LHS boys, Mac girls hosting hoops regionals

MacArthur girls and Lawton High School boys battled through tough schedules and played well enough to get the opportunity to host regional tournaments and both teams are counting on strong support from their fans to provide that home-court advantage that is so important in the playoffs.

The Mac girls will be hosting a regional that begins on Tuesday with the Highlanders facing Crossings Christian at 6 p.m. The other game in the Mac girls regional matches Shawnee and Santa Fe South at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The winners meet at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23.

Otis Gentry’s Mac girls continue to make life miserable for opponents with their pressure defense that is geared to not only force turnovers but disrupt opponent’s offensive schemes.

MacArthur boys finished third in District 5A-2 and will be on the road for their regional, heading to Guthrie where the Highlanders will face Shawnee at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Lawton High School survived the brutal 6A district and will face Putnam City North on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Wolverines’ Gym. The other game in that regional will match Moore and Northwest Classen at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Lawton High.

The Wolverines have been able to use pressure defense to turn the tide in many games but getting the ball inside has been a key for LHS down the stretch utilizing the length of Pene Vasiagote and Tavarious Deans to do much of the damage. Those two along with Madden Padilla have been on target from long range at times but Padilla’s playmaking ability has been important all season.

LHS Coach Chevis Smith played for PCN Coach Mike Jeffries at Millwood and he is expecting a tough challenge from the Panthers.

“PC North is a very skilled team with a couple of dynamic players in Luter and Brown,” Smith said. “Coach Jeffries likes to be a little more deliberate but his guys like to get out and run and are very similar to us.”

Smith feels his Wolverines are peaking at the right time.

“Earlier in the season I told you we needed to value possessions more and I think that is something our guys have really done,” he said. “In these last few district games we had to win and our guys did a good job making good decisions. Our offensive flow is much better now.”

And his players have adjusted.

“Madden has done a good job adjusting and becoming more of a playmaker which is what he’s going to be doing at the next level,” Smith said. “Deans has also done a good job of adjusting to his strengths. He plays bigger than he is and can play the 3, 4 or 5 spot for us.”

The LHS skipper also likes how his younger players have developed.

“We really feel like we can go 10 deep now,” he said. “Our younger guys have come on and are giving us good minutes and that’s going to be important in the playoffs. They have learned and are becoming established in their roles.”

The LHS coach said that fans should also love watching the other game in the first round of the regional between Moore and Northwest Classen.

“We split with Classen and they caught us when we were in our rut and beat us,” Smith added. “They are very similar to our bunch. Moore has a 9 or 10-game win streak; they are really peaking at the right time. That should be a good game to watch and whoever wins will be a tough matchup in the finals.”

Smith is counting on local fans to turn out and support his club and local basketball.

“We really need everyone to come out and support this regional,” he said. “I think it’s good for Lawton to host and even if you aren’t a big LHS fan, we’d love to have you come out and support local basketball in general. We would love to have a big, loud crowd which is why hosting is some important.”

LHS girls have drawn a tough assignment and will face PC North at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at PC North. The other game in that regional matches Norman and Norman North at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, also at PC North.

Eisenhower girls will play Tuesday against Mustang at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Yukon. The other game in that regional matches Yukon and Deer Creek at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The Ike boys will be competing in a 6A regional at Edmond North facing the hosts at 6 p.m. Thursday, The other game in that regional pits Putnam City West against Mustang at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Elgin boys will be playing John Marshall Thursday at Carl Albert. The host Titans will face Noble in the opener at 6 p.m. and the Owls and John Marshall battle in the second game at 7:30 p.m. The Elgin girls will head to Midwest City where the Owls will face Noble at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The other game in that regional matches host Midwest City against Western Heights at 6 p.m.