December 3, 2019 Issue, Page 10 of 10

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Page 10 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Tuesday, December 3, 2019 Elk City boys basketball team looks to rebound from last season rey Culver, I want to lean and-down” pace of play grinder all year. There’s no on heavily with the inside game, Stephens said. nights off, no easy games. presence. I think our guard “In our half-court setting, And you know, that’s tough, play will be our strength, but we want to run a 4 out, | in but that’s what we have and we've got to have good in- motion, or a motion against Treally think that will help in side play from those three.” zones,” he said. “I’m a mo- sharpening us and prepare us In talking with assistant tion guy. We will have sev- for a playoff run.” coach Jared Keyes, Stephens eral sets that we'll run, but He said he thinks the Elks learned defense in the last the majority of the time, have a chance to be “very few years has not been the you're going to see us push- competitive when it’s all strong suit here, so they’ve ing the ball, trying to get said done.” played a lot of zone. transition baskets. If not, we Players are excited about Nate Jarel Gavin Chadwick Tate Trotter “[’'m a man defense guy, want to get the ball moving the upcoming season, which so I’m really hammering quickly — reverses in transi- begins this week with the home man defense,” Ste- tion and inside-out. We want By Don Munsch, Editor role guys returning as well. new things,” said Stephens, Cleveland Tournament. phens said. “We’re spend- to work that inside game.” The Elk City High School That’s been a nice blessing former boys _ basketball “We gave a lot to prove, boys basketball team in to inherit as a new coach coach at Weatherford. ing a lot of time on it, and He wasn’t sure whether I guess,” Jarel said. “That’s they’ve done a really good Elk City did that kind of of- 2019-20 will try to improve here. And I’m excited about He said to teach drills job. And I really think that’s fensive scheme in the past, not how we wanted to go last upon a five-win team from it. I think the guys are ex- and his system to guys who where the experience comes but that is what the team is year, so we've got to do a lot last year. cited about it. We’ve had a have been around basketball in. They’re listening, they’re working on now. better this year.” The Elks’ coach, Sam Ste- week and half of practice, helps, as it will “smooth the absorbing and they’re ap- Elk City starts play in a He expects the team to phens, in his first year at the and they're working really transition for both player plying that in practices and I super conference this sea- work hard this year. Trotter school, likes his team’s po- well.” and coach.” hope that transfers to games. son, which Stephens char- expects the Elks to be a “lot tential and has started put- Those seniors are Gavin The Elks finished 5-20 last And we talk about that a lot. more aggressive” this sea- acterized as “brutal.” The ting his stamp on the team. Chadwick, Nate Jarel, Dar- year. Their strength this year . They’re slowly coming Elks will see Kingfisher, son. “Very excited, very opti- ius Randle, Zakary Hughes is guard play, Stephens said. along with it.” Tuttle, Newcastle, Chicka- “It'll definitely be differ- mistic,” he said on Noy. 21, and Tate Trotter. Their ex- “We're going to lean on Guards will be Randle, sha, Blanchard and Bethany ent than last year,” Chad- moments after picture day perience will be important, Gavin Chadwick a lot with Trotter, Jarel, Hughes and in addition to the teams they wick said, noting the team is for boys and girls basketball Stephens said. his inside presence to be a Tres Hill, Stephens said. normally play from the area. in better shape and has expe- teams finished. “It’s a bless- “Tt’s a blessing to have big, physical inside pres- Offensively, the Elks will “So, it’s going to be really, rience. He expects a “good ing having five returning se- those guys because of [me] ence,” Stephens said. “And be a fast-break type team really tough,” Stephens said. challenge” from the confer- niors and having seven key being a new coach, teaching with Kane Craig and Co- who will employ an “up- “It’s going to be a meat- ence this season. OU football: Young defenders step up against Cowboys By Abby Bitterman, The Bonito and freshman David tackles each. up. You could feel there after Terry got hurt earlier one’s a true freshman. It’s Oklahoman, Oklahoma Ugwoegbu are both guys “They do a good job of presence out there tonight.” this season, Bonito became a tall order for both of them City that have had flashes, coach challenging each other for Defensive coordinator the starter and Ugwoegbu and oh by the way, you’re STILLWATER - Against Lincoln Riley said. He want- reps, keeping each other Alex Grinch said the the plan saw more of a prominent learning a new defense as Oklahoma State, most of the ed to see them show more fresh, kind of feeding off at the start of the season was role as the backup. young players. It’s progress. credit on the defense was consistency, and he thought of each other,” Riley said. to mix in Bonito and Ug- “Both those guys are com- Progress. And we're excited given to the Oklahoma’s they stepped up against “And they are two very tal- woegbu behind redshirt ju- ing along,” Grinch said. about both of them moving nior Jon-Michael Terry. But “One’s a redshirt freshman, forward.” veterans, but its young play- Oklahoma State. ented guys that are going to ers also had a big impact. Bonito and Ugwoegbu get better and better quickly. OSU football: Chuba Redshirt freshman Nik finished the game with five I thought they both showed Chris Paul orchestrates Thunder comeback in New Orleans Hubbard started showing By Joe Mussatto, The Oklahoman NEW ORLEANS- Chris run. He dribbled on the right wing and launched a high 3-pointer over the 6-foot-11 with 23 points, was immedi- ately fouled on the inbound pass. Gallinari missed the signs of wear and tear Paul pulled off his sunset Hayes to beat the shot clock. second free throw with the By Jacob Unruh, The What that could mean for lar season with 309 carries Thunder jersey and handed “That was weird, because Thunder leading by three Oklahoman, Oklahoma his future, it's unclear. He's for 1,936 yards and he caught it to three young boys. Their I didn't actually see Chris," points, but the Pelicans City expected to get extra rest the 21 passes for 183 yards. He dad, Drew Brees, helped Thunder center Steven Ad- couldn't corral the rebound STILLWATER - Chuba next two weeks as the Cow- had games where he carried stretch the No. 3 jersey flat ams said. "He just disap- and call timeout quickly Hubbard saw a wide-open boys await their bowl fate. as many as 37 times and as across one of his son's arms peared because of my angle enough. field. Whether he plays in that little as 20 times, outside of so Paul could easily sign it. ... [was tracking the ball and There was a review to de- Not an Oklahoma defend- game or not is unclear. The an eight-carry day against The New Orleans Saints ‘poom.' That was cool." cide if any time should be er in sight. Just the end zone shelf life on NFL running FCS McNeese State. quarterback and the Thun- Said Paul: "I done shot added to the clock. 36 yards away and the large backs is short. He leads the nation in der point guard chatted for that shot maybe seven games Paul used the break in videoboard alongside Galla- "I really don't even know, all-purpose yards, rushing several minutes _ outside straight and missed it. So, it action to catch up with gher-Iba Arena. to be honest," Hubbard said yards, rushing yards per the visitor's locker room at finally went in. Probably Pelicans employees at the This is the home-run play when asked if he plans to game and was second in car- Smoothie King Center after luck." scorers’ table who were old- Oklahoma State's superstar play in the bowl game. "I'm ries. the Thunder's 107-104 win Paul accounted for seven running back makes. It's just trying to take it day by Having close to a month timers from his stint in New Sunday evening against the points in the Thunder's 12-0 Orleans. He's played in the what's made him a Heisman day." off is needed. Pelicans. fourth-quarter run. When Trophy contender and Doak But OSU is now protecting "Obviously, your body is Crescent City many times Walker Award finalist. its star. The Cowboys have going to hurt and stuff like "Watch CP3's eyes," Brees the Pelicans double-teamed since he was traded in 2011, told Paul, relaying the mes- him at the top of the 3-point But Saturday night, there seen the signs of fatigue. that," Hubbard said. "That's but Sunday was his first with sage Brees told his sons dur- line, Paul gladly passed out was no big play. There hasn't Hubbard lacked his usual just football. But I believe the Thunder. been for weeks. explosiveness. Shoe-string all that offseason training ing the game. "His eyes are of it, which eventually led to Though the boos for Paul This time, OU safety tackles were more frequent. and all that stuff gets you always up." Thunder free throws as the drained out the cheers from Brendan Radley-Hiles dove Ball security seemed to be prepared for this and you "Today was like a coach- Pelicans scrambled to match ing session watching you up. the sparse crowd, New Or- and caught Hubbard by the an issue Saturday with two always gotta bring your A play," Brees said. "It was winning time," leans is still a special place foot for a 9-yard-gain early fumbles. All could be signs game. I didn't feel like I did Paul was comfortable in Paul said. "Fortunately, I've for him. in the second quarter instead of extreme usage during a that." the town where he was once been in that situation 1,000 Paul watched from the of the touchdown. season in which he's totaled Hubbard's ability to fight a co-star with Brees. More times. If you don't (double sideline when LSU played "They made great tackles," more than 2,100 all-purpose through the long season in- so, he was in control. team) I'm gonna go downhill Texas A&M on Saturday Hubbard said following the yards. spired his teammates. They The Thunder trailed 94-89 and be aggressive." night in Baton Rouge, Loui- 34-16 loss to OU on Satur- On Saturday, he rushed for always knew Hubbard would when Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday led New siana. His brother was in the day. "There's a few of them 104 yards and a touchdown show up on Saturdays. Lonzo Ball hit a 3-pointer Orleans with 26 points, but arena Sunday. Paul's sister- that those are touchdowns. on 24 carries. He caught It's what made him so spe- with 5:15 left. But in a finish the Pelicans were doomed in-law is from New Orleans. So, I give credit to them." three passes for 16 yards. cial. "He's just always there orchestrated by Paul's preci- by clock mismanagement. Paul said he talks to Brees For the past three games, But his longest play was a answering the bell," OSU sion, the Thunder went on a Down by four points, Holi- “all the time." Hubbard's big plays were 22-yard run. quarterback Dru Brown 12-0 run over the next three day settled for a 10-foot "So yeah," Paul said, "I'm nearly non-existent. The "He's not been quite as said. "I'm sure the human minutes. jumper with three seconds here pretty often." wear and tear of his histori- electrifying as he was early body can only take so much Paul danced with Pelicans left. And on Sunday, Paul gave cal season for the Cowboys in the season," OSU coach and he's definitely pushing rookie center Jaxson Hayes Thunder forward Danilo the home crowd a throwback appeared to take a physical Mike Gundy said. that limit. But I don't think on the final points of the Gallinari, who led the team performance. toll. Hubbard finished the regu- he'd want it any other way."