November 13, 2021 Issue, Page 4 of 10

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Sp November 13, 2021 OU Women's Basketball: Williams, Llanusa lead, Washington comes up huge late as Sooners take opener Clay Horning, The Norman to tie or win with 5.1 seconds moved from Norman High played hardly any time at all in played just 12 minutes but was and nursed their lead almost Transcript remaining. School. the first half, suffering quick by scoring in shifts, with Wil- on the court when it ended and ‘That meant first-year Sooner “Defensively, she made the foul and turnover issues, but a played a big role in how it was liams netting 13 of her 19 What Oklahoma's Kelbie women’s basketball coach Jen- play,” Baranczyk said. fast finish. decided. points with most of the second Washington did as time ran nie Baranczyk not only claimed South Dakota's idea began In addition to her final de- The Sooners trailed 7-0 early quarter still remaining, Ana out inside Coyote Sports Cen- victory in her first game on the with putting the ball into the fensive flurry, she got the as- only to pull even with a 10-3 Llanusa netting nine of her 19 ter will not be reflected in any job, a 73-71 decision at South hands of Grace Larkins to be- sist on Madi Williams’ game- run. A see-saw affair from on a trio of 3-pointers span- boxscore or end-of-season sta- Dakota, but claimed it over a gin its final sequence, but it winning shot, feeding her in there, they never trailed after ning the last five possessions tistical breakdown. never happened because Wash- the high post, from which Skyler Vann fed Emma Svobo- of the third quarter, while Tay- team that went to the NCAA Tournament only last season ington got in the way and time Williams curled around her de- da Still, she was the reason the fora layup that put them on lor Robertson scored early and Coyotes never put up a shot, that brought back just about ran out as several players bat- fender and laid the ball in the top 41-40 with 5:49 remaining late on the way to 17. never got the ball into the everybody. tled for the ball about 65 feet basket. in the third quarter ... though Talking about it, Williams front court, never even fully It also mean she has a lot from the Coyote basket. Washington finished with OU faced two ties: 41-41 and appeared to cast herself as the possessed it despite inbound- of trust in her true freshman It was a rough opening for two-points, two steals, four 71-71. team’s leader. ing at half court with a chance point guard only months re- Washington, who started but fouls and four turnovers. She The Sooners stayed close “I think that we trust each other in judgment, both me and Jennie,” she said, referenc- It's all in God's plan for me': Jalen Redmond's return ing her coach. “And then the team also trusts us to be able to be able to make calls and make plays whenever we need could provide spark that OU's defensive line needs to.” Asa team, OU made 10 of 27 3-point attempts, Llanusa can- Justin Martinez, The Okla- mantra — starting Saturday contributor in the revival of the game I could have played,” ing one of the most talented ning 5 of 11 and Robertson 4 homan morning at Baylor — Red- OU’s defense, but his journey Redmond said. “I was a little groups in the country, and that of 9. mond could be critical to their hasn't been an easy one. hesitant, but that’s all on me. hasn't yet fully translated to Llanusa had not played a reg- NORMAN — ‘he past four title hopes. He will help a pass He played just three games feel like I could have played a the field. The Sooners are aver- ular-season game since March years haven't been easy for rush that has been asked to do in 2018 due to a blood-clot lot better and contributed alot aging two sacks per game this 7, 2020, but went 33 minutes, Jalen Redmond. more amid an ongoing injury scare. more than I did.” season, which ranks 77th in offered strong defense and fin- A blood-clot scare. An opt- outbreak in the secondary. And after racking up a team- It should come as nosurprise the nation. They've also only ished with her co-team-high out season because of COVID. “Bven though it’s been bad, high 6.5 sacks in 2019, he opt- that Redmond showed signs of tallied two sacks in their past point total on 7 of 16 shooting, Then this season, injury forced it’s all in God's plan for me,” ed out of the 2020 campaign rust in his Week 9 return. three contests, but the return grabbing four rebounds. the OU defensive lineman to Redmond said of his journey due to COVID-19 concerns. He went 41 days without of Redmond could provide the “She's back,” Barnaczyk said. miss five games. to this point. “So I don’t really ‘This season has been equally seeing any game action, but spark they desperately need. Williams grabbed four re- bounds to go with three as- “It’s been a roller coaster,” question anything that’s hap- challenging, as Redmond has that rust is gradually coming Prior to getting hurt in OU's Redmond said. “For the ma- pening.” missed five contests due to a off. Week 3 matchup against Ne- sists. Robertson picked up the jority of my career, I've been Doing so would have been lingering knee injury. “(We’re) trying to work him braska on Sept. 18, Redmond slack on the boards, grabbing out, injured or something has easy. In nearly four complete sea- more back in and get some had 1.5 sacks and five tackles eight rebounds. happened to me. It’s been re- When the former five-star sons at OU, Redmond only has reps,” defensive coordina- against the Cornhuskers. He ‘The Coyotes were led by Liv ally hard. I don’t want to do defensive lineman from Mid- 20 game appearances to his tor Alex Grinch said. “It’s one also recovered a fumble and Korngable's 22 points on 9 of 15 shooting and six assists, as anything but be out there with west City committed to Okla- name. thing to be cleared to play, but recorded 0.5 tackles for loss in well as center Hannah Sjevern’s those guys and help them.” homa in 2017, he served as Even though Redmond’s it’s another to play at a high the season opener against Tu- 18 and 13 rebounds. in OU's a beacon of hope in Norman. He got to do just that return two Saturdays ago cor- level. So I envision getting lane. The Sooners should have last game against Texas Tech, ‘The season before he arrived, related with OU’s strongest more work out of him, which “He's played very good foot- some bounce in their step for tallying two tackles and help- the Sooners surrendered 394.9 defensive performance of would be good” ball for us,” Grinch said of Red- their 10:30 a.m. Friday home ing the Sooners toa convincing yards a game, which ranked the season, that didn’t pre- Despite not yet being at full mond. “When he’s been avail- opener against Arkansas State. 52-21 win. 60th nationally. They also only vent Redmond from being his strength, Redmond is a beacon able, both this year and years “T could not be more proud ‘As the Sooners prepare for a averaged 1.7 sacks per contest, harshest critic when asked of hope in Norman once again. past, he’s been an impact guy... of just the resiliency,” Baranc- late-season slate that will test which ranked 94th. about his return. OU’s defensive line drew T'm thrilled to have him back zyk said, “the belief they had their championship-November Redmond hoped tobe akey “I didn’t feel like I played praise in the offseason for be- from a depth standpoint.” in each other , the way they played together.” -t "Logo Shai’ and Little Victories By Graham Dudley ‘There were 80 seconds left suddenly gatheredthe balland momentum into Sunday night, pointers, earning more than The Thunder will try to Durant and the Brooklyn Nets in the ballgame, and the launched a 32-footer. It when it faced down the San 21 minutes of playing time in extend their winning streak (7-4) on Sunday, Nov. 14 at 6 Thunder were still holding on. caught nothing but net, put- Antonio Spurs at home and that contest. this week, and will have the p.m. at the Paycom Center. Eight days earlier the ting Oklahoma City up by six came away with its second On Sunday, the team's high- matchups to make that hap- Until next time, Oklahoma Thunder had handled the Los and giving SGA his final three consecutive victory, 99-94. It est scorer was none other than pen. They'll start on — Thunder Up! Angeles Lakers in Oklahoma points of 28 total. was another comeback effort, veteran center Mike Muscala. Wednesday City, 123-115, after LA The Lakers nailed several as the Thunder trailed by 16 in He finished with 20 points in night with a coughed up a 26-point lead. clutch 3s in the final minutes the first half before erasing the just over 14 minutes, shooting road contest Now the Lakers were in dan- to keep the game close, but deficit and vaulting ahead. 3-for-4 from long range, and against the ger of doing it again, trailing former Thunder Russell The Thunder are now 3-6 supercharged the team in the hapless New Oklahoma City by three late in Westbrook's final attempt on the young season. second quarter. Orleans a game they'd led by as many missed from 3 and secured Oklahoma City's two Remember when I wrote Pelicans, as 19 points, Oklahoma City's victory. comebacks were bolstered by that Muscala "should probably who've started Once again, as expected, The Thunder had beaten an some unlikely _ players. never lead the Thunder in the season 1- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had NBA championship con- Gilgeous- Alexander, of scoring”? Yeah, never mind. 10 without played the hero for OKC. tender twice in just over a course, was a huge factor in ‘Thunder head coach Mark injured super- Gilgeous-Alexander had a week. both games, netting 28 points Daigneault said Moose's big star Zion team-high 25 points as he True, Los Angeles was against LA and another 14 night was "similar" to Williamson. dribbled the ball self-assuredly without LeBron James in both against San Antonio -- nearly Jerome's on Thursday. "We Then the across half-court, eyeing his contests. James played in the earning a triple-double with just didn't have anything ‘Thunder return defender Avery Bradley. Lakers’ intervening games but eight rebounds and nine going offensively," Daigneault home on Bradley stood just above the missed the second OKC assists, to boot. admitted. "I thought early on Friday, Nov. 3-point line; the Lakers didn't matchup with an abdominal But Thursday's win was ‘we got some decent looks that 12 and take on need to foul yet, just get a strain. But the losses were hugely influenced by Ty weren't falling. And even as Sacramento stop. nonetheless devastating for a Jerome, who came off the ‘we got into the second unit, (5-6). They'll SGA didn't even give them Lakers team with high hopes bench in the second quarter we generated some really close out the Gilgeous-Alexander (2) celebrates a chance. this season, and no less excit- and scored 10 quick points for good, open shots. weekend with after a three-point basket in the fourth While still standing on the ing for a young Thunder the Thunder, helping them "Obviously they weren't a real chal- quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers "L" of the Lakers’ midcourt sqljuad. . chip away. He finished with falling, and he (Muscala) gave lenge, though, at Staples Center. (Jayne Kamin- logo, — Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City carried that 14 points and three made 3- us a big lift right there." meeting Kevin Oncea-USA TODAY Sports) HERE COME THE