Team Preview: Cleveland Tigers
Last season was a building year for a young Cleveland squad who only return a few seniors from a team that finished 6-21 in Class 4A, eventually bowing out to No. 13 Oologah-Talala in the Regional round of the playoffs.…
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Continue ReadingLast season was a building year for a young Cleveland squad who only return a few seniors from a team that finished 6-21 in Class 4A, eventually bowing out to No. 13 Oologah-Talala in the Regional round of the playoffs. With their seniors back, some dedicated additions, and talented coaching, this group of Tigers should definitely be improving this season. They also feature a couple of prospects that should make a Cleveland game worth heading out to if you are a college coach.
Head Coach: Michael Arnold
Assistant Coach: Sean O’Hara
Returning Starters:
Baylea Stiger
Baylea Stiger
As happens every single year, you release the senior rankings and immediately “discover” a player that you should have included in the rankings. Well, better late than never. Baylea still has a whole season to play at Cleveland and you have time to make her an offer. Stiger is a very long 5-10 and she uses her length very well. She absolutely racks up the blocks and steals and I’ve seen her have incredible rebounding games. She is a worker in the paint. Even better than that, on the offensive end, she can shoot from pretty much anywhere. She has virtually unlimited range when it comes to three’s and will let it fly as soon as she crosses midcourt. Baylea is a baller, y’all.
Reagan Coffey
Reagan Coffey
Another player that you’re going to want to get out to Cleveland to see is Reagan. Coach O’Hara sent me a great video of a scrimmage and she is undoubtedly the best player on the floor. She just jumps out at you. Zipping passes all over the place. Bouncing passes between unsuspecting defenders. Launching passes up court to start the break. She also showed good handles and the ability to deal with defensive pressure. She is a smart defender and forced her opponent into some tough situations while ballhandling. Reagan is one player that I am really looking forward to getting eyes on this season and you should be too. After all, it’s her senior year!
Potential Starters:
Faith Watts
Faith Watts
Faith showed a great ability on tape of searching out a body when the shot goes up and blocking out. She is a very good rebounder, due in part to great size and length, but mostly due to the good decisions that she makes off the ball. She has good enough handles to bring the ball up court and I saw her knock down more than one big time three-pointer for the Tigers. She played good minutes last season as a freshman and I would look for her to be an important part of the team again this season.
Emmy Southward
Emmy Southward
It looks like she may not have had quite as much experience as some of the other freshmen, but Emmy definitely has the size to compete at the high school level. In the preseason video I watched, she got up and down the court quickly and showed that she was a high IQ player as far as teamwork goes. She plays with some inexperience, but who knows, that may have been fixed between then and now. She has a nice shot and showed the ability to battle hard down low and finish inside when she really wants it. The key will be bringing it on every play.
Bessie Sellars
Bessie Sellars
Bessie is a transfer from Tulsa Memorial and it was clear to see in the tape that I watched that she is going to bring that toughness and grittiness, that Tulsa city basketball is known for, to Cleveland. She is a smart player who does the little things. She is a good ball handler and can be counted on to bring the ball up court. She is tough on the defensive end and does not give her opponent any space to work. It will be fun to see how Bessie works her way into what Cleveland is doing both offensively and defensively.
Tycee Downey
Tycee Downey
A tall and long freshman from a very good grassroots program, it may take a while for Tycee to fully integrate into the Cleveland Tigers lineup. Once she does, the team will have an almost positionless player who is tall enough (at the 4A level) to play positions one through five. She can battle hard down low and does a good job of finding the soft spot in the zone out near the free throw line. With experience and playing time, she should blossom into a prospect. Shooting consistency will be key for Downey and the main determining factor on whether she sticks in the starting lineup or not.
Other Contributors:
Payge Schaefer | 5-6 G | 2027 – Another freshman who could see big minutes for the Tigers. Dedicated defender.
Kamdyn Harrold | 5-3 G | 2027 – Young players fill this young team. Kamdyn is an all-out hustler.