-- Defense is the heart of our game. Good defense is recognizable even when you're losing. The object of my defensive strategy is to contest every pass and shot, to force the opponent to move the ball under continuous pressure. I want the other team to play offense longer than they're used to. Defense is not a variable. It's a constant. Defense has to be deeply embedded in your attitude. It's something you can do well every time -- both the individual and the team. Skill is a variable. Work is not a variable. It's an attitude. Defense is head, heart, and legs.

-- Nothing is more intimidating than deflecting passes. It makes a passer very tentative. I say that if you don't use your hands, you're committing a bigger sin and aren't as effective defensively. My view on this is also controversial.

-- The truth is, you can take whatever defensive philosophy you want and reverse it and a forceful coach will make it work. It's mostly attitude and effort that make a defense successful. But one thing -- putting pressure on the ball -- has more of an impact than any philosophical discussion of how to guard a man. If each player, when he guards his man, can press him, put pressure on him, you'll disturb passes and intimidate your opponents.

-- Good players are always moving their legs.

-- The sterner the discipline, the greater the devotion.

-- When you're fundamentally unsound, you inhibit the way your team can play. Poor fundamentals restrict the things a coach can teach.

-- Players who do not compete hard against each other because they're afraid it will affect their friendship have trouble getting better.

-- I don't like to see a guy get patted on the back for doing simple things, for doing the things he should do. You have to be able to tell a player or coach when he does a bad job that it is a bad job. You show respect by praising them when they do the things that deserve praise. They must learn the difference between what is done right and what is done wrong, and if you try to make them similar with easy praise, you'll never succeed in teaching them the difference.

-- When you demand a lot, my experience has been that you get more. If you insist on less, you get that, too. Self-esteem comes from accomplishment, not the other way around. The more you demand, the more they give, the stronger the sense of satisfaction.

-- Speed follows luck and covers a multitude of sins. Wherever fast players go, they always get there faster than slower players.

-- Every little thing you do on offense counts. That means every pass, every cut, every screen, every dribble is part of the end result and therefore require care and concern. We try to make it simple and we work hard to make things easy.

-- Cut with credibility. What I like my guys to do on offense to start a game is pass and cut through the defense. The minute you do, you start to move the defense, a main goal. It also helps to identify the defense, whether it's a zone, a combo, or a man-to-man. It is essential that when a cutter cuts through, he look for the ball. There will be no credibility to the cut unless the player executes it with authenticity, i.e., believes he might receive the ball.

-- Size is not the most important thing about rebounding. Knowing how to use your body, seeing where the ball is going, that's what counts. It is not the guy who jumps the highest. The guy who jumps the highest is all alone. Jumping in a crowd is another story. Just watch guys like Larry Bird. A good rebounder plays for position, but is always attentive to the ball. You cannot lose sight of the ball. You've got to have some idea where the ball is going and how to prevent your man from getting it.
-- Solving a press. When you get pressed, there are three important things you need: First, you need someone who is good at taking the ball out -- someone who can see which man is open and isn't going to get into trouble if he gets the ball. If the guy throwing the ball in panics, or is blind, he's going to throw the ball hurriedly, and because of where he throws it, he's going to get the player catching it in trouble. Second, you need a player who can advance the ball to the other end of the court. Third, you have to have a scorer at the end of the press, someone who knows what to do when he gets the ball.

-- Make a zone run: First, you must recognize the zone: Is it a 2-1-2, 2-3, 1-2-2, 1-3-1, or some combination? Then you must remember that your decision how to attack the zone has to be based on the shot you can make. To say it another way: The shot you can make dictates your offense against the zone. The quality of your passing will determine the quality of your shot. Move the ball and move yourself so that you make the zone "run."

-- Pivoting is one of the most underrated techniques and skills, and when you go to teach it, someone always asks, "Why bother?" We have to teach the player to disregard the feeling that it's not essential, that it's not necessary in today's game. One reason some players disregard its importance is that they do it so easily. Generally, guys with large feet seem to have more trouble pivoting smoothly.

-- Fakes are like lies. The first thing I tell anyone about faking is that if you're going to fake, your move has to look like the real thing. When you go to tell a lie, it has to be close enough to the truth to be believable. Same thing. So often, guys fake so strenuously that they telegraph the fake: Their fake looks like a fake. Young kids have to be actors and develop cunning. They shouldn't work only on one fake; you always want to have more than one weapon. Also, if you're wide open, don't fake -- shoot!

-- Conditioning: I tell my players if you play hard every time you play, you'll be in good enough shape. Once practice starts, we work hard and that's the best conditioning there is. Everything counts. Run hard, play hard, go after the ball hard, guard hard. Everything we do is game-condition because how you play in practice is how you'll play in a game.

-- How do you know if your team has camaraderie? I can tell by the way they walk off the floor at the end of practice. You can feel their happiness vibrating; you can see how they work out together; you can watch it in the shower room -- what they're talking about, the level of excitement. There are many ways you can feel it, and it's better to feel it than to hear it. The camaraderie practically comes out of their bodies. And you don't feel that way when you're losing. Losing reveals things.

-- A bad win is one where you score more points but they've outplayed, outsmarted, and outworked you. It could be a lucky win, or an undeserved win. Regardless, the point is that whatever you call it, a bad win is still better than a good loss.

-- A good high school coach is the salt of the earth. And when his teams are well coached, a college coach is the direct beneficiary of all his work. When players who have had good high school coaching walk on the floor in college, there isn't much that a coach has to do. I cannot emphasize enough what it means to start with that great coach at the sixth or seventh grade who tries to get kids to do things better. Grade school coaches are the unsung heroes of this country and they're disappearing because it takes a lot of work and constant attention. Sometimes it is too much of a sacrifice.

-- I don't recruit players who are nasty to their parents. That shows they are giving less than they can give and can't forge the bonds essential for a good team. I look for players who understand that the world does not revolve around them.

-- Use your assets: You have to take advantage of what you have. Marilyn Monroe and Sophia Loren did that, and we do it, too. If you have a fast team and you don't run, you're being stupid. And if you have a slow team, you must take the run out of the game.

-- There are so many things that don't show up on the stat sheet, or in the win and loss column, that no one can explain, but you see them and they affect the outcome of games. There are hundreds of them: Players who learn how to do something just by watching compared to those who watch the same demonstration and can't do it; who go after loose balls and come up with every one of them as opposed to someone who tries just as hard and comes up with none. How is it that one guy can deflect a pass over and over again and another cannot? Many times I ask myself the question, "Am I trying to teach this player instinct, or am I teaching him a skill?" Whether you're trying to teach a college player or a seven-year-old, you are looking for instinct.

-- The most important thing that you can do.... is DO what you are doing well. The most important thing you can do on or off the court is to focus on what you are doing when you are doing it. When you play, PLAY. When you study, STUDY.
=================================================
Wow. The highlighted colors and bolds were put in by me. The words are straight from the book. True basketball gems!! If you aspire to coach, or you are a player, you might think about printing them or writing down the ones that :CLICK: for you~ implementing the thoughts into your psyche will enable you and your teams to achieve more both on the court, and off. ~ bsm

Pretty Amazing Buzzer Beater~

2009-01-27T16:42:00.006-06:00

[To see shot NOW, click on link at bottom of this post]

Even though it came at the end of the first quarter, this has to be one of the most unusual buzzer beaters I've ever seen. Last week on ESPN I saw a high school player rebound a missed throw, take one dribble, whirl and fire a shot the length of the court. It went in, and was a game winning shot on top of that. Truly amazing. But the shot, although long range, was about as "normal" of a buzzer beater as you can get from that distance.

Unusual Style Unveiled by Donte Foster
Last Friday night Midwest City and Guthrie, two highly ranked Oklahoma high schools , were getting it on and Midwest City held a 12 -3 lead when Guthrie had the ball out of bounds with less one-half of a second on the clock. Guthrie inbounded the ball to Donte Foster, who evidently has watched some volleyball on TV or in person.

Walking non-chalant with his back to the basket, tipped it over his head as if to set up his spiker. The ball swished through just after the buzzer sounded to end the quarter. It would have been just as classic had it been a4 or 5 foot shot, but not this time... Foster was behind the 3 pt line!

Foster finished with 18 points, but had tough luck late in a pressure packed game that ended in double overtime with Midwest City winning 63-58. Foster missed a potential game winning 17 footer at the end of the first overtime. He only had 1 field goal in the 2nd half and overtime, and
was 5-11 from the free throw line.

Maybe he was still replaying in his mind what was more than likely the best shot he had ever made in his life. [Click here to see the shot on youtube]

Step Back Keiton

2009-01-19T06:55:00.008-06:00

Wow!
Saturday afternoon, Oklahoma State's Keiton Page disproved several assumptions about college basketball. It's "understood" that "short guys that aren't incredible athletes" have no business being on the court in an NCAA Division I game. And these short, non-starting freshmen aren't typically called upon as first option when the game is on the line.

In his first year since battling Oklahoma's small high schools [2A], Keiton has shown that white guards standing around 5'9 1/2" tall, with average "athleticness" can excel against larger, quicker and more athletic players.

"How can this be?" some ask.
The short answer is, because he is a basketball player.

A coaches kid, with an older brother Brady who was also a high school phenom, Keiton has dedicated his life to the sport. I remember playing against the HOOSIERS when Keiton was in the 6th or 7th grade. His backcourt mate, Rotnei Clark, and he, formed as impressive of a 12 yr old guard tandem that this blogger has ever seen. The Hoosiers, coached by high school referee Kirk Schultz, won a national championship that summer. [The picture above was from several years earlier; that is Rotnei on the front row left, and Keiton, is 3rd from left.]

Page didn't just learn basketball via osmosis and hearing his dad David discuss it at the dinner table. After practicing with his age group team, little Keiton would not only attend his dad's high school practice, but he would participate. Seeing how he handled and shot the ball, my guess is that he fit in just fine with the high school team.

By the time he entered 9th grade, he had 3 years experience playing against older high school players, and he showed that he was more than ready as he averaged over 30 points per game, and helped his dad earn a State Championship.

Not so surprising, his guard mate Clark also averaged over 30 points per game while performing for his Uncle at Verdigris High School. When they completed their high school career last season, both with the State Championship trophy in their possession, they also had lept to the top two positions in the ALL TIME SCORING record for the state of Oklahoma.

*Keiton led the state in points scored (1,287), scoring average (44.4 points per game), assists (213) and steals (172) his senior season.
*his 33.4 career scoring average is the highest by a high school player in the last 20 years.

Back to the NOW.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys found themselves down 2 points with about 11 seconds left in regulation in their first Big 12 road game of the year. First year OSU coach Travis Ford called an inbounds play for Keiton. Coming off a double screen, he caught the inbounds pass in the corner, but Baylor's quick defenders got in his face.

He dribbled with his left with the Bear defender pushing against him, along the arc toward the top of the key, drove into the keyhole, before a big "jump-back" [as opposed to the step-back] created enough space for the "non-athletic" white kid to launch a three pointer. It swished through the net and the Pokes held a 1 point advantage with 12 seconds left in the game.
Let's just call it a VERY IMPRESSIVE shot, which Page totally created on his own.
He finished the game with 11 points on 3 of 7 shooting from 3 pt range, 4 steals, 3 assists and 1 turnover. Not too shabby.

A terrible "NON-CALL" on a Baylor charge at the other end gave Baylor one last chance and a foul was called on James Anderson seconds later which gave Baylor's Curtis Jerrell's two free throws and a chance to win the game with two seconds left. He made the first to tie the score, missed the second, but the Bears Tweety Carter knocked down 2 three pointers to start the overtime and Baylor escaped with a 98-92 victory.

Note: If you are wondering about his backcourt mate from the 12 yr old team, yes, he has had some success too. Rotnei Clark currently starts as shooting guard for the Arkansas Razorbacks who knocked off TOP 10 opponents Texas and Oklahoma University in back to back games several weeks ago.

Captain Bar Mitzvah: He Plays Above the Rim~

2009-01-11T06:49:00.022-06:00

Keith Bulluck is a pro football player. His achievements would be amazing regardless of his background, but I was touched when I read this story and believe it has a strong message. [Bulluck is a linebacker for the Tennessee Titans who, until yesterday's home upset at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, had dreamed of playing in this year's Super Bowl. ]

I read in the NY TIMES that: [Bulluck]"was abandoned by his father at birth and by his mother at age 12, Bulluck spent the first part of his childhood bouncing to and from the homes of relatives. At times, he lived with his grandmother, his mother or an aunt. He slept on fold-out sofas or on floors.

“It wasn’t a situation conducive for a young child,” Bulluck said. “But that was just my life, so I didn’t know any better.”

Bulluck, who is 6 feet 3 inches and 235 pounds, plays pickup basketball games above the rim, says story in NY TIMES.

“There are a lot of gifted athletes on the team,” Thornton said. “But Keith is one of those guys who is just rare.”

"Ability is one thing; Availability is another"

You will be interested to find out why he was nicknamed "CAPTAIN BAR MITZVAH" when he was 13 years old. [Hint: it had nothing to do with his knowledge of hebrew.] This Titan's story is worth reading.

Red Auerbach

2009-01-07T18:36:00.000-06:00

"They said you have to use your five best players but I found you win with the five who fit together the best."

--Red Auerbach, the Celtics~

Tourney of Champs- Jenks wins again!

2009-01-01T21:34:00.000-06:00

Marshall Morris had a breakout game for Jenks as he notched 18 points to lead the Trojans to the Championship of the Tourney of Champs at the Fairgrounds Pavilion in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The Trojans had a seemingly safe 8 pt lead with 1:45 left but Booker T Washington's Brian Harris long range bombs and free throw shooting cut the margin to 1 point, 59-58, with 10.8 seconds left. Jenks Brian Brookey went to the line with 5 seconds left and made 1 of 2, setting up Harris with a last second shot that missed, which would have stolen the game from Jenks.

T.J. Smith, Harris, Ian Ponds, Nick Harris and Tharone Chilton led the Hornets.

Jenks was led by Morris, the steady rebounder and defender seemed due to break out after a first round game where his short shots were just a fraction off. Point guard Doug McKnight had a strong scoring second half to finish with 11 points, while TU signee, 6'5" Bryson Pope finished with 17 points despite having a severe challenge at the free throw stripe where he missed 4 of 5 in the 1rst half, and his first 3 of the 2nd half, before calming himself and connecting on his final 4 attempts.

Hogs Boss Sooners~Fortson: Drew Lavendar on Steroids?

2008-12-31T08:02:00.000-06:00

"Pigg,,,,, Sooooooeeyyyy,,, Razorbacks."

The Hog call was deafening as 19,604 snorting fans practiced tonight's New Year partying as their beloved hoop squad had answers for superstar, future multi-millionaire Blake Griffin and his Sooner teammates.

Definitely a nightmarish noise for Sooner hoop fans. Last night, Oklahoma took their undefeated, double Griffinized Sooners into Bud Walton arena only to be greeted by a pack of squawking HOGS and a possessed Razorback squad. Despite an incredible 2nd half comeback, OU fell 96-88 to fall to 12-1. Arkansas improves to 10-1.

I believe this game will HELP both teams. [see last graph]

Oklahoma bred Rotnei Clark [Celtics played against the Hoosiers backcourt of Rotnei & Keiton Page when Rotnei -Keiton were 6th graders] , who refused to join up with the state university for the next four years, took all of 15 seconds before uncorking a three point shot to start a first half onslaught that appeared to knock the Sooners back to the Oklahoma border. At halftime, the Hogs led 53-38. Clark finished with 15 points which included 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, despite missing his first free throw of the season. But he was not the headline act from the upset in the hills of Northwest Arkansas.

Hog wide receiver Marcus Monk, postman Michael Washington, and the quarterback of the Hog courters, amazing point guard Courtney Fortson stole the show. Monk came from the bench and chipped in 12 points, 6 rebounds and his 20 minutes of defending the Griffin brothers played a huge part in allowing Sanchez and Washington to survive the whole game without fouling out. They each had 4 fouls and Monk had 3. Washington's 24 points down on the block gives hope to BIG 12 opponents that Griffin can be scored on. Washington added 11 rebounds.

But it was Fortson who "wowed" this spectator. Although he may be an average shooter and capable of knocking down 3's [I haven't checked his year stats, but he was 3 of 14 FG's and 0-4 from beyond the arc last night], the diminutive Fortson was the player of the game.

Ultra-Quick might be an appropriate label for this sparkplug. Courtney, a freshmen who attended one year at a prep school, truly was the dominant player in the game. Pushing the ball relentlessly up the court, the lefthanded blurr looked like he was on fast forward while the other 9 players were playing at regular speed. He received credit for 10 assists, but it seemed like more. One time he was trapped in back-court without a dribble, and pivoted enough to zap a pass to a streaking Hog teammate for a layup. His no look passes didn't surprise his athletic teammates, and he added 8 rebounds to boot!

If it wasn't for OU freshmen, and former AAU teammate of Rotnei, Willie Warren, [35 points, including 18 of the Sooners first 23 points on 6 of 6 fgs], and long sleeve wearing Tony Crocker, who sat out a long stretch including the end of the first half thru about 8 minutes of the 2nd half. Crocker sat with four fouls, the last for an assessed technical for complaining about foul #3.

When Rotnei's last 3 pointer made it 72-47 caused another Hogfan explosion, most had to think this game was over. But that's when Crocker went OFF. Yes, all capital letters to O F F. Tony knocked in FIVE,, 5, [1,2,3,4,5] three pointers in a prolific 3 minute stretch and the most amazing part about this streak is that the Sooners shut out the Hogs the entire run. That made it 72-63 and still there were over 9 minutes left in the game.

Two free throws by Warren cut the Arkansas lead to 83-79 and still there were more than 4 minutes left.... The proverbial explanation of the comeback team NOT completing the task, "we wasted all our energy to get there, and didn't have enough to finish"..... might have been true.

It would have been devastating for Arkansas to lose this game. Instead, they have confidence in their squad and should continue to improve with their very youthful guards. Oklahoma was overrated in my opinion. They struggled in an early season home game against a very mediocre opponent. Several victories could have gone either way, and "luck" may have played a role. Wait,,, LUCK?.... of course Luck played a role. It always does!! Or , it NEVER does. Depends on the definition, right?

Regardless, getting HAMMERED like they did for the first 27 minutes surely brought them back to earth. Undefeated. Ranked #4 Nationally. Blake Griffin~assumed to be top pick by NBA at the next draft. Coach Jeff Capel is definitely the real deal. Getting blown out like they did on the road by this Hog squad, will allow him to regain whatever little bit of attention he may have lost during the nice opening season run. OU will be better now that they have LOST a game. And it goes without saying, they proved they can overcome that opening BLITZ by Arkansas, and still had a chance to win the game.

Liberty Mounds to Hotchkiss Boarding School

2008-12-28T00:19:00.001-06:00

Team Oklahoma's 6'11" center Monty Brown considered transferring to Holland Hall Prep School, about 12 minutes away from Liberty Mounds HS where Brown studied and played basketball last year. He also thought about Cascia Hall & Bishop Kelley. Tulsa's three private schools with quality basketball programs were discussed and looked at. But through the contacts of Ted Owens, former Kansas University coach who led the Jayhawks to the Final Four two different times, Brown now runs the hardcourt of Hotchkiss Prep.

Hotchkiss? Is it a disease? No. A new game? Nope. Try a boarding school that is estimated by Mapquest to be about 23 hours 22 minutes from Monty's home in Liberty Mounds. Approximately 1461.47 miles away from Green Country, right here in the heartlands.

So instead of seeking a {local} different coach to influence and help Monty develop his god given "long" assets [see picture above!], and grow on the hardwood, instead, the college hoop prospect decided to head to Connecticut and attend Hotchkiss Boarding School. Monty said they are scheduled to play Oak Hill Academy, a perennial Top 10 team. His coach is former NBA center Fred Benjamin.

With several top prospects on his team, Hotchkiss practices have included coaches from Boston College, Syracuse [head coach Jim Boeheim himself!], and Stanford.

Monte is a top student and enjoyed being a "supervisor" while working at Sutherland's this summer. With a coach that has been there, not to mention is larger than Brown and able to bang him around in practice when necessary, it will be interesting to follow Monte and how he fares in the land of the giants. It wouldn't surprise to see Brown on the next level. Exactly what division is yet to be seen.

Good Luck Montego!!

Team Oklahoma Represents in Stillwater

2008-12-21T00:50:00.000-06:00

Freshman Marquisse [Mar-KEESE] Jackson, [third from the right in picture] 6'5" forward for Team Oklahoma this summer, played two minutes in the Oklahoma State vs Mercer University game in Gallagher Iba Arena. Jackson, who averaged 16 points and nine rebounds for coach Tim Bart’s Bartlesville Bruins last year. He is majoring in Engineering while playing on the Mercer Bear's Division I basketball squad.

Jackson was rewarded with the scholarship after hitting the national circuit with Team Oklahoma, coached by Don Calvert, jr. and assisted by Don Calvert, senior. Calvert senior is a member of the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame.

Team Oklahoma went to the Final Four of the Kingwood Classic in Houston, where they fell to the eventual champion, the olympic developmental squad from Canada. Jackson was the only graduate, as the rest of the squad are currently playing their senior season.

Mercer, who is coached by Oklahoma native Bob Hoffman, upset USC last season to shock college basketball fans.

This year, they've already won two huge road games, beating both Alabama and Auburn in hostile territory. Marquisse, who came off the bench and was a force to be reckoned with for opponents of Team Oklahoma, has played a few minutes in about half of Mercer's games.

Congratulations Marquisse!

Battle of the Hall's ~ Cascia Falls 61-60 to Dutch

2008-12-20T16:26:00.002-06:00

SCOREBOARD
In an electrified atmosphere at the Holland Hall gym, the Dutch knocked off the arch-rival, 2nd ranked Cascia Hall Commando's 61-60.

The Dutch were led by 6'5" senior Brock Morton's 28 points and 12 rebounds,, which were just the obvious components he utilized to dismantle the larger, more experienced and favored Cascia Hall. Young Dutch players Bailey Miles, sophomore transfer from Bishop Kelley High School, and sophomore Ethan Elbert, who started for Mounds High School last year, were red hot from beyond the 3 point line to support Morton, who took his battles into the mid range area.

Bill Russell didn't score a lot of points for the Boston Celtics. However, he was unquestionably THE leader of the Celtic dynasty,,,, with his incredible goal tending style of defense. Standing 6'9", he was about 6" taller than Holland Hall's William Tisdale. But Tisdale gave Coach Brad Shelley reason to smile with his superb defensive abilities he displayed against the Commando's. Tisdale, whose uncle Waymon was the best basketball player EVER to put on an Oklahoma Sooner jersey, had at least four blocked shots during the middle two quarters to frustrate Cascia Hall and keep them from establishing an inside presence. Although slightly built, compared to his muscular father, former BTW Hornet William, Sr., Tisdale's explosive and QUICK jumping ability enabled him to alter Cascia's shots, and lead the way for the Dutch victory.

Cascia jumped out to an early advantage behind the scoring of senior Will Bryant and his junior brother Luke Bryant ["dribbling siblings"] but the Dutch fought back and when Morton connected on two free throws after the first half clock had expired, the score stood Southside [Holland] Hall 32 and Mid-Town [Cascia] Hall 29.

When Morton's no look pass found Miles in the corner, and Miles connected for his 3rd consecutive trey, the Dutch were looking at a surprising 10 point advantage at 41-31. But all-state football receiver/cornerback, and former DUTCH student Price Pinkerton, led Cascia back into the game with his best offensive explosion of the season.

Cascia finally knotted the score midway 4th quarter, and from there, the lead bounced back and forth as Pinkerton and Morton kept exchanging blows. Each scored 10 points in the final quarter, with Morton's pullup 12 foot jumper with 35 seconds remaining proving to be the game winning shot.

However, the game was far from decided at that point. Elbert had the defensive assignment to shut down Pinkerton as the clock wound down, and made a superb defensive slide to prohibit the red hot Pinkerton from penetrating. Pinkerton pulled up for a 15 footer which came up short, but Cascia's Sam Clancy, who quarterbacked the Commando's to their second consecutive football state championship just 13 days earlier, tied up Miles on the rebound and gave Cascia another chance. [Speaking of championships, do you realize that Cascia Hall would have to win the State Football crown for the next FIVE YEARS in a row to equal what I believe is the most amazing record EVER in sports...... the John Wooden led UCLA Bruins and their SEVEN, yes 7, consecutive NCAA National Basketball Championships....truly unbelieveable!]

Another Cascia miss and Pinkerton was called for a foul on Elbert with just four seconds remaining. One of the referees signaled the one and one situation, before timeout was called by Cascia Hall Head Coach Brian Rahilly. He and his assistant, Tulsa University Athletic Hall of Fame member Tracey Moore, apparently did not notice the scoreboard [see pic above] which clearly showed that it was Cascia Hall's 4th team foul, thus, the Dutch would receive the ball out of bounds. There was obvious confusion as the 3 officials seemed to be a little confused themselves.

When the timeout ended, Cascia's players came out and proceeded to march down the court to line up for the free throw on the Dutch end; meanwhile, right in front of the Cascia Hall bench, before realizing what was happening, the referee handed the ball to the Dutch player, who passed inbound to an uncontested Morton before the last 4 seconds ticked off and the only thing that mattered was the picture above. 61-60 Dutch. Four team fouls. Game Over. Immediately as the horn sounded, the Holland Hall student body swarmed the floor to celebrate the upset victory over Tulsa's "other" Hall.

Alan Santos, the only senior besides Morton to see action, made several slick assist for the Dutch who also recieved strong production from Jake Freudenrich and William Tisdale, both who blocked shots and came up with key rebounds. Their inside presence was invaluable.

Morton snared 10 rebounds, dished 4 assists and totalled 3 steals. He was 2 for 4 from 3 point range. His knack of always playing his hardest, was never more on display than it was on this Friday night at the Dutch gym. A lot of heart and desire along with some phenomenal 3 pt shooting by Miles and Elbert were just enough to keep the Dutch unbeaten for the year. Morton was recently named by VYPE High School Sports Magazine as one of the ELITE 4 Boys in Green Country this year. If he keeps playing like he did against Cascia Hall, more honors are sure to come.

Coach Brad Shelley, in his first year at the Dutch helm, can now claim an undefeated record in his first "Year" at Holland Hall, as the Dutch raised their record to 7-0 and don't play again until the Oklahoma City Heritage Hall tournament on January 1rst, 2nd and 3rd.

Holland Hall travels to #1 Ranked Metro Christian on Tuesday, January 6th, 2009. Their next home game is a rematch against NOAH at 8 pm on January 9th.

The Dutch open their Southwest Preparatory Conference schedule on January 16th, at home against Dallas Greenhill.

A rematch against Mid-Town [Cascia] Hall is scheduled for January 27th at 8 pm at the Commando gym.

Jim Valvano would be proud!!

2008-12-14T07:40:00.000-06:00

"Never give up....never, never,never, NEVER give up!" ~ Jimmy "V" Valvano inspired millions with his message as he fought back against the cancer that ravaged his body and ended his life way too early.

I don't know if OU women's coach Sherry Coale used that inspriational message during her halftime talk yesterday, but it would have been appropriate after the Sooners fell behind by 26 points at HALFTIME against the California Golden Bears.

The Sooner women closed the game with a 34-6 run in the Battle by the Bay Classic in San Jose.

"One of the craziest games I've ever been a part of," Coale said. "Complete role reversal from one half to the other."

Reserve Nyeshia Stevenson hit back-to-back 3-pointers and gave Oklahoma its first lead of the game with 3:43 to play, and the fifth-ranked Sooners made an improbable comeback from a 26-point halftime deficit to shock No. 9 Cal 86-75 on Saturday night in the Basketball by the Bay Classic.

Visuals from escaping the BEAR TRAP.

They say that sports are a microcosm [definition at bottom of this post~] of life... yesterday's comeback by the Oklahoma Sooner ladies is a prime example that adhering to Valvano's LIFE message of never quitting.....can pay dividends in sports.

And now for today's vocabulary review:

mi·cro·cosm (mī'krə-kŏz'əm) Pronunciation Key
n. A small, representative system having analogies to a larger system in constitution, configuration, or development: "He sees the auto industry as a microcosm of the U.S. itself" (William J. Hampton).

Sooners Block Hurricane damage

2008-12-07T19:07:00.000-06:00

The sixth ranked Oklahoma Sooners wasted little time in establishing their dominance on the hardcourt as they spurted to a 20-3 advantage on their way to 69-44 pounding of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

Brothers Griffin led the way as Tulsa committed 21 turnovers against the undefeated Sooners in the first ever College basketball game at the beautiful BOK Center in downtown Tulsa.

Tulsa's 7 foot Jerome Jordan, who attended a big man's camp with Blake Griffin this summer, was no match against the stronger and younger Griffin brother. Griffin even blocked Jordan's hook shot which is quite a feat for most players; but Griffin is definitely not like most players; it is more likely that he will be one of the top draft pics by the NBA this year, if not the FIRST pic in the draft.

With ball handling skills that enable him to lead the fast break, and athleticism that doesn't quit, OU fans should truly appreciate this extra year he gave to the university and it's basketball program.

For Tulsa, Steven Idlet continues to show that he is a force to be reckoned with, but Ben Uzoh needs more help than what he has been getting.

The Tulsa World has posted a wonderful slide show of pictures from the game.

Bob Stoops versus Mack Brown - after BCS Poll Released

2008-12-04T17:56:00.000-06:00

Actually, Stoops doesn't smile like this very often!

Tis the season......Hoop time is here!!

2008-12-03T03:07:00.001-06:00

Although football State Championships will be awarded this weekend in most of the Oklahoma High School classes, including two Tulsa area teams [Jenks vs. Union] driving over an hour away to settle their difference at T. Boone Pickens OSU stadium, it is tipoff time for the basketball boys. Small schools have been going at it for several weeks and now EVERYONE is playing.

One of the sites we like to visit, http://www.coachesaid.com/ puts out a periodic "HOT LIST" and thought we would give these prep hoopstars another weblink for their facebook. Congrats and let the games begin!!!

December 3
BOYS BASKETBALL
Nathan Beene, Granite Sophomore totaled 21 points and 12 assists in a rout of Eldorado.

Patrick Bryan, EarlsboroScorched the nets for 32 points as the Wildcats got off and running early on the way to a 90-60 victory against Asher.

Todd Canady, Metro Christian Class 3A preseason MVP got off to a flying start with a game-high 25 points as the Patriots pulled away from Arkansas contender Shiloh Christian.

Carlos England, Harding PrepTerrific start for the junior, averaging 23.5 points and just under 10 rebounds a game as the Eagles are 5-2 for the season.

Kaleb Foster, Medford The 6-5 senior was nearly unstoppable with 25 big points as the Cardinals cruised past Waukomis, 70-44.

Denzel Goudeau, Harding Prep Notched 27.5 points, seven assists and over six steals a game in the Eagles' runner-up finish in the Grace Christian Invitational.

Adam Harrell, Collinsville Cardinals needed all of his huge 32-point explosion to outslug Skiatook in an opening night overtime thriller.

James Harris, Tulsa Central One of the Braves few returnees stepped up large with a game-high 29 points helping Central to a 2-0 start in a 54-53 win against Tulsa Hale.

Joe Morris, Colcord Keyed a huge 36-11 first half run en route to 26 points in a 70-38 thumping of Watts.

Brock Morton, Holland Hall Catalyst for the Dutchmen with 28 points as they held off a late rally to edge Victory Christian in the season opener.

Mikey Orr, Calumet Senior guard has been scorching the nets, averaging 24 points per game in a 6-0 start. Notched a career-high 35 in a victory against Minco.

Dalen Qualls, Stratford Not a bad opening night for the sophomore sharpshooter, who torched Fox for 50 points in a big tournament win at Elmore City.

Dane Thrash, Granite Continued his torrid scoring pace with 32 points and nine assists in a win over Eldorado.

Jason Woodard, Fort Supply Sophomore guard was a one-man wrecking crew against Sharon-Mutual, ripping the nets for 37 points as the Bulldogs cruised to victory.

Darrius Woods, Coyle Poured in 54 points, 35 rebounds and 9 assists in a pair of opening wins over Oilton and Carney.

The 5 on 4 Advantage - How to get it......

2008-11-28T11:49:00.001-06:00

I watched parts of the Gonzaga- Oklahoma State game last night on ESPN.

GAME OUTCOME:

OSU held a 37-36 halftime lead, and sophomores Jame Anderson & Obi Manuel0 along with "grandpa" Terrel Harris led the Cowboys in battling even steven with the Zags for 34 minutes.

OSU held a 63-62 lead with just over 6 minutes left before Gonzaga erupted on a 15-2 run to put the game away. Gonzaga seemed to turn up the defensive intensity at this point and OSU may have ran out of gas defensively, especially inside against the deeper and stronger Zags.

OSU point guard and leader of this years squad, Byron Eaton [E-tahn] dished out 10 assists, but was just 2-15 from the field and zilch for 7 from the 3 pt line. The POKES were rewarded with a consolation game against the nation's 3rd ranked Michigan State squad tonight at 7 pm.

OK... the 5 on 4 Advantage. What???

Freshmen 5'10" OSU guard Keiton Page is undersized AND is limited athletically with his jumping and quickness. However, he understands the game, and how to utilize the assets he does possess.

One of the top two scorers in Oklahoma High School basketball history [I can't remember if he or former teammate Rotnei Clark hold the all time scoring record.], Page has a knack for creating space against opponents who are typically taller, quicker and better overall athletes.

Deceptive moves, with and without the ball, enable Page to create space and either make a shot or create correct passing angles to assist teammates with entry passes.

Last night, Page utilized his shot fake on three different occasions against the Zags to propel OSU into 5 on 4 advantage situations. All 3 fakes were from behind the 3 pt arc, and the "move" only needs 3 variables to work for you.

1- You have to have earned the respect of your opponent that you CAN knock down the 3 pt shot. Obviously if you knock down 3(s) in the game you are playing, or , if your reputation and/or stats have provent that you are a capable long range bomber

2- Your fake has to be realistic. ie; you must LOOK like you are actually in prep mode to launch your shot.

3- Defender must be running at, or manned up with you, and mentally is thinking of "he is NOT going to get this shot off uncontested!"

Against Gonzaga, the Zags defender was hustling over towards Page when he initiated his "fake" shot, three times the Zags defender left his feet, and all three times Page penetrated past the defender to put OSU into the 5 on 4 situation.

Typcially, Keiton will launch the shot himself at that point, but due to his teammates this year being just a bit better than the Pawnee Bears teammates he's played with in high school, Page opted to kick OUT or IN for potential assists. He did record assists on two of his passes, and third he should have but a missed 8 foot shot kept him from the assist.

Page used the same manuever against Tulsa and North Texas, and has no problem with shooting himself.

I'll add that Keiton did an excellent job defending point guard Jeremy Pargo of Gonzaga, who is both quicker and much stronger than Page.

DEVELOPING YOUR SHOT FAKE:

If your shot fake is too quick, then the defender can't see it and react to it. So slow it down. Think .....slow shot fake, but quick drive.

As you develop your shot fake, don't try to do too much. Keep it simple.
Just take your normal shot motion, and stop short before the ball gets to your nose. Don't raise up and come out of your triple attack position or you’ll lose the ability to be explosive.

Try it in front of a mirror and see if you can sell yourself with your own shot fake.

Now, the shot fake should go no higher than your nose for two reasons.
First, you don’t want to block your vision of the goal or the rest of the players.
Second, a high shot fake slows down your drive. I don't care how quick your feet are. In order to drive, you must put the ball on the ground. So you can't begin to go by the defender until the ball has moved from the top of your shot fake, back down to hip level, and then to the floor with your first step. A high shot fake means the ball has to travel a long way and that takes a longer time. A shorter shot fake means you can initiate that first step quicker, and it's the FIRST STEP when you BEAT your opponent.

How to Fast Break - Loyola Marymount

2008-11-25T10:58:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Eric Musselman for this superb fast break system. [by the way, if you haven't been to Eric's blog, check it out. Basketball mixed with inspiration. Applies to not only sports, but to life itself!] Although it doesn't guarantee basketball success, if you have the personnel to run, and you work on this fast break, your team will definitely get opportunities to score!!!

The Loyola Marymount break is predicated on striking QUICK. After a made shot, your best 3 pt shooter streaks the right lane until spotting up at the 3 pt line, turns and is in "ready" position; a forward sprints the left lane, and at ft line extended angles toward basket; enough of my interpretation, just click here to plainly see it.

Friday Night: Lights are on OUTSIDE and INSIDE

2008-11-21T19:26:00.000-06:00

Welcome back to Oklahoma High School sports on FRIDAY night.
Yep, the lights are on at many stadiums around the state. And half of the seniors on the nearly frozen tundra, will be making their last appearance in an organized tackle football game. Many a tear will be shed, as the great plays of tonight, turn into the miracle plays described years from now.

"Yassir, it wuz ma last game I ever done played; we wuz behind North Cherokee Institute of Gamblers Anonymous by 6 points and had only 3 seconds on the clock when Billy Joe Bob called our last time out."

"I scrambled around the backfield like a greased pig in a Jimmie Dean sausage revival until Clarence, all 6 ft 8" of him, started wavin his hands like he was landing a plane. Two of them Cherokee Gamblers were hanging on him but I threw the ball with all I had....and Clarence stiff armed both of them boyz with ONE hand, while he caught the ball with the other...and we SHOULD have advanced into the next round."

"But, it turns out that old stupid ass Ben Jenkins, who was a dang National Honor Society dude, and valedictorian, well, Jenkins was off side and we lost the game."

Back to reality.
Sorry, I did that tangent thing again.

Under the outside lights in cold blustery conditions, the football boys are lining up to see who advances to the next round.
Indoors, defending State Champ Memorial Chargers face off against former Tulsa Golden Hurricane Lester Johnson and his Nathan Hale Rangers. Cameron Downing is a junior postman who will be getting lots of looks from college scouts.

Other games dot the city landscape.

Let's see....... we predict both UNION and JENKS advance to the seminfinals. Terrell Williams, Howard Scarborough, Jarred Wise, and Tracey Moore are some basketball players that have Celtic ties. Two teams from the West, Mustang and Midwest City are undefeated.........Broken Arrow might just pull off the upset over there in Mustang. A former CELTIC, Sam Moses, anchors the BA Tigers defense. Sam was a gamer. At the time, quite short and stocky, he was a WALL. A BRICK WALL.

Let the games begin.

One more thought about the game....OSU vers TU

2008-11-21T06:46:00.000-06:00

I have never coached a game on the college level; I've coached enough to know how much I do NOT know about coaching; with that said, with the right assistant coaches, I would welcome the opportunity to coach on that level. OSU continually worked the pick and roll against Tulsa University. It appeared like the Hurricane were helpless against this most basic basketball play. I'm guessing you could find multiple strategies to defend the pick-and-roll if you know how to google. Let's see, Oklahoma State ran the most basic play in basketball COUNTLESS times, and the Golden Hurricane never made any adjustments. Or at least it didn't appear they adjusted.

John Wooden

2008-11-21T06:18:00.000-06:00

http://tulsaceltics.blogspot.com/2005_01_01_archive.html

Some reflections and observations from Coach John Wooden.

At UCLA, he won 10 National Championships in his last 12 years. A record that may last forever......
wow.
Incredible.
And he won 7 ,,, SEVEN , consecutive NCAA Championships.
1.2.3.4.5.6.7
Oh my gosh! Truly amazing.

The only thing more amazing was when I heard him speak at Tulsa University's Friends of Finance about 3 or 4 years ago. The Reynolds center floor was packed. I believe 94 years old at the time, Coach had to sit while he delivered his talk. He was one of the most eloquent speakers I've ever experienced. Complete sentences. Wonderful messages and insights. He spoke of his Pyramid of Success. http://http://www.entrepreneur.com/management/leadership/article176282.html

He is truly a great man!

...here is a short list of thoughts from him [in blue and gold in honor of THE COACH!]

Losing is only temporary. You must study it, learn from it, and try hard not to lose the same way again.

Fear no opponent. Respect every opponent.

Remember, it's the perfection of the smallest details that make big things happen.

Hustle makes up for many mistakes.

Be quick, but don't hurry.

Understand that the harder you work, the more luck you will have.

Remember that there is no substitute for hard work and careful planning.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

Talent is God-given: be humble. Fame is man-given: be thankful. Conceit is self-given: be careful.

=========================
On a personal note, John Wooden is one of my heroes.

John Wooden. A living legend.

Oklahoma State Destroys Hurricane....dribbles

2008-11-21T05:21:00.001-06:00

#23 TU's Jerome Jordan battles for ball with OSU's Terrell Harris.........

Afew dribbles......that I thought about while sleeping.....

Travis Ford showed ME a little "sumpin sumpin" about this years Cowboy squad. The Pokes completely frustrated Doug Wojcek's Tulsa University team with their superb quickness and athleticism. Terrel Harris plucked the ball away repeatedly from Tulsa's two gunners, Hurtt and Andrews. The Hurricane had 15 turnovers in the first 14 minutes of the game!! Ridiculous.

A 20-1 run basically ended the game in the first half, although Tulsa had one 2nd half spurt that cut the lead down close to single digits. But Ford put his quickest group in, applied full court pressure, and quickly elevated the advantage to back over 20 points.

Ben Uzoh, who Wojcek was forced to move to the point guard position [due to BAD recruiting decisions?] was the only Hurricane player to not succumb to OSU's relentless pressuring defense. Uzoh is a special player.

It was said that at least 7 NBA scouts were in attendance last night in Gallagher Iba arena to see Tulsa's Jerome Jordan perform. Hmmm.... well, he sure didn't "make himself a million" last night. His lack of strength in his hands and body were magnified with OSU's aggressive interior defense. They say you can't coach HEIGHT, and he definitely possesses that,, and will undoubtedly make a nice living "performing" basketball. I just wonder if it will be in Europe as opposed to stops in the USA like , Ok City, Dallas, Chicago, NY, LA, Philly etc.

On the bright side for the Cane, Tulsa backup center Steven Idlet was quite impressive both offensively [8 pts on 4 of 7 shooting] and on the boards. I wonder if Coach Wojcek might consider playing him in the same lineup with Jordan. That could be interesting......

A highlight reel powerjam by 6'6" California freshmen Joe Richard {Re-Shard} was very impressive and a highlight for the Hurricane. Going right down the lane from the keyhole he tomahawk slammed over an OSU player and displayed athleticness reminiscent of Eric Coley, a member of Bill Self's Elite 8 team. I look forward to watching REEE-SHARD in the Reynolds wrap-house.

Back to the NBA..... OSU's slimmed down version of last year's chunky point guard Byron Eaton, may have earned a few hundred thousand dollars by virtue of his performance last night. The still thick Eaton displayed not only his strength and quickness but his improving ability to stylishly assist his teammates while opponents converge on his very difficult to stop drives to the hole. He had 26 points and 7 assists on the night.

Daniel Orton -commits to Kentucky ~ Surprised?

2008-11-19T11:42:00.000-06:00

When Daniel Orton committed to spend the next four years....err,,, let's start over, when Daniel Orton committed to spend next season at Kentucky, it was NOT a surprise to those who were aware of certain "speaking engagement" payments that were made to Daniel's father, Larry, who also happens to Coach Daniel's AAU team. He received $4,800 for 19 speaking engagements at Wildcat summer camps. Oh, remember Terrence Crawford? Oklahoma HS superstar who played for the Eddie Sutton at Oklahoma State, well, he happens to be the step brother of Daniel Orton. Guess what,,,,, brother Terrence was compensated $ 1,950 for speaking to Kentucky basketball campers.

Ya gotta love Billy G!!! Billy the kid...... Jim Cox, who runs the highly successful Hardwood Productions basketball operations befriended Gillespie when he assisted Bill Self at the University of Tulsa. Cox has stayed friends with Billy G and raves about his recruiting abilities. So does Self. He has proven that "rebuilding" a basketball program can be done in ONE recruiting year. If you don't believe me, google Billy Gillespie UTEP and see what he did there. Then it was on to Texas A&M.

Critics argue it's little more than well-couched payola done within the rules. By hiring Larry Orton, Kentucky basically paid for Daniel's camp appearances, allowing the Wildcats to bring a top recruit on campus before he was allowed an official visit.

"It shouldn't be allowed," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said, "but it is."

Even Gillispie understands the criticism.
"I think the rule -- I've been in favor of the rule being changed for a long time," Gillispie said about being allowed to pay coaches to speak at his camps. "I think that's best for everyone."

But the NCAA has not changed the rule. [Don't they have enough rules already?]

Larry Orton insists that Kentucky did nothing to sway his son's decision. He says he was also paid to speak at camps at Oklahoma State and Kansas and Daniel attended elite camps at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor and Connecticut.

Orton is an intriguing project; athletic, graceful, yet his mental toughness and offensive tools need drastic improvement if he is to move on to the LEAGUE in 2,3 , 4 or 5 years.

I just found this little tidbit from Greg Swaim who has a recruiting blog on his website.

Back in April, 2008, he made this statement:
"Carl has a coaching offer from Memphis and is just waiting on the same offer from KU before making a decision. The asking price (that Cal offered) is $250K per year and if OSU wanted him could get him for that as well...UNC will not make that deal."

Wow! $ 250,000 for assisting Calipari!! Let's see if it pans out..

Kentucky had a tough, tough matchup last night at #1 North Carolina.
Things can only get easier Coach!
Goodluck Billy G!!

Edison Eagle Hoopstar's Smooth Evolution

2008-11-04T21:15:00.000-06:00

The first time I saw Kevin Pritchard, the 6'3" basketball phenom was quickly making a name for himself in Tulsa, Oklahoma at various high school gyms in the area. Uncanny jumping ability, combined with a deft display of basketball skills, coupled with new Eagle Head Coach John Phillips and Archie Marshall enabled the Pritchard led Edison squad to a 2nd place finish in the Oklahoma State championship tournament.

Pritchard and Marshall both earned scholarships to Kansas University where Pritchard was the starting point guard on the Jayhawks team that defeated the Oklahoma Sooners for the 1988 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship. As my father [former Tulsa University sports broadcaster Len Morton] will quickly remind you, the Sooners had won the two previous showdowns with the underdog Jayhawks.

While at KU, he played under head men's basketball coach Larry Brown, and then-assistant coach Gregg Popovich, now the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.
He was drafted by the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association in 1990. He had a six-year NBA career spanning five teams--the Warriors, the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Miami Heat, and the Washington Bullets. He also holds the distinction of being the first player signed in the history of the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1995, although he was released before ever getting an opportunity to play a game for them. Pritchard's playing career also included a stint with Caceres C.B. in Spain and Pfizer Reggio Calabria in Italy in 1993-1994. He retired from playing in 1998.

Fast forward............Pritchard goes from San Antonio scout and was then named as General Manager for the Portland Trailblazers.

Modeling their team after the Spurs, the Portland Blazers have a bright future, built on a foundation of character, according to SAS coach Gregg Popovich:
"They are way more than just on the right track. I think they're doing what good organizations that want to be successful are doing. A lot of things begin with character. Portland has gotten a crew of guys in (Portland) who have that.They understand priorities ... and care more about the group than individuals. That has to happen. It doesn't matter how much talent you have. If you don't have (character), it's not gonna fit together, because all the pieces have to fit."

Coach Popovich credits Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard the former KU guard and a former Spurs scout, for the progress in Portland:
"We knew from the beginning that he had a feel for the game. He has a passion, is competitive and smart.. He wasn't a superstar by any stretch. Often, it's those guys who know how the pieces fit and how role players have to fit around the stars. For all those reasons, you just knew he was going to be successful, given the opportunity."

A few other names that bring back exciting and fond memories~~

Waymon Tisdale, Mark Price, Steve Hale, Kevin Pritchard, Winford Boynes, Joey Robinson, Blake Griffin, Keiton Paige, Rotnei Clark.........

Team Oklahoma - Summer 2008 - AAU

2008-07-05T15:13:00.000-05:00

Team Oklahoma is made up of players from the Tulsa area. Jenks is represented by power forward Marshall Morris #33, Doug McKnight #12 & Ross Erickson #3. Ross is actually moving to Oregon after the AAU summer season is complete. Post Monty Brown #32, all 6'11" attended Liberty last year but will be attending the Hodgkiss Prep School in Connecticut for his senior year. Bartlesville is well represented with Nate Jones #23[middle, back row], Marquise Jackson #44, and Heath Deaton #15. Joe Randall from Edison, Bear Hawkins of Cascia Hall, Chris Collins #21 of Broken Arrow, and Brock Morton #10 of Holland Hall round out the team.

Don Calvert Jr. is head coach, while Oklahoma Hall of Fame coach Don Calvert Sr. assists.

The squad enters the prestigious Jerry Mullens Invitational July 6th, 7th and 8th against some of the top AAU teams from around the country. It is an NCAA certified event and many coaches will be in attendance.

Team Oklahoma traveled to Houston for the prestigious KINGSWOOD Classic April 18-20th. The Kingswood Classic drew 275 teams in the 17 yr old division, and Team Oklahoma made it to the ELITE 8 of the TOP DIVISION. They were ousted by Team Canada, who ultimately won the tournament. The elite 8 games were shown live on the internet and hundreds of NCAA college coaches attended the event.

Team Oklahoma won the Hardwood Productions Memorial Day Masters tournament May 23-25th. The following weekend they won an MAYB tournament.

Team Oklahoma is shown below after winning the Del City MAYB Tournament that ended June 29, 2008. With 8 players 6'4" or taller, the quickness and 1/2 court defensive pressure this squad displays catches some teams off guard.

It was Magic~

2008-06-28T22:14:00.001-05:00

Owasso Magic

When he was clicking on all ,,, [how many cylinders does a person have?] 8? cylinders, NO ONE in the league could stop Scotty,, "that little Hutto twin". He was a phenom. Alan Iverson must have watched tape of this kid. Fast as a bluetooth connection~ and could change directions like a lightning bolt. A true scoring machine. Against some of our opponents, it truly ..... just.....was not fair!!!

Yep, it was the Owasso Magic....tonight I was checking these "dudes" out via our team picture, and there were some things I wondered about.

Cody Gilleland, #21 ,wasn't the tallest; he definitely wasn't one of the quickest; but he was solid as a rock! A force defensively; really presented trouble to our opponents with his relentless offensive AND defensive rebounding, AND he could score! A heckuva baseball player too; heard he plays a lot of golf lately. Maybe he'll make the tour someday and buy his parents, Dave and Leisa, a nice home on the lake.

Tyler Palmeteer. #23 Diminutive guard who filled his role nicely as Scotty's back up.

Jeff Hutto, #32, Tall, Sharpshootin, athletic lefty. Slightly hesitant, seems to think his move a split-second before making it. Unlike his livewire twin brother, Scotty, #20 who could singlehandedly take over a game.

John Witty, assistant Coach.

Josh Case, #33.....my son. By far, the most improved player on the team from the 1rst game of the year, until the final game of the year. Natural athlete.

I don't remember the names of the other players on the team. I recognize their face from the picture, and what role the added to the team.

#5 backup point guard. A little skittish from lack of experience made him vulnerable to turnovers when being covered by an aggressive defensive player. Super nice kid. Tried to get him in the game as often as possible.

Brad Witty was kind of quiet, and it was like he was always communicating whenever I made eye contact with him. Something like, "You and I both know that my dad is dreaming if he thinks I'm going to enjoy this experience". A super nice boy, deep thinker, who had two performing parents and an older brother that was a stand up comic.

#15 Power forward. Starter. Loved his oncourt demeanor, energy and REBOUNDING.
#13 Athletic and didn't start but did super job as our 6th man, and first man off the bench.

Bug? Virus? Mental Health problem?
Nope. I had caught the "coaching BUG!"
It was a two year coaching stint that truly ignited my coaching career.
I remember some of those games I felt like I HAD PLAYED. Worn out. I remember my High School Coach, Terry West, and how he looked and felt after some of our tight games.
We ran a little triangle offense but it was amazing how many times our offense really didn't get set up. Why? Because of Scotty. And our full court press. When using our high pressure full court pressing defense, we would totally dominate at least half of our opponents. So we didn't really HAVE to set up our offense. We scored off the break.
It was intoxicating coaching these guys.

Evidently, it is in my blood.

The Owasso Magic.
I loved those guys!
If you know the names or whereabouts of these rascals, please let me know.
Owasso Magic . 1993-1994

Congrats to Celtics and Charger! All- Metro Lakes

2008-03-11T06:38:00.001-05:00

The CELTIC's [and Bishop Kelley] Matt Reynolds and Tyler Thalken received post season honors in today's Tulsa World. Matt was crowned Player of the Year in the ALL-METRO LAKES Conference. Thalken was listed on the first team. Kelley coach and former Memorial Charger Danny Limes was named Coach of the Year.

Reynolds, who is also a stellar shortstop and a likely Major League draft pick in 15 months, is now swinging the bat, and gobbling grounders on the diamond for the Comets, who are struggling in early season competition against top flight programs like Claremore and Owasso.

Off topic, I read a quote today that I thought I would share:

"If we were put on this earth to help others, then what are "others" put here for?"

hmmmm.......... Let's ponder that and have a great day....
njoy the moments,,, as they are finite....and we don't know how many we will be blessed with.
Drive safe... on the streets and in the lane.

Charger Pride

2008-03-10T04:53:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Coach Eric Savage and the 2007-2008 Tulsa Memorial Chargers.
The Chargers upset Putnam City and their superstar Xavier Henry in the first round enroute to winning their 4th Oklahoma Boys Basketball State Championship. Playing in the state's largest division, 6A, the Chargers stingy defense led them to the Gold Ball.

After knocking off Putnam, who had not lost to an Oklahoma team all year, the Chargers came back to knock off last year's State Champion, Midwest City, in the semifinals.

They capped off their season with a decision over Putnam City NORTH in the Championship game.

Congrats to Coach Savage!

Brian DeBose was an unlikely key figure in the game as he entered from the bench and scored 7 quick points to boost Memorial into an early lead. DeBose used to play on my driveway with my son and other neighbors, and even donned the Tulsa Celtics jersey for a a few tournaments back in middle school. A super nice young man who is a lights out shooter, came through in the biggest game of his young career. Playing at the Ford Center before a large throng, in the televised game, he showed no stage fright! Way to go BD!!!

Keith Lucas coached his son Austin beginning in elementary school. He coached the Eagles, along with Herm DePass for years. If Austin wasn't wearing an Eagles uniform, he could often be found in the Celtics greeen. Likewise, my son Brock would play many tourneys with the Eagles, along with Brock's current point guard Alan Santos, junior starting guard for Holland Hall. Austin was a key figure for the Memorial Chargers run to State. Like DeBose, he didn't always start the game. However, in a game that very few if any outside of the Charger camp believed they could win, Austin was the key figure in leading the Chargers as they pulled off the stunner at this years State Tourney by eliminating the previously thought to be invincible Putnam City squad.

Lucas manned up with Xavier Henry. Four or five inches shorter, Lucas held Henry to 2 field goals and 9 total points. If you were unaware, Henry has been talked about since 7th grade. He has been rated as being one of the TOP 10 shooting guards in the country. He will possibly end up at Kansas, where older brother C.J. committed but never played a game. He is tall, rangy, deft passer, can knock down three's and take it to the hole and finish. No doubt he is something special; but Thursday night in Oklahoma City, Lucas is the one that put on the special performance.

[Side note about HENRY; brother C.J. had committed to the Kansas Jayhawks but detoured to Major League Baseball when he was drafted in the first round and signed about a $ 3 million dollar contract with the Yankees. Disappointed in his first few years, there have been rumblings that C.J. might return to his true love, basketball, after next season. Why then? So he could join brother Xavier at ??? well , who knows....KANSAS? ....sounds feasible to me...but will definitely be interesting to watch.]

Cameron Downing, sophomore post man for the Chargers is pretty special himself. I've watched him develop over the last 3-4 years while playing in the division just below the Celtics in many Hardwood Productions tournaments, and AAU ball. Following him in the paper, I saw the production he was getting on the scoreboard and rebounding. I visited my old high school gym in January to witness up close the Chargers battle with East Central and their talented squad. Downing held his own. Guessing that he will be one of the top post men in the state in 2010, if not the TOP post, is not going too far out on a limb.

Coach Savage had this Charger squad ready and focused. One interesting note is that Union and Jenks, who both also qualified for the 6A State tourney only to lose in the first round, each had some "CHARGER" flavor in their lineups. Ryan Carter and Anthony Harris, cousins, were the starting guards for Memorial last year. They each defected to two of the top programs in NE Oklahoma. Wow!! I guess the program is in pretty good shape under Coach Savage.

As a member of the Chargers first ever State Championship during my senior year of 1974, I know the memories this squad made over the weekend will be with them forever. What a thrill and great accomplishment for Coach Savage and his team. You guys sure were fun to watch!

www.Coachesaid.com "HOTLIST" January 26, 2008

2008-01-29T05:59:00.000-06:00

Grabbed this from this website:http://www.coachesaid.com/story.asp?story=43

The site has free content, but premium memberships are $5.95 per month. They have twice weekly updates on their rankings,,,,, and I believe that is part of the FREE content.
{Celtic players listed are in green}

The HOTLIST
January 26
BOYS BASKETBALL
Austin Allen, Norman Came up huge with 36 points and 11 rebounds against Del City, but the Tigers still dropped a 74-70 overtime verdict.

Kyle Bottger, AgraTallied 29 points, 11 rebounds in an impressive 20-plus point win over Class B ranked Mulhall-Orlando

John Clark, MooreJunior guard erupted for 32 points as the Lions rolled to an 82-74 win over Enid to avenge an earlier loss.

Case Clarke, Washington Maybe its in the genes? Rotnei's cousin sank seven treys en route to 25 points in a rout of Wynnewood.Ethan Elbert, MoundsSophomore standout posted 29 points as the Golden Eagles pulled away in the second half against Summit Christian.

Donte Foster, GuthrieTossed in a team-high 28 points to help Bluejays rebound from first loss with victory against Deer Creek.

D'Angelo Harris, Del CitySenior swingman scorched the nets for a career high 32 points in a win over Norman.

Xavier Henry, Putnam City Huge 33-point effort as the top-ranked Pirates cruised past Edmond North with John Calipari in attendance.

Ken Holdman, East Central Cardinals needed most all of his 25 points to hold off a Stillwater upset bid, 63-59.

Nate Jones, BartlesvillePopped in 29 points to help the Bruins pull away from Claremore in the Catoosa Tournament.

Dante Jordan, Putnam NorthUnheralded senior was on fire with 31 points as the Panthers outslugged Tulsa Hale, 76-63.

Ryan Keese, Fort GibsonContinues to thrive in his return to the lineup, pumping in 32 in an 80-34 waxing of Wilburton.

Ronnell Lewis, DewarFootball standout showed his basketball wares with a 32-point effort against Schulter.

Brock Morton, Holland Hall Averaging 21 points, 8 boards a game, Morton hit six three-pointers (including four in a four minute stretch late) and scored a game-high 24 points as the Dutch gave 8th ranked Victory Christian a scare on Tuesday.

Kyler Patterson, RingwoodContinued to emerge as a force for the surging Class A squad. He totaled 46 points, 27 boards and 11 blocks in three wins against Burlington, Okeene and Covington-Douglas last week.

Matt Qualls, Tahlequah Talented big man posted has had a double-double in every game this season. He scored 31 points in a win over Coweta, had 32 points, 19 rebounds and six blocks against Claremore and 22 points, 11 boards against Bishop Kelley.

Tyler Thalken, Bishop Kelley Almost single-handedly outscored Tulsa Rogers with 29 points in a 64-30 romp.

Dane Thrash, HennesseyScored 26 points as the Eagles got a big boost in the rankings with a 54-51 upset of No.2 Crescent.

T.J. Williams, ApacheSenior guard had a 32-point explosion as the Warriors ripped Cement, 85-36.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Alyssia Brewer, Sapulpa Just another ho-hum effort with 31 points, 13 rebounds as the top-ranked Lady Chiefs blasted Sand Springs.

Chelsey Brown, DavisNearly outscored Classen singlehandedly with 23 points and 11 rebounds in a 41-24 Davis triumph.Katie Campbell, TupeloSizzled the nets for 30 points as Tupelo rallied from an early deficit to power past Caney.Torie Funkhouser, PawneeJunior catalyst tore through a solid Newkirk squad for 29 points as the Lady Bears rolled to an easy victory.Alyssa Fuxa, GarberNotched a combined 46 points in a pair of victories to move past the 1,900-point scoring mark for her career.Katy Harsen, PorterAveraged 17 points, 12 rebounds in three victories over Wilson-Henryetta, Midway and Porum last week.Ashley Hobbs, PocolaTalk about red-hot. The senior missed just one shot all night and hit six three-pointers en route to 27 points in a romp over Heavener last week.Richa Jackson, Midwest CitySophomore post was nearly unstoppable, tallying 26 points, 10 boards in a win over Edmond Memorial.Autumn Klugh, FC-BroxtonSurpassed 2,000 career points with a 22 in an easy win over Binger-Oney as the Lady Mustangs remained unbeaten.
Kevi LuperKevi Luper, AdairJunior standout was back to her high-scoring ways with 23 points as the Lady Warriors cruised past Sequoyah Claremore.Sierra McSpadden, ChelseaNotched 23 points as they upset Caney Valley, 53-40, in the Lady Trojans' own tournament. That's after another 23-point effort in the opener with Liberty.Cristy Nitz, DeweyPoured in 31 points as Dewey rallied from an early double-figure deficit to topple Oologah, 72-52.Jaimie Sanchez, ShattuckSenior point guard had another 30-plus effort with 31 points in a narrow loss to ranked Leedey.Alex Tucker, CrowderLightning-quick sophomore posted a nice 24-point effort against Savanna, but was the only Demonette in double figures during a 55-52 defeat.Mallory Walker, CoalgateSenior post was nearly unstoppable with 24 points and 11 rebounds to spark a 54-39 win over previously unbeaten Atoka.

Hot College Prospect Spoils DUTCH Texas 2 Step

2008-01-29T05:34:00.000-06:00

January 25, 2008
SPC North Division Conference game

Tulsa Holland Hall 53
Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal 38

Holland Hall drove five hours to meet up with SPC North Division foe All Saints Episcopal of Fort Worth Friday. Unsure of what icy weather conditions they would face considering all the "winter weather ice warnings" forecast for north Texas, it appeared the only "ice-cold" was Holland Hall's early shooting. The Dutch's three best 3 pt shooters each missed their first attempt from beyond the arc, and then usually reliable free throw shooter Brock Morton missed his first attempt from the charity stripe and Holland Hall found themselves behind 4-0.

But Morton broke the ice with his 2nd Ft, then quickly added a 3 pointer from the left corner to tie the game and the Dutch ended up with a convincing and methodical 53-38 triumph over All Saints in the beautiful Arena on the All Saints campus west of Fort Worth.

The Dutch took a 17-15 lead but the pesky All Saints squad did not go quietly. Srs. Mont Hill and Steven Smith each converted a first half 3 pointer and Morton added four from beyond the 3 pt arc to help the Dutch establish a 30-24 halftime advantage.

Morton, the 6 ft 4" junior averaging almost 22 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assist per game, displayed his all around prowess again as he caused multiple All Saints turnovers, displayed flawless ball handling while dishing out some snazzy passes that created repeated open shot opportunities that sometimes resulted in converted baskets. He added 26 points that included five 3-pointers to lead all scorers.

The Dutch came out the 2nd half and methodically put the game "ON ICE" with a solid performance by their two stat leaders, Morton and Smith. The two combine to average around 40 points and 19 rebounds per game, and that's about what they garnered Friday night against All Saints in the 53-38 whipping they put on FW's ALL SAINTS. [note: this reporter not privy to "official stats"].

Hill, fellow senior Michael Wiese, and jr. tight-end/linebacker Seth the "Hitman" Hedman, who Coach Sparky Grober is borrowing from the football team, supported Smith and Morton on the boards. Senior guard Alex Presslauer turned in his best performance of the year with extended playing time and notched a 3 pointer and 5 points. Coach Owens parked starting point guard Alan Santos on the bench for most of the time that Presslauer was in the game. Morton handled point guard responsibilities during a lot of Presslauers court time.

Holland Hall doesn't get much time to celebrate the road victory, as they will take a short bus ride Saturday morning from their Fort Worth Marriot headquarters and bus past The Ball Park in Arlington, Six Flags over Texas and find their way to Arlington Oakridge, another SPC North member school. Arlington Oakridge is 22-3 and undefeated in conference play. In what could be their toughest opponent this year, the Dutch will face Oakridge's Chris Babb who is reputed to be the best player in the 16 team [OC Casady, Holland Hall and 16 schools from Texas] Southwest Prepartory Conference. Oklahoma City Capitol Hill is the toughest opponent the Dutch have faced this year; Holland Hall lost to their fellow Oklahoma team 43-35 in a December 28th game played in the semifinals of the Dallas Episcopal Parish tournament.

The 6' 5" Babb is averaging over 26 points a game. I visited with All Saints Episcopal dapperly dressed head coach Ahmad Ajami after his team was defeated by the Dutch and he was confirmed the "hype" about Babb was warranted.
"Babb's gonna get his 35! That'll happen," Coach Ajami stated.

When I asked whether Babb was more of a presence inside or where did he score from, he said:
"Wherever he wants~"

But the Oakridge boys are not just Babb. Oakridge head coach Mike Boelkens brought in two stud athletes to support Babb.
One of those is a 6' 3" shot blocker says All Saints coach Ajami.

"He can touch the TOP of the backboard!"

I look forward to seeing the Dutch compete against this type of competition, and hope they are up to the task with just 12 hours in between games. Three point shooting will obviously be one of the keys for the Dutch Saturday, and Holland Hall will need everyone to step up, get loose balls and limit turnovers.

It should be lots of fun, and here's hoping that All Saints coach Ajami was exaggerating with the leaping capability of the Oakridge shotblocker.

Arlington, Texas.
January 26, 2008
SPC North conference game: Holland Hall of Tulsa @ Arlington Oakridge Owls

Tulsa Holland Hall (15-6) 61
Arlington Oakridge (23-3) 66

Chris Babb is being recruited Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Kansas State and Baylor among many other schools. After observing him up close and watching him compete for 32 minutes yesterday, I have no doubt he possesses one skill that he could contribute immediately to any D-1 program he joins.
Shooting.
The kid can flat out shoot.

Saturday (1/26/2008) afternoon in his home gym at Arlington Oakridge HS, the 6’5” senior lit up Holland Hall for 40 points in an SPC north division conference game to lead his team to a 66-61 victory. His Arlington Oakridge Owls needed every one of them to hold off a valiant effort by the Holland Hall Dutch in a highly competitive and well played basketball game.

Protecting their undefeated SPC record, the Owls won the game at the free throw line by knocking down 6 in a row, while at the other end of the court, Holland Hall made just 1 out of their last 4 charity attempts. The Dutch had several chances to tie the game on consecutive possessions and trailed only 60-59 with 52 seconds left. and then with around 2 minutes left in the game, but couldn’t knock down a few open opportunities from behind the 3 pt line.

The Dutch played the last 4:10 without leading scorer Brock Morton when he was called for a very questionable and unusual charge call while passing off in the lane. It was his 2nd player possession foul of the game. Morton who averages 22 points per game, topped Holland Hall with 29 points.

Babb didn’t waste any time displaying his shooting prowess as he canned two consecutive three pointers with Morton defending man to man to give the Owls an early 6-0 advantage. Then Steven Smith knocked down a 3 pointer to get the Dutch on the scoreboard. On Babb’s 3rd trip down the court, Morton stole the ball off Babb’s dribble and took it the length of the court to cut the Oakridge lead to 6-5. After Babb missed a 3 pointer, the Dutch scored off a side inbounds pick play when Smith assisted Morton for a layup to give HH a 7-6 lead.

Babb added another 3 pointer and 2 free throws to put Oakridge up 11-10, before Dutch sr. backup point guard Alex Presslauer made an 8 ft jumper from the baseline to put HH back on top at 12-11. HH followed that up by attacking the offensive glass with 4 rebounds on 1 possession that ended with a slick pass from Smith to Morton for a 14-11 advantage. The Dutch stretched the lead to 16-11 when post Michael Wiese found Smith inside for an assist and easy basket. The Dutch led 16-14 after 1 qtr.

One interesting statistic for the quarter was the foul situation. There were five fouls called on Holland Hall, and ZERO fouls by Arlington Oakridge.

The 2nd quarter was evenly played and Oakridge took a 36-35 lead into the locker room. The Owls stretched their lead to 50-44 at the end of three quarters. Arlington Oakridge expanded the advantage to 57-46 before Morton knocked down a 3 pointer, and then converted an old fashioned 3 pointer to make it 57-52. After a Babb miss from beyond the arc, Smith’s determined effort resulted in rebounding his own missed shots two straight times before making the tip-in to cut the lead to 57-54.

After Morton fouled out the Dutch battled hard, and had 2 possessions while trailing 60-57. One resulted in a missed 3 point shot by senior Mont Hill who has provided consistent scoring from three point land throughout the 2nd half of the season for Holland Hall. It seemed the 6’4” sharpshooter was just barely off all day. After a steal gave Holland Hall another opportunity, Presslauer was unable to convert either of his 2 free throws.

Then super-quick junior point guard Alan Santos made his best play of the game. Presslauer snared a defensive rebound, outlet passed to Santos who weaved the entire length of the court into the lane at the other end before finding Presslauer streaking to the basket to cut the Owl lead to 60-59. After two free throws by Arlington Oakridge put the score at 62-59, the Dutch found Smith open at the top of the key for an open look and a chance to knot the game but the ball caromed off the back of the rim and Babb rebounded with 40 seconds left in the game.

Babb knocked down two free throws before Santos added another assist to Weise to make it a one possession game at 64-61. But Babb sealed the victory with two more free thows to make the final score 66-61.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This n that….

As a Holland Hall “FAN” who has witnessed most of this season’s scrimmages, and ALL of the Dutch’s games, this was the best sharing of the basketball I’ve witnessed all year.

Morton’s intense style of play on both ends of the court, coupled with maximum effort, seems to be spreading throughout the team. The 6’5” junior’s selfless attitude and hustle plays have been admired by opposing coaches, referees and fans for years and we’ll never know what might have happened in the Oakridge game had the referees not made 3 very questionable calls. Morton took much more than his 29 points [in 3 ½ qtrs.] to the bench.

[Note regarding the refereeing: It is one of the hardest jobs around! Every close call, half the people involved are going to be mad and believe you made the WRONG call~ wow …think about that with your current career….with that said, I will say that after the ridiculously terrible, 2nd player possession foul called, the refs made 3 or 4 MORE bad calls,, but this time the calls seemed to favor the Dutch!! Point being, the “refs” didn’t lose the game for HH.]

Dutch post man Michael Weise played his best high school game of his career. Period.

Alex Presslauer had a confidence building two game road swing via Fort Worth and Arlington that hopefully will propel him to a rewarding last two weeks of his high school career.

For the first time since his January 7th breakout game against Lincoln Christian when he buried 6 three pointers on his way to a career best 20 points, Mont Hill struggled from the 3 point line. It happens to every shooter, because that’s the way basketball is; Hill needs to keep shooting, and become more aggressive going for rebounds and loose balls.

Steven Smith gave more effort and played harder on both ends of the court then I’ve ever seen him play. [Besides two years of HS ball, I coached Steven in 8 or 9 games in summer "competitive" tournaments] Sharing defensive responsibility with Morton to slow down and limit Chris Babb took a lot out of both Morton and Smith, who combine to average about 40 points and 20 rebounds to spearhead the Dutch.

Maxing out on defense; playing your hardest, most intense and the best defense you are capable of, really takes it out of you. It always does that to players. My high school coach at Tulsa Memorial back in the 70's was Terry West. Both he and his father, Woody West, are in the Oklahoma High School coaches Hall of Fame. I remember vividly how he preached that "if you ever get tired on the court, signal me" so he could take us out of the game to catch our wind. BUT,,,, since you may have to continue until a break in the action,,, that "IF you have to take a breather,,, and relax to catch your a breath,,,,,, you NEVER DO IT ON DEFENSE!!!! NEVER!"

Though the game ended in a loss, I can only believe that it will strengthen the team’s desire and cohesiveness leading into their last three regular season games and the three SPC tournament games in Houston February 7th - 9th.

During the final minutes of the Oakridge game, Alan Santos showed why the Dutch need him on the court. He has had a special year, and is a key reason the Dutch have a record of 15-5.

Seth Hedman provides an inside presence of strength, rebounding and defense against big, strong opponents. Has shown flashes of offensive brilliance and his athletic ability and strength are blatantly obvious. He has worked hard and is now much more than just a great tight end and linebacker that once looked like a bull in a china shop while on the hardcourt.

Time to coment on Chris Babb…. I had a chance to visit with the shooting phenom both before & after the game. My impressions are that he is going to be very successful in life. A pleasant demeanor, and kindness, coupled with intelligence and a love for the game. Not possessing the arrogance and cockiness that you might expect from a HS senior being wooed by many universities including Baylor, Kansas State [where both his parents attended], Arkansas, Tulsa, ORU and Vanderbilt. I told him that I’d heard that he was something else, and I was looking forward to watching him play. He did NOT disappoint! Great range on his jump shot; quick and high release point; can shoot off dribble; good body control.

Evaluation: Strong body that is almost 6’5”. His father told me that he hasn’t/doesn’t lift weights. Which surprised me judging from his appearance.
Strongest asset: Shooting.
Off the pass. Quick release.
Off the dribble: Creates his own shot very efficiently.
Driving: Excellent body control prevents many charging situations, although this game on his home court, the refs seemed to really make beneficial calls for him. Before the game showed his jumping ability which is above average and semi spectacular dunks, although didn’t ever MAKE opportunity to take it to the rim on any drives during the game.

Morton and Smith took turns covering him and neither of these players, at this juncture, are NEAR the athleticness that Babb will face from BIG 12 or SEC perimeter defenders.

Bottom line: He is a shooter that could provide IMMEDIATE help offensively under the right coach and offensive scheme.
Defensively: His athleticness is an area that needs work ,,, for him to become a quality perimeter defender in a top level college program.

Dutch Split Weekend Games

2008-01-21T18:14:00.000-06:00

Holland Hall spanked Fort Worth Country Day Friday night and appeared on its way to do the same to Dallas St. Marks as they forged a 35-23 halftime lead. But St. Marks aggressive defense and balanced scoring enabled the visitors to come back and take the victory from the Dutch.

Steven Smith, 6'5" Sr, #15 had a sizzling hot touch from 3 pt land during the first half of both games. Against Fort Worth Country Day he drained an incredible 8 consecutive 3 pointers on his way to a 30 point night. Although Smith was not a long time Celtic, he did play with us in several tournaments. An above average leaper, he's been averaging around 17 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Dutch.

Alan Santos, jr, #3 is the diminutive point guard that directs the Dutch and spearheads the defense with his ultra quick ball hawking skills. He has been something really special for the Dutch this year and one of the key reasons they have built a 14-4 record.

Celtics square off against each other....

2008-01-17T23:56:00.001-06:00

Ex-Celtics C.J. Sidorakis, sophomore at Jenks, went head to head versus Broken Arrow's Corey Shannon and his Tiger teammates tonight in a 6A shootout at the BA gym. Great game that went back and forth until the Tigers forged a seemingly comfortable lead with less than a minute remaining. But Jenks battled back and forced an overtime when Bryson Pope drilled a 3 pointer with 2 seconds left in regulation. Pope had a terrible offensive performance as his shots repeatedly did everything but go through the hoop throughout almost the entire game, but the athletic junior provided the game tying shot, and Jenks took two overtimes to finally dispel the home Tigers.

It was an exciting game that saw Vince Boncaldo, 6'7" Jenks center sustain a cut on his eye that required a butterfly bandaid and a change of bloody jersey. Boncaldo's presence was felt as he played solidly in the overtimes. Sidorakis had a nice driving layup just before halftime and hit a big 3 pointer in the 2nd overtime to help Jenks take finally take control of the game. Pt guard Doug McKnight had a huge 3rd quarter with 4 strong drives and a 3 pointer to notch 11 points in the 8 minute frame.

Both teams substituted freely and Shannon played a typical Corey game as he had some key rebounds, a big layup in the fourth quarter and swished in a long 3 pt attempt in the first overtime to help Broken Arrow advance to the 2nd overtime. At times, he was matched up with Sidorakis, while Bryson Pope covered Corey on the BA offensive end during several stints.

Tulsa Jammer Anthony Harris started and played a solid game in limited action for Jenks Coach Martin.

December 21st 2007 HOT LIST

2007-12-23T17:43:00.001-06:00

Grabbed this from this website:
http://www.coachesaid.com/story.asp?story=43

The site has free content, but premium memberships are $5.95 per month. They have twice weekly updates on their rankings,,,,, and I believe that is part of the FREE content.

{Celtic players are in green}
December 21
Oklahoma High School:BOYS BASKETBALL

Lane Adams, Red OakA regular on the list, the junior guard continues to dominate. Scored 32 points in an impressive win over 2A Savanna and followed that up with 49 in a 90-49 win over McCurtain.

Rotnei Clarke, VerdigrisSinglehandedly outscored Berryhill with 43 points in a 74-42 romp.

Robert Crawford, Victory Chr.Posted 25 points, 10 rebounds as Victory continued its undefeated start cruising past Okmulgee.

Brandon Goff, Tulsa McLainSenior sharpshooter pumped in 28 points against Tulsa Rogers.

Kolin Jones, EarlsboroKnocked down 26 points in a pasting of Moss to continue the Wildcats' resurgence.

Josh Jones, RoffErupted for 30 points and 10 rebounds, sparking a big 57-41 thumping of 2A Slo.

Ronnell Lewis, DewarAthletic catalyst posted a season-high 33 points in a 75-62 win against Henryetta-Wilson.

Ryan McClure, CyrilThe sophomore erupted for a career-best 33 points in a 62-59 overtime loss to Sterling.

Brock Morton, Holland Hall Bagged MVP honors of the Sperry Tournament while leading the Dutch to the championship with 82 points and nearly 30 rebounds in three games.

Chris O'Brien, Bishop KelleyExploded for 33 points as the Comets moved to 6-0 with a triumph against Tulsa Central.

Keiton Page, PawneeNearly outscored Woodland by himself with a 41-point outburst in the Bears' 105-41 rout (and he came out before the end of the third quarter). The OSU signee hit on 7 of 13 from 3-point range.

Dalen Qualls, StratfordFreshman was a virtual one-man wrecking crew with 31 points, 13 rebounds and seven steals against Davis.

Matt Qualls, TahlequahDespite being double- and triple-teamed, the junior center scored his 1,000th varsity point in a 65-36 win over Catoosa. Qualls is averaging 23.8 points and 13.5 rebounds on the season.

Devan Rineheart, GoreSophomore standout ignited the attack with 33 points in an overtime victory against Okay.

Chris Walters, SoutheastNotched a game-high 27 points as the Spartans finally opened the season with a win.

GIRLS BASKETBALLCaitlin Cawhorn, Cent. SallisawRed-hot with six three-points, finishing with 25 points in a nice victory against Gans.Jill Hobbs, DC-LamontTotaled 24 points each game in impressive wins over Dover, Tonkawa and second-ranked Lomega.Cassadie Holybee, WaltersNotched game-high 25 points in leading Lady Devils to the Velma Hoops Classic championship over host Velma-Alma.Taylor Howard, AdaDrained six three-pointers on the way to 22 points to lead the Lady Cougars past rival Ardmore.Bailey Rink, Cov-DouglasSophomore had season-high 28 points in 53-34 thumping of Oklahoma Bible.Richa Jackson, Midwest CityPopped in 29 points points against Norman North to keep the Lady Bombers unbeaten.
Audra SkimboSuezann Pascoe, HealdtonTalk about enfuego. Connected for eight three-pointers en route to 30 points against Comanche.Jordan Pyle, MustangSenior standout pumped in 27 points to lead the Lady Broncos past Putnam City.Audra Skimbo, ClaremoreThe inside standout was nearly unstoppable with 25 points in a 71-21 thumping of Catoosa.

December 16
BOYS BASKETBALL

Lane Adams, Red OakScored 97 points in three games (32.3 ppg) against Kinta, Bokoshe and LeFlore to help the Eagles capture the Eastern Oklahoma State Tournament.

Nathan Beene, GraniteHelped push Granite to the Best of the Southwest Championship by averaging 21 points and six assists in the tournament. The freshman has 223 points and 70 assists on the season, including a 31-point outing a few weeks ago.

Justin Blackmon, PlainviewHuge week with 114 points in four games, including MVP honors in the OBU Invitational, to keep the Indians unbeaten.

Toby Blevins, Mill CreekFired in 25 points to pace the Bullfrogs in an upset of Tupelo, running their win streak to 11.

Rotnei Clarke, VerdigrisShouldn't be much of a shock but the Cardinal standout is averaging 35.3 points a contest through three games.

Trevor LongTrevor Long, FargoQuadruple-double in a win over Follett, TX, scoring 18 points to go with 13 rebounds, 10 steals and 10 assists.

Brock Morton, Holland Hall Nearly outscored Collinsville with 37 points in a 65-40 romp and finished the week with 117 points in four games.

Matt Reynolds, Bishop Kelley Garnered MVP honors in Texas tournament, leading the unbeaten Comets to a tournament championship.

Cameron Sikes, HilldaleHuge 30-point effort in Hilldale tournament final against Vian, helping the Hornets to a sensational 5-0 start.

Martin Smith, McLoud6-10 senior was a virtual one-man wrecking crew with 28 points and a dozen rebounds in a win over rival Tecumseh.

Derrick Thomas, ElginWent for 29 points with five rebounds and three steals against Elk City.

James Watson, StringtownTournament-best 77 points to lead the Class B Tigers to the consolation title in the 5A/4A laden Durant Tournament.

Dee Willis, VinitaJunior had 27 points as the Hornets exploded in the second half to roll past Sand Springs.

GIRLS BASKETBALLTanica Anderson, MariettaScored 32 points and was named MVP in a 62-61 title win over host Madill in a dandy tournament final.

Cassidy Boggs, CyrilLed the Lady Pirates to the Southwest Shootout Championship with a fabulous state line in the finals against host Chattanooga: 32 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks, three assists and a steal. Boggs is averaging 22 points, 10 rebounds for the 7-0 squad.

Alyssia Brewer, SapulpaNotched 79 points and tournament record 42 rebounds en route to MVP honors at the Oklahoma's Best Tournament.

Sarah Green, Tulsa MemorialHad a variety of production in a 61-51 victory over rival Tulsa Edison with nine points, 19 rebounds, nine assists and seven steals.
[MY note: Sarah Green is former ORU player Caleb Green's little sister~ a heckuva player!@]

Tia Magee, JenksHelped the Lady Trojans to their first win with a 25-point effort versus Stillwater.

Youth Coaches: Success Secrets for Half Court Offense

2007-12-23T12:55:00.000-06:00

Below are seven principles that we have borrowed, stolen, talked about, and sometimes even practiced over the years with the Celtics....

They will dictate how your players CUT, SCREEN and ROTATE in any offense; or NO offense at all!

They apply to ALL man to man offenses, are simple, easy to teach and wildly effective.
(you might want to print this out and keep it handy at your next practice)

Here we go:
1) When a player receives a pass on the perimeter or in the high post, he should immediately square up and go into triple threat position.
This allows him to see the court, and puts his body in a position where he can shoot, pass or drive in one motion.

2) When using a pick/screen, always wait for your screener to be set. Then use a misdirection cut to set up your defender.
If the defender tries to fight through the screen, the rub off the screener's shoulder and cut to an open area.
If the defender trails (ie. runs behind the player coming off the screen), then curl aroundthe screen and cut towards the hoop.
If the defender tries to cheat over top of the screen, then fade to a region away from the defender.

3) ONLY dribble to accomplish one of these goals:
a) To penetrate towards the basket
b) To maintain floor balance or proper spacing with teammates
c) To improve passing angle
d) To get out of trouble

Too many players waste their dribble by going nowhere, frustrating their teammates and causing the offense to bog down. Remember, dribble with a purpose!

4) Never stand in one place for longer than two or three seconds. Player should move with a purpose, and never remain stagnant. If all else fails, screen away to the opposite side of the court, or cut through the key for a pass.

5) Maintain floor balance and spacing at all times. Players should always keep around 15 feet of space between each other on the perimeter, and 10-12 feet of space in the post.
Keeping the floor spread opens up lanes for driving and cutting, and makes defensive rotations longer and harder to make.

6) If a player is being aggressively denied, he should not fight the defensive overplay.
Instead, react by cutting to the basket (ie. a backdoor cut or back cut) or screening for a teammate.
***
Ingrain this stuff into your players minds.
You'll get better spacing, better ball movement and higher percentage shots

.. a little bit about a lot....

2007-12-23T12:08:00.001-06:00

Can't quite figure out how to edit the stupid posts!! Sorry about that one below this, but life goes on...
Anyway,,, Holland Hall travels to Dallas for the Episcopal Parish tournament next week, Dec. 27th, 28th and 29th.... they haven't played in several weeks and aren't practicing for an entire week before the start of the tourney....wait,, they ARE going to practice in Tulsa on Wednesday the 26th, before taking the bus down on the 27th to play Tyler Street HS (8-4) in the first round game at 5 pm at Greenhill HS in North Dallas.

I'm going to miss the Tourney of Champs...ouch!

My buddy Tom Hankins and his Oral Roberts basketball team,,, oh yeah,, Scott Sutton is the head coach, Tom is his assistant,,, put a licking on the Cowboys from OSU last week in Ok City.
Defense. Smothering. Robert Jarvis...instant offense. Oguinoye,, or however you spell it, is the best defender in the country per Scott Sutton. He just may be.

Tulsa University on a roll. Four straight wins. Toothpick seven footer, sophomore Jordan, has incredibly soft hands and is very agile for a "BOY" of his length. What an intimidator defensively. I am sure for the next few years, TU coaches and fans will continue to say/hear...."Man, if we can just get him pumped up in the weight room!!"
With Ben Uzoh being one of the most gifted offensive talents around,,, [Coach Wojcek....you need to share this information with BEN!!!],, if TU can continue to recruit, and JUST AS IMPORTANT!!! KEEP THEM FROM LEAVING AFTER THEY GET HERE!!, then TU might just be a force to be reckoned with during Uzoh and Jordan's senior year.

CELTIC UPDATE:
HS Senior Guard Corey Shannon led his Broken Arrow Tigers to a victory over Fort Smith Friday night and led them in scoring with 11 points; part time Celtic Chris Collins added 10 points. Corey began playing basketball for me in the Nathan Hale recreation league when he was in the 2nd grade. Always fast and aggressive, he had no clues about basketball. He developed into an incredible defensive player, and helped the Celtics capture many championships by shutting down the other teams leading scorer.

Box and one; straight up man to man.... sometimes I would put him on a rebounding phenom JUST to block him off the boards.... whatever asked, Corey would oblige. He worked hard on his offensive skills, and has developed a nice jump shot.... a bright kid that makes "A's" in the classroom, he definitely has more COURT TIME in his future if he decides to go that route.

I understand he suffered a concussion in Fort Smith, and am attempting to find out more about that. Congrats Corey!!

Speaking of injuries; I am sad to report that Celtic stalwart Sean McIlroy has suffered a season ending knee injury. The strong, sharp shooting junior was starting for the #5 ranked Kelley Comets and went down in the Comets first tournament game down in Texas the week before last; The Comets won all three games to improve their record to 5-0, but Sean learned that he needs repair of his ACL . McIlroy is also a key cog in the Comet's baseball program and was most likely going to be one of their top pitchers this year. We wish him a speedy recovery and are so sorry that he won't be on the court this season.

Congrats to Tulsa Jammer's on the BTW Hornet squad who made a great comeback last week to knock off talented East Central in the Hornet gym. Jammer Ian Ponds knocked down the game winner from the baseline with several seconds left in the game.

Roger Clemens. "He did steroids." said his trainer.
"NO I DIDN'T!" says Roger.
...hmmmm...

Ketchup, I mean CATCH UP time...

2007-12-23T11:13:00.000-06:00

Tulsa Jammers - Wichita, KS National Tourney
Finished 8 -1.

Does anyone know where Dante Swanson is now? Evidently, he was released from his Poland team; I still believe he has all the ingredients necessary to play in the NBA, but evidently, the people who matter don't agree. Defense, strength, quickness, unselfishness....... I don't get it. He IS a player! He is not FORTY, but HE IS A MAN!

Here is a shot of the Tulsa Jammers, pre Brock Morton. Mostly from Memorial and Booker T. Washington, the Jammers play a high pressure, suffocating, trapping man to man defense that is exciting and fun to watch. Anthony Harris, actually has transferred from Memorial HS to the Jenks Trojans. He is now teamed with two super high school players in 6'7" Vince Boncaldo, and 6'4" Bryson Pope... with spirited Coach Martin at the helm, and a host of support players, don't be surprised if the Trojans don't make a great run at this year's State Championship in a few months.

Not that anyone really reads this blog, but the 2007 Tournament of Champions tournament in Tulsawill be a great venue to see how Rotnei Clark and Keiton Page perform against more formidable opponents then most of their games. Keiton and his Pawnee Bears take on Jenks in the first round. Rotnei and his Verdigris team battle OC McGuinness and 6'10" national prospect Daniel Orton in the first round.

OK,, it took 3 different comments, 1 email, 1 voice mail...and I decided to continue putting some thoughts, information, and basketball news onto the TulsaCeltic blog..... my son, Brock, got mad because I posted a comment about a story in the Tulsa World that included him. My comment was motly about a really gifted athlete from Bristow, Kevin Rolland, who actually chewed up and had his way with Brock. Brock could not stop him. Rolland missed some shots, but not because he was pressured by my son. Anyway, I informed Brock that I can put my opinions on the net.

I actually said in my comment, "..since Brock Morton was my son, I won't comment on his performance.."...... here, I can. Brock had 28 points and fended off a Purple Pirate comeback attempt by breaking their full court press, getting fouled, and making 11 of 12 free throws.

I quit blogging about mostly because I was so focused last year on Holland Hall and my sophomore son. He had a super year, and as a father, it made me proud and thrilled that all his hard work was paying off with significant contributions to his high school's varsity basketball program.

Watching boys, I mean young men, who had played and practiced with the Celtics, or even the many I got to know over the years who played against us, perform for various high schools across the city and beyond, was incredibly fun and exciting.

The Celtics played several tourneys with Alan Santos,jr. & Steven Smith, sr. [Brock's teammates from Holland Hall], Price Pinkerton [jr. at Cascia Hall], Nick Harris [Retired BTW Hornet Coach Nate Harris' son who starts for the Hornets], Matt Reynolds and Tyler Thalken [jr. & sr. from Bishop Kelley HS], C.J. Sidorakis {soph. from Jenks HS who is getting lots of playing time this season]. We won Hardwood Championships.

While playing tennis for the Dutch, Brock was asked to play with the Playing with Purpose group of Lee Mayberry, Rod Thompson and Coach Shea Seales, and did well in the practices that he could attend, but they decided to not mess with the chemistry they had developed while playing in several spring tourneys. So Brock joined up with the Tulsa Jammers and Coach Buck Buchanan. Coach Buck really knows how to get his players to buy in, and there tenacious, scrappy defense causes fits for many teams.

The Jammers fared well in two national tournaments in Wichita, Kansas and Denton, Texas. They went 8-1 in 4 days in Kansas.

Southwest Prep Conference Tourney 2007 Tulsa World - February 10, 2007

2007-12-22T16:43:00.000-06:00

Then sophomore Brock Morton driving baseline at the SPC Conference tournament in Houston, Texas, where the DUTCH won 2 out of 3 games, falling short against conference champioin St. Marks of Dallas.

Tulsa Area Updates from Tulsa World
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?articleID=070210_Sp_B8_Bruin55101

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sports/article.aspx?articleID=070210_Sp_B6_SUMMA36917

2007-03-01T05:31:00.000-06:00

BEST All-Time Celtics

Best ONE MAN FULL COURT PRESS: Marvin Ebigwu
Best Defensive Player: Difficult choice, but, really not. Corey Shannon
Best Three Point Shooter: Kale Larkin & Brock Morton
Best "GUTS" Performer: may need definition: Willing to sacrifice body for the team; Willing to take charges regardless of "who be charging"; Willing to dive on floor for loose ball; you get the idea~ Sean McIlroy
Best Competitor who HATES to Lose: Brian Benson
Best All-Around Technician: definition: Knows what to do in most every situation; uses proper techniques and makes best decisions regarding hitting the open man; blocking out technique; ball-handling; shooting; rebounding; passing; game management [time, score,possession]: Brock Morton
Best Domination by a BIG MAN: Jarred Wise
Best to TIE BALL the opponent: Matt Maguire
Best SHORT man to play INSIDE against TALL men: Nick Harris
Best All-Around Point Guard: Defined by ball-handling against pressure; providing scoring when needed; able to apply extreme pressure on opponents; and lead his team to battle: Matt Reynolds
Best Improvement in one year: Price Pinkerton (from 7th grade to 8th grade; went from athlete to basketball player)

Celtic Spotted in Seattle!

2007-02-28T22:02:00.000-06:00

First response [WITH a picture] comes from the Pacific Coast. Kale Larkin, sophomore at Bellarmine Prep High School in Seattle, Washington, was arguably the best "all-time" 3 pt. shooter in Celtic history. Able to score 12 points in just a few minutes, we always felt like we had a chance until the clock ran out. [NOT that we were behind that often!! wink. ]

Calling All Celtics

2007-02-26T22:04:00.000-06:00

Ok, guys & gals, I'm watching the OU versus Kansas game tonight on the tube, and OU is mounting a pretty impressive, crowd pleasing comeback on ESPN. Down 14 at halftime, the Sooners actually have tied the game two times and are down 3 with 2 25 left.

What triggered me to sign onto the www.tulsaceltics.blogspot.com website was the OU inbounds play they just used. It was our Celtic "L" play; two big screeners cleared the sideline for Sooner 3 pt. stud NEAL who started out at the top of the key. Even though he shot off 1 foot and was falling away, he swished the shot. Then the commercial showed an elementary school team called the Celtics.

So here I am. Punching the little keys as OU battles to stay in the game during the last minute.

Here's what I want; Send me an action shot of you playing for your high school team; varsity, JV, intramurals, YMCA, etc. If you don't have an action shot, send me a pose. If you don't have a pose, send me a pic of your girlfriend. lol.....

Kelley, Holland Hall, Broken Arrow, Washington, Cascia Hall, Union, and I know there are more....

So email any Celtics that you can think of; oh yeah, old action shots,,, anything since the inception of the Celtics are welcome... bring it on guys,,,and remember, bust ur butt on defense; and don't forget to BLOCK OUT.

Enjoy the moments,,, and get ready for March Madness.

Still alive in HS playoffs are~
Price Pinkerton at Cascia Hall.
Matt Reynolds, Matt Maguire, Tyler Thalken & Sean McIlroy at Kelley HS.
Corey Shannon at Broken Arrow HS.
Nick Harris at Booker T. Washington HS.
Kale Larkin at Bellarmine Prep in Washington.
Caresio....Benson....Ebigwu.....Burns.....Wise.....Hammond.....Sidorakis (C.J.)

Basketball Season is upon us..

2007-01-03T00:17:00.000-06:00

Golden State Warriors guard Kelenna Azubuike (7) shoots the ball as New Orleans Hornets players Desmond Mason (24) and Rasual Butler (45) look on in the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Ty Russell)January 2, 2007

Waymon Tisdale....Mark Price [Enid].....Richard Dumas....Anthony Bowie.....Lee Mayberry... John Starks.... ummm.... the list of TULSA HIGH SCHOOL area basketball players that made/make it to the NBA is a pretty short list......well it's time to add a new name! Kelenna Azibuike~~

Now is the time of year that football winds down and basketball gets goin full throttle. Celtics and former Celtics are playing for their high schools in Oklahoma, Kansas and Washington State (Kale Larkin) and it sure is fun checking the box scores and watching live the kids I've coached and played against for the last 8 or 9 years. Cascia Hall, Booker T. Washington, Victory Christian, Bishop Kelley, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Bixby, East Central, Holland Hall, Enid, Verdigris, Pawnee,...I want to see all of them play this season.

Today I took my son Brock and fellow Celtic Alan Santos and their drummer friend Chris to Oklahoma City to check out the injury plagued NBA Hornets (Chris Paul the most recent to leave the lineup due to injury) go up against the Baron Davis led Golden State Warriors, who recently lost Jason Richardson.

Thinking back a few years....
I remember as if it was yesterday watching Kelenna Azubuike play high school ball for Victory Christian. One memorable game was catching him at the Memorial High School gym; truly a man among boys, if I remember correctly he quietly scored 39 points~ but still I scoffed at the idea that his father believed him to be an first round pic in the NBA draft out of high school. "Maybe after he plays 4 yrs of college", I said.

He ended up playing for former Tulsa Coach Tubby Smith and the Kentucky Wildcats. Kalenna came out after his junior year but spent his first season in the Developmental league. In fact, he played two straight games in Tulsa a few weeks ago and was near the top of the league in scoring.

CELTIC TIES?
Remember who Don Nelson played for during his NBA Career? you give up????? Red Auerbach,,, and the BOSTON CELTICS!
The Warriors superb and respected new coach, Don Nelson, evidently believes it's Kelenna time, as Azubuike made his NBA debut tonight in his home state. He played 17 minutes, had 3 rebounds and 2 steals, one which he finished with a slam dunk, and totaled 4 points.

I am thrilled for Kelenna. From what I've heard, he is a fine young man. His father evidently made some bad choices and a lot of the negative attention and publicity was piled on Kelenna both here and at Kentucky. He persevered, kept working, and didn't waste energy on things he had no control over..... He already had the NBA body in high school; it looks like he has added the other integral ingredients necessary to play in the best basketball league in the world. Congrats and best wishes to Azzzzi. I look forward to keeping cheks on his box score.

Celtics not SCARED of Braves; Take Halloween TITLE!

2006-10-15T17:56:00.000-05:00

2006 Hardwood

Halloween Hoopbuster Champions

High School Division

Tulsa Celtics

Top:Brock Morton, Tyler Thalken, Stephen Smith, Coach Morton, Nick Harris

Bottom: Robert Aery, Alan Santos and Matt Reynolds
Less than 6 hours after suffering a heartbreaking triple-overtime loss to last years 5A State Champions, the CELTICS dismantled the Braves in the 2nd half to take another Hardwood Championship with a 54-47 victory.

The Celtics held a 23-17 lead late in the 1rst half, before turnovers and hot shooting enabled the Braves to tie the score at 23 to end the first half. After some scoreboard controversy which left the Celtic fans yelling about an error in scoring, there were no changes made and the score stood even at 28 though our fans believed it should at least be 29-28 in our favor.

Soon after, we established a lead and had the court demeanor that we expected to win. Harris battled the much taller Braves inside while receiving excellent help from Tyler Thalken & Steven Smith. Robert Aery, Alan Santos and Matt Reynolds defended well outside while being cognizant of when the Brave center posted up at the free throw line. Brock Morton took the taller #1 sharpshooter and eliminated any open looks from 3 pt range.

During a long Celtic run which broke open the game, Smith & Reynolds each knocked down a three pointer, and Aery and Morton each hit two 3-pointers while Thalken and Harris scored inside. We actually held a 53-37 lead with just a few minutes left before some sloppy Celtic play ballhandling, coupled with hot shooting by the Braves kept the final score from being out of hand.

The key to the victory though was the defensive effort by the Celtics. Thalken and Morton kept rebounds alive and blocked out the Brave center on numerous occasions; Smith had 3 highlight blocks; Harris delivered his consistent, powerful inside game to lead us in rebounding again; while Reynolds toughness created turnovers that he, Aery and Santos would end up with. It was a total team victory and a great way to end the "off-season" hoop action as these and past Celtics will be playing for their High Schools from now until after the State tournaments in March of 2007.

These seven Celtics bought into this coach's philosophy of teamwork, effort and defense can win championships. And, luckily, the CELTICS DID WIN ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP!

Congratulations to newest Celtic Robert Aery and Steven Smith, Alan Santos, Nick Harris, Brock Morton, Matt Reynolds & Tyler Thalken.

Celtics take out Bounty Hunters

2006-10-15T17:42:00.000-05:00

The Tulsa Celtics broke open a tight ballgame and eliminated the Bounty Hunters 71-52 to earn the right to play the Central Braves for the 2006 Hardwood Productions Halloween Hoopbuster High School Championship.

The Celtics held a 20-19 lead with about 4 minutes left in the first half before stringing together 9 straight points for a 29-19 lead. They never let up and coasted to a 71-52 victory. Big man Nick Harris battled out of his free throw slump by nailing 4 consecutive throws, and added a long assist to Alan Santos who split two defenders on his way to a layup.

The Celtics played with six men as Steven Smith was busy icing both ankles in preparation for playing in the championship game. Thalken, Reynolds, Morton, Aery joined Santos and Harris with a balanced scoring attack.

The victory allows the Celtics an opportunity for quick revenge as they get a rematch with the Braves just 6 hours after losing in double overtime on a last second shot, 56-54. The good news is that the winner is the CHAMPION.

Celtics Meet the Central Brave's in Winner's Bracket game

2006-10-15T10:58:00.000-05:00

Saturday morning. Alarm goes off at 7 am. Time for the Celtics to prepare for last years 5A State Champion Central Braves. We faced the Braves twice in the last tournament, and knocked them off twice with come from behind victories.

With the luxury of seven Celtics, it was a nice feeling to begin the game. We started the IRON MAN five from Saturday, as Steven Smith's ankle had 15 hours of ice treatment and was feeling fine. The Celtics took it to the Braves at tipoff and exploded to an 8-0 lead behind two 3-pointers by Brock Morton.

[My personal thought was "Oh no... this is opposite of the last two times we met when Central had control throughout the first half, and the Celtics came back to win both times."]

Robert Aery came off the bench and wearing the green of the Celtics for the first time, nailed his first 3 point attempt. We played strong and depended heavily on point guard Matt Reynolds and inside presence Nick Harris on both ends of the court. Supporting Harris and Reynolds, most of the game we ran a box and one with Morton keeping track of the 6ft 5" Brave sharpshooter. Smith and Thalken battled the athletic Braves on the inside and Santos provided quality minutes of solid play.

The Celtic coach (this author!) was reprimanded by the younger official after a Brave got entangled with Hall of Fame official Johnny. While receiving a pass, the Brave collided with Johnny and stumbled with 3 or 4 short steps while having possession of the ball. I spoke (yelled?) loudly asking the younger official "How can that NOT be traveling?"

After either my 2nd (or was it 3rd?) repeat of the same sentence, he pointed, walked at me, and scolded with "You're NOT gonna be out on the court yelling at me!" and the unsaid THREAT of a technical foul shut me up quickly.

After that exchange, the younger official did the CELTICS no favors as he repeatedly called charges against us, and other questionable foul calls.

Central came on strong in the 2nd half and took control with a 5 point lead late in the game. Aery's 3 pointer knotted the game at 54-54 with 90 seconds left. There was a short debate on whether it was a 2 or 3 pointer, but the referee claimed it was a 3, though at least one of our Celtics informed me after the game that Robert was not behind the line. Coincidentally, this was the same official which had made some terrible charging calls against us. The Braves held for a last shot and were unsuccessful, sending the game into a 1 minute overtime.

The first overtime was quite boring to the paying fans as the Braves got the ball and held for a last shot. They missed.

In the second overtime, they gained control of the tip again, and though we had several opportunities to steal, the second overtime was similar to the first. The Braves missed their game winning attempt again.

OVERTIME #3: We almost came up with the jump ball, but it wasn't meant to be. They kept the ball outside and we allowed them to run the clock down again like the 2 previous overtimes. Except, this time, a Brave who possibly had not scored the entire game, nailed a jumper with 2 seconds left in the 3rd overtime to send the Braves into the Championship game, with a 56-54 squeaker over us.

After the game, I pointed out that it was a well played game; a tremendous experience with super effort by both teams. However, the loss didn't really mean diddly squat as far as our goal of winning the tournament championship is concerned.

Now it is our mission to battle back, and get a rematch with them in the championship game.
It sure is nice that we don't have to wait weeks for the rematch. All we have to do is win one game and we will get another shot at the Braves AND another Championship.

2006 Halloween HoopBuster~

2006-10-15T10:43:00.000-05:00

Coach Bunyan from Beggs requested a venue change due to some OSSAA "rules" concerns, and forced the Celtics to battle Edmond Santa Fe, or for this tournament known as MY BIG MOMMAS KITCHEN, in the smaller gym at Central High School.

The athletic Edmond athletes were more than a formidable foe against the Celtic IRON MAN Five consisting of Matt Reynolds (Kelley HS), Nick Harris (BTW HS), Steven Smith, Brock Morton & Alan Santos of Holland Hall HS. The CELTICS were short two SCHOLAR hoopers {Robert Aery (HH HS) & Tyler Thalken (BK HS)} who were taking their SAT College admittance tests. The 12:40 pm tipoff didn't quite mesh with the five hour test, and neither player was able to make to the game.

Edmond Santa Fe took control early and held a 9 point lead when Steven Smith went down the wrong way on his ankle. The Celtics were forced to play with four men, and surprisingly not only held their own, but actually trimmed the MY BIG MOMMA'S KITCHEN lead down to 2 points. Tremendous effort & execution by all four Celtics provided Smith time to ice his ankle and regroup.

During the 2nd half, Smith came up with key rebounds to support Harris on the inside; Morton, Reynolds and Santos played solid and the Celtics somehow opened up a 7 point lead with about 7 minutes left in the game.

Reynolds comined 3 pt shooting with strong drives to the hole to key our offense. Harris added inside strength and deft inside passing to his solid interior defense and rebounding.

The Edmond Santa Fe coach was slapped with a technical foul, and in further discussion with Referee Holdman was assessed a second technical foul. With four free throws coming and then getting the ball out of bounds, I felt it was definitely a turning point in the game.

As it turned out, the Coach took the game out of the hands of his talented players, and the game was forfeited at that point. Although we had the lead and the momentum the game, there were 7 minutes left in the game, and it was far from decided at that point. I felt fine in receiving the gift from my opposing coach. Our five players were pretty gassed and had expended enormous amounts of energy up to that point.

As we shook hands with Big Momma's players, I told each of them I was sorry they didn't get to finish the game. It's too bad they drove a 100 miles to play in a basketball tournament, and then the game was decided by their Coach's attitude, as opposed to the players on-court performance.

It was a superlative performance by the five Celtics, and a gutty effort by Smith just to come back and play a solid 2nd half with his twisted ankle. Our reward? A Sunday morning matchup with defending 5A State Champion Central Braves.