Team Preview: Idabel Warriors

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Head Coach Kayla Denton has been on an absolute roll down in Idabel with her Warriors squad making it to the State Finals in 2022 and then back to the State Tournament again last season. The Warriors are senior led with ORU commit [player_tooltip player_id='249275' first='Mary' last='Carden'] leading the team in a BIG way. Karizma Thompson is a big loss from last season, but look for Idabel to definitely make another run in the State Tournament again. It's hard to hold down a well coached team with a lot of talent!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Head Coach:</strong> Kayla Denton</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2022-23 Record:</strong> 25-3 (Lost in Quarter's to Jones)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Potential Starters:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["249275"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"As I mentioned earlier, Mary is a pretty big deal. There just aren't that many 6-6 players in the world of Oklahoma Girls' Basketball and when I say many, I mean any. Not only that, but this 6-6 player plays at 3A Idabel where height is even more at a premium. Carden is a blocking machine in the paint and if a team can't shoot it from outside against the Warriors, it's gonna be a long night. As the years have progressed, Mary's footwork has gotten better and better, offensively speaking and she has added a nice midrange shot. It will be really fun to see how she is utilized at the Division-I level for Oral Roberts next season!","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='801998' first='Mercades' last='Lopez']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"12123","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Idabel","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"When the new 2025 rankings come out, Mercades will definitely be included. When you go back and watch tape of last season, it is clear to see how important Lopez is to what this Idabel team does out there. Not only that, but she brings that u0022dawgu0022 mentality from the softball field and is literally everywhere all at once. You see her making steals and blocks that you didn't think were possible. She shows incredible speed and smarts, and the ability to hit the timely shot. She's picking up softball offers, but it'll be a shame if Mercades doesn't get some attention over the next few years for her basketball abilities!","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='866548' first='Jaylen' last='Cauthron']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Idabel","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Speaking of very exciting players, there aren't gonna be many more out there that are as exciting as [player_tooltip player_id='866548' first='Jaylen' last='Cauthron'] is. With the ball in her hands, she's a little wizard. She shows otherworldly handles and a sense of timing that really, really frustrates defenders. She has a great midrange shot that sees her hang in the air for what seems like a preternatural amount of time before swishing a nice, easy shot. On the defensive end, her lightning fast hands cause opposing ballhandlers all kinds of problems. Adding a freshman like Cauthron into the mix could be exactly what the Warriors need to get over the hump.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":3,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-653fca0141eb6"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Other Contributors:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"A'mya Whitfield","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12121","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Idabel","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Last season with Broken Bow, A'mya showed off a dedication to defense and some nice handles. This season, she'll be added to a stable of really talented guards who all can handle the ball and defend. Head Coach Kayla Denton will most definitely find a way to get everybody involved. Look for A'mya to be a big contributor by seasons end.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"Damaya Hunt","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"Idabel","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Damaya is another very important player for this Warriors squad who brings a wealth of experience from her numerous trips to the state tournament. She is a strong, physical player who is not afraid to get in there and bang. She shows a propensity to finish strong through contact and also racks up a good amount of steals because she isn't afraid of the rough stuff inside. Hunt works hard on both ends of the floor and provides some big minutes to this Warriors team.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='847020' first='Quintasia' last='Johnson']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"12122","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Idabel","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but Quintasia is yet another player for the Warriors that is tough, strong, and unafraid of the contact. She has good enough handles to bring the ball up court and finishes well at the rim. She is a long player who uses her length well to fill the passing lanes and make life tough on her opponents. At 5-8, she is the second tallest player on the roster and could see a bigger role because of it.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Kylene Denton","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"5'5u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"12125","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Idabel","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Kylene is a really good track athlete who is a tremendous leader and student. She contributes big minutes off the bench and can rack up the numbers in the u0022hustleu0022 stats. She's a worker and her shot is actually really pretty. She can stroke it from long range. Kylene looks to be an integral part of this Warriors squad.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Kelsey Cauthron","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'7u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"12124","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Idabel","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Another player who brings important height to this Idabel team, Kelsey also brings experience and leadership. She has u0022been there and done thatu0022 with this team and also brings a softball players mentality to the hardwood. She is tall and long and in the little bit of video I was able to find, she actually has a really nice shot with a high release. With her size and that ability to shoot, Cauthron could be a very dangerous weapon for Coach Denton.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-653fd7b4ca4e2"} /-->