Bethany (Oklahoma) senior standout Zya Vann sees vision of basketball stardom come to fruition
BETHANY, OKLAHOMA - In the end, it just felt right.
When Zya Vann decided to commit to the University of Oklahoma women’s basketball team, she knew right away the correct decision had been made.
The reason the Bethany High School senior knew she was on the right path was because it was something she had written down long ago. Before Vann had ever scored a point or dished out an assist for Bethany, she knew the game of basketball had a chance to take her as she wanted.
“When I was younger, my parents and I talked about it and stuff and how basketball can take me really far in life,” Vann said. “So I wrote going (Division I), maybe playing in the WNBA and stuff on vision boards.”
Despite that, when Vann signed her national letter of intent with Oklahoma in November, she said it was still an out-of-body experience for her.
“It was super surreal,” Vann said. “It was one of my dream schools for a long time, and now I just have to really put in the work so I'm ready for the next level.
"It's really special and I'm honestly proud of myself, but I know that there's more work that needs to be done. So I'm not going to just rest. I'm going to continue to put in the work.”
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Besides Oklahoma being her dream school, one of the big reasons Vann chose the Sooners is because of a rare opportunity that she will have.
Her older sister, Skylar Vann, is currently on the OU basketball team and she will have another year of eligibility left by the time her younger sibling arrives.
“I chose OU because it's close to home and I like the coaches. And then obviously my dad went there, my sister goes there,” Zya Vann said. “So, I would get to play with my sister for a year; so that was a big reason as well.”
Bethany senior Zya Vann launches a jumper during a recent game.
Vann entered her senior season as the state’s No. 1 player in the 2024 class and the 46th-best player in the nation. Through the first half of the season, she was averaging 21 points, 6.6 rebounds, two assists and nearly three steals a game.
“Zya was a great addition to our program. She brings a toughness to the game of basketball for our program all the way up from the elementary, all the way up to the high school,” Bethany coach Eric Sailer said. “And the girls see that and they see how much she works.
"What you see out on the floor is just a little bit of time that she spends in the gym. She's always working on her game, working on her shots while everybody else is out watching movies or shopping. She's in a gym.”
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Before Vann heads off to accomplish her college dreams, the 5-foot-9 guard has some unfinished business at Bethany. As the defending 4A state champions, the Lady Bronchos are the favorites to cut down the nets again this year.
With Vann, Oklahoma commit Keziah Lofton, Kayten Donley and Talia Vann leading the charge, they have a chance to bring the program just its second-ever title.
But Vann knows it won’t just be handed to them. After a couple of early season losses to Fort Smith (Arkansas) Northside and defending 6A champion Edmond North, they saw some areas of concern that needed to be addressed.
“After one of our losses, we were a team, but we started getting mad at each other,” Vann said. “So we just talked about how we need to stay positive and just don't let outside opinions and voices get in our heads.
"At the end of the day, we're the ones on the court, not anybody else.”
Vann knows they have the talent to repeat, but staying focused on the prize and each other will be the key to holding onto their crown.
“I think the most important thing is to just stay humble,” Vann said. “Just really try to stay as positive as possible.
"And if somebody makes a mistake, just go and tap them on the back, tell them it'll be okay and just try to keep that chemistry as much as possible and just play together as a team.”
Bethany (12-4) is coming off a first-place showing at the Heart of Oklahoma Tournament in Purcell, defeating Anadarko in the championship game. The Lady Bronchos return to action Friday with a road game at Elk City.
Bethany senior Zya Vann (2) has signed with the University of Oklahoma, where her older sister is on the team's roster.
-- Michael Kinney | @SBLiveOK
