Edmond North boys in position to make run at third straight 6A championship
MUSTANG, OKLAHOMA - As the two-time defending Class 6A state champion, Edmond North knows what to expect each time they touch the court.
No matter who their opponent is or where the game is played, they expect to get that team’s best shot.
Yet, during the past three seasons, the Huskies have consistently taken the hit and returned a flurry of punches of their own. Not only has it led to back-to-back state titles, but it has them positioned as the overwhelming favorite to win it all again this season.
Mustang had hoped they had what it took to be the team to knock North off their perch in a game played on Friday. But as the Broncos found out for the second time this season, that has become harder and harder to do as No. 1 Edmond North pulled away late for a 65-46 victory at the Mustang Activity Center.
Then on Saturday, the Huskies returned to their home court and had minimal trouble with Putnam City North, rolling to a 68-42 win.
“Coach (Scott) Norris tells us every day that at any time somebody plays, that's a championship game for them,” North’s Dontrell Yearby said. “So, we’ve got to come prepared every game. No matter who it is, it doesn't matter.”
The only two losses for the Huskies (15-2) came against a pair of out-of-state teams at the Bass Pro Shops Tournament of Champions held last month in Springfield, Mo. They lost to California school St. John Bosco and to Georgia school McEachern.
Oklahoma high school boys basketball Top 25 rankings (2/1/2024)
Playing without their senior point guard in Friday's win, the Huskies still were able to control every facet of the game and took the Broncos out of their game plan. It helped that Wyoming commit Dylan Warlick nearly posted a triple-double with 27 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists.
“I think we were very committed to what we wanted to do defensively and did a great job of limiting their easy shots,” Norris said. "They were having to take tough, contested shots.
"And then offensively, we were putting the ball in Dylan's hands and expecting him to make the right play and he did. So all in all, great effort without Chiante' (Tramble), our point guard who is kind of a vocal leader. It was a really good win for us.”
It was Edmond North’s defense that kickstarted the night. They didn’t allow anything easy at the basket as they contested each shot and forced MHS (13-7) to rely on their outside shooting.
With the Broncos unable to knock down long 3's, the Huskies took advantage by grabbing the rebounds and getting out on the fastbreak. Dylan Warlick and Dontrell Yearby were out in front and finishing strong at the rim.
But it was Tatum Ridge’s defense on Mustang’s Roman Miller that provided the team with the biggest boost. He forced the high-scoring junior into shooting 1-for-5 in the first half.
“We stayed committed to our plan,” Norris said. “We tried to take away a couple of things. We sent a guy to him depending on where he was dribbling and it caused some trouble.
"If (Miller) gets open looks, he can hit a lot of tough shots, and he's a really good player. So we really had to do a heck of a job on him. I think we did.”
Edmond North took a 32-18 advantage into halftime.
Mustang was able to close to within 10 points in the third quarter behind the shooting of freshman Tyson Pogi.
But that would be as close as the Broncos got. Each time it looked like they might make a run, the Huskies had an answer.
During a fourth-quarter stretch, Warlick threw down two dunks and assisted on another two buckets to help extend the Huskies' lead back up to 20 and put the contest away.
“It's just Dylan Warlick,” Norris said. “He's been doing it for four years and that's kind of what we expect.”
Edmond North's Dylan Warlick (23) goes strong to the basket during a game at Mustang on Feb. 2, 2024.
Pogi paced the Broncos with 12 points and five rebounds. Miller and Jaytee Johnson each finished with 9 points in the loss.
Yearby posted 14 points while Ridges added 12 points for the Huskies. But it was the team’s defense that stood out to Warlick.
“I mean if you don't guard, you're not going to win games and we've won a lot of games because guys guard. We've had dudes that guard,” Warlick said. “If you take it back to even last year and the year before, we've always guarded. We always played defense really hard and that's how it's got to be to win.”
Warlick followed that performance up in Saturday's win, as he finished with a double-double of 21 points and more than 10 rebounds.
The Huskies have another back-to-back set on Monday and Tuesday, both at home. North faces Capitol Hill on Monday before taking on Moore the following night.
-- Michael Kinney | @SBLiveOK
