June 5, 2021 Issue, Page 4 of 8

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4 June 5, 2021 Sports Grinding past Illini, Sun Devils, Sooners Sooners’ Jocelyn Alo and Tiare Jennings earn national championship shot Clay Horning, The Norman Transcript David Puig one up late. Had Oklahoma State defeated Back in the lineup to face the Sun Devils, Reband also self a 60-foot putt for eagle. Sisk’s 100-yard wedge failed sweep national awards Pepperdine in the other semi- struggled, falling 5 & 4. Reband to check up, rolling past the pin, Ryan Aber, The Oklahoman The grind continues. final, the title dual would be a was 5-over par when the match through fringe and into rough. That’s what it’s been for the Bedlam affair. ended. Short-sided, his chip rolled five NORMAN — OU’s offense has been making history all season Oklahoma men and that’s what The Sooners, ranked No. 1, Tasked with setting his lineup feet past the hole. with Jocelyn Alo and Tiare Jennings setting the tone. it will be for one more day at who placed fourth over 72 holes before departing the course, So it’s only appropriate Alo and Jennings once again made history Though Cummins’ approach the NCAA championship, taking of stroke play that served to nar- Hybl chose Reband to play to- Tuesday, becoming the first teammates to sweep the USA Softball place at Grayhawk Golf Club in row the field to eight, are look- day. putt stopped seven feet short, Collegiate Player of the Year Award and the NFCA/Schutt Sports Di- Scottsdale, Arizona. ing for the program’s third na- Freshman Ben Lorenz, who he made the next one, denying vision I Freshman of the Year awards. From the final round of re- tional championship to go with came off the bench for Welch in Sisk a chance to halve the hole Alo is the second Sooners player to win the National Player of the gional play in Albuquerque, those claimed in 1989 at Oak Albuquerque and has remained and continue the match. Year award, joining pitcher Keilani Ricketts, who won it in 2012 and where the Sooners had to leap Tree Country Club in Edmond in the starting five since, fell 4 A few minutes earlier, Bright- 2013. four spots even to reach the des- and in 2017 at Rich Harvest & 3 to Illinois’ Michael Feathers well had been fortunate his ball Heading into OU’s Women’s College World Series opener against ert after three previous rounds Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois. and 3 & 2 to ASU’s Ryggs John- kicked right into rough rather James Madison at 11 a.m. Thursday (ESPN), Alo is leading the na- positioned them ninth, to the “We have a chance to go do ston. than left into desert brush fol- tion in home runs (30), and slugging percentage (1.135). She’s sec- tester putts made for par by Jon- something phenomenal,” OU Cummins, Brightwell and lowing a pulled tee shot off the ond in RBIs (82) and fourth in batting average (.487). A home run in athan Brightwell at No. 18 and coach Ryan Hybl said. McAllister shouldered the load. the WCWS would give Alo the single-season program record, break- cart path at No. 18. Both he and for birdie by Quade Cummins The Sooners’ pursuit is not “That’s why we practice all ing a tie with her own freshman performance in 2018 and Lauren Puig found the sand on their ap- Chamberlain’s 30-home run seasons in 2012 and 2013. on No. 17 Tuesday evening, 18 without a high-drama subplot. year long,” said Cummins, a holes, give or take, remain. Garett Reband entered re- sixth-year senior out of Weath- proach to the mammoth 520- Alo is averaging a home run every 5.2 at bats and had a 40-game Tuesday, OU defeated Illinois gional play the No. 9 ranked erford. yard par 4 finishing hole. hitting streak snapped in early April that came just three games shy in the morning and Arizona collegiate golfer in America, yet Cummins was on the roster Puig faced the tougher shot, of the NCAA record. State in the afternoon, winning fired off rounds of 76-75-75-80 as a redshirt freshman in the blasted to eight feet and made Alo homered in an NCAA-record seven consecutive games from three of five matches in each at the national event, his score spring of 2017, but was not in the putt. Brightwell, from a back March 7-26. dual, good enough to earn a date cast aside three times. the lineup that claimed the na- Jennings is the third OU player to win freshman of the year hon- bunker, blasted to four feet and ors, joining Alo (2018) and former pitcher Paige Parker (2015). with Pepperdine this afternoon, Against Illinois, Hybl subbed tional championship. made it, denying Puig a chance Jennings leads the nation in RBIs (84) and is tied for second with the national championship at out Reband in favor of Patrick ASU’s Cameron Sisk canned a in extra holes. 25 home runs, trailing only Alo. Jennings is hitting .485/.537/1.059. stake. Welch, who made a splash at the 25-foot putt from off the green The national championship Her freshman season started off with a bang, hitting three home The same three players pre- 2019 national tournament, fin- on the 16th hole to pull within runs in the season-opener against UTEP as OU set an NCAA record match begins at 3:35 p.m. Most vailed for OU in each duel. ishing 11th. one down to Cummins enter- with 13 home runs. The Sooners are 12 away from tying the record of it will be broadcast on the Cummins, Brightwell and Lo- Welch struggled, losing to Il- ing the drivable par 4 330-yard for home runs in a season, set by Hawaii in 2010 with 158. gan McAllister each won twice. linois’ Adrien Dumont de Chas- 17th. Golf Channel. Jennings also has just three errors this season, starting every Of the three, only Brightwell sart 8 & 6, meaning the match Sisk chose an iron off the tee, “That’s why everybody comes game at second or third base. had to play the 18th hole even ended when Welch was eight pulling the ball into light rough. to OU,” Cummins said, “to have Jennings beat out teammate Jayda Coleman and Clemson’s Val- once, defeating Illinois’ Giovan- holes down with six to play. At Cummins went with driver, that opportunity.” erie Cagle’s for the award. ni Tadiotto 2 & 1 early and ASU’s that time, Welch was 7-over par. reaching the green, leaving him- The Sooners have it today. Alo beat out Washington’s Gabbie Plain and UCLA’s Rachel Garcia. Oklahoma State softball: Five things to know about Cowgirls’ WCWS opponent, Georgia Scott Wright, The Oklahoman advantage in a pair of one-run nament with a first-round loss nine innings. RBIs. a 2.69 ERA. She has struck out victories over Duke, and moved to Kentucky. The Georgia offense is led by Georgia has a staff with five 194 batters in 197 2/3 innings No. 5 seed Oklahoma State’s forward to face No. 4-seed Flori- In the middle of all that late- Lacey Fincher, who is one of pitchers who have made at least pitched. Women’s College World Series da on the Gators’ home field. season carnage, Georgia found a three Bulldogs with a batting 14 appearances this season, but Georgia coach Lu Harris- experience begins against un- Again in an underdog situa- spark and defeated No. 1 Okla- average above .300 and one of only one — Mary Wilson Avant Champer was winning games seeded Georgia — one of two tion, Georgia came out on top homa in the front end of an April three with double-digit home — who has made more than 20. with the Bulldogs when some unseeded teams in the field — with 4-0 and 6-0 victories over 20 doubleheader in Athens. runs. Fincher is batting .338 Avant is the standout of the SEC schools were just coming at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Hall of Florida. Seventeen days later, Okla- with 15 homers and 37 RBIs this group, having pitched in all five around to the idea of investing Fame Stadium. You might be wondering how homa State pulled off the same season. victories of the regional and su- in the game of softball. Here are five things to know the Bulldogs fell to the point of feat, beating OU in the first Fincher, a first baseman who per regional, throwing all but six Harris-Champer is in her 21st about Georgia: not being a national seed in the game of a three-game series in hails from Tanner Williams, Ala- innings of the postseason to this season at Georgia and has won Despite being underdogs in first place. It came with a miser- Stillwater. bama, was on the SEC All-Fresh- point. 959 games in that time. In 2019, its regional and super regional, able close to the regular season, So the only two teams to de- man team in 2019. She threw a complete-game Georgia advanced to the WCWS particularly in conference play. feat the top-seeded Sooners this Jaiden Fields, the sister of shutout in one of the two wins Georgia won its 1,000th game undefeated in the NCAA Tour- Georgia lost 11 of its last 13 season are facing each other in Chicago Bears quarterback Jus- over Duke in the regional, then as a program, and at the time, nament. games in the regular season. the first round of the WCWS, tin Fields, is second on the team went the distance against Flori- more than 900 of them already Georgia was granted host The Bulldogs lost seven straight with the winner most likely tak- with a .308 batting average and da in back-to-back super region- belonged to Harris-Champer. privileges for its regional, but prior to the NCAA Tournament, ing on OU once again. Sydney Chambley is batting .307 al shutout victories. She also So as the Bulldogs prepare for was not a top-16 national seed. getting swept in three-game Georgia’s Jaiden Fields went with 11 homers and 36 RBIs. went all nine innings in the win their fifth WCWS appearance, Duke earned the No. 13 seed in series against Alabama and at 3-for-5 with three RBIs and Sydney Kuma is tied for the over OU. it’s easy to say that Georgia soft- Georgia’s regional. The Bulldogs Mississippi State before getting drove in the winning run in the team lead with 15 home runs For the season, Avant has a ball wouldn’t be where it is with- used the home field to their eliminated from the SEC Tour- 7-6 victory over the Sooners in and leads the Bulldogs with 39 20-10 record with one save and out Harris-Champer. Was OU football recruiting helped or hurt by 2021 NFL Draft? Berry Tramel, The Oklahoman tem,” Riley said, referring to SEC in particular, but since he respective positions, which por- balls. But most of that reputa- happy about his situation, but Alex Grinch, who has been OU’s brought it up, that’s the crux of tends a good draft for OU. tion comes from the 2017-18 he remained a company man. A When Lincoln Riley con- defensive coordinator for two the recruiting question. Does Spencer Rattler is No. 1 at season, when Horford, with pro’s pro. ducted a Zoom conference for seasons. conference affiliation hurt the quarterback, Jeremiah Hall the Celtics, made 42.9% from Rebounding: B. Horford isn’t Oklahoma media three weeks “I think what we’ll see in the Sooners in recruiting, when is No. 1 at fullback, Perrion 3-point range. Horford arrived the dominating rebounder he ago, the most interesting devel- coming years is these players players think about their pro Winfrey is No. 2 at defensive in OKC as a career 36.4% 3-point was early in his career and that opment was not Riley’s answers. that have had longer or these futures? tackle, Gabe Brkic is No. 2 at shooter, and he made 36.8% for didn’t change in OKC. Horford’s The most interesting thing players that were hand-picked There’s no way to know. But kicker, Brayden Willis is No. 2 OKC. Good. Very good for a cen- rebounding rate of 12.5 (he was questions. Two questions. by this staff and brought in, I the Southeastern Conference’s at fullback, Nik Bonitto is No. ter. But not great. grabbed one eighth of available Someone asked if the recent think, will have even more suc- domination goes far beyond 4 at outside linebacker, Austin Playing with SGA: B. The rebounds while he was on the NFL Draft, which included no cess and I think will be drafted Alabama. And it goes far beyond Stogner is No. 4 at tight end, Thunder discovered some good court) was far below teammates Big 12 players selected in the even higher and we’re going to just raw mass of members. Wayan Morris is No. 10 at offen- information this season. Pair- Moses Brown (21.6) and Tony first round, would have negative have more of them.” In the last five NFL Drafts, sive tackle and Kennedy Brooks ing a good-shooting center with ramifications on OU’s recruit- There’s little doubt that OU 25 Sooners have been selected. is No. 10 at tailback. star point guard Shai Gilgeous- Bradley (17.7), who took over ing. defense is on the upswing. The That’s a good number. Next on “We still continue to produce Alexander is a good move. SGA the center duties from Horford Then later, someone asked if Sooners ranked fifth last season the Big 12 list is Texas, with 16, draft picks at an extremely high was excellent with backup Mike and Muscala. But Horford’s 8.7 three OU defenders being select- in Big 12 defensive efficiency, followed by Texas Christian’s 14 level,” Riley said. “I think we’ll Muscala but also was good with rebounds per 36 minutes was ed in later rounds would help on matching their best finish since and OSU’s 12. continue to do that. I just don’t Horford. In 501 minutes of Gil- his highest production since the recruiting trail. 2016, and opponents’ offensive Here are the SEC’s top num- hear about it (conference draft geous-Alexander and Horford 2013-14. Fascinating way to look at the efficiency of .272 was OU’s best bers: Alabama 51, Louisiana prowess) as much of a topic any- together, the Thunder was out- Defense: B. Horford long has draft. Half full or half empty. since leading the Big 12 in 2015 State 39, Florida 32, Georgia 30, more honestly. scored by 66 points. That’s bet- been known as a quality post Riley, naturally, took the half at .218. Auburn 24, Texas A&M 21, Ole “I think you’re going to have ter than you think on a strug- defender, and he showed why in full measure. But in the last 11 NFL Drafts, Miss 17, Mississippi State 17. years where that happens. Right gling team. Even if Horford isn’t OKC. Don’t mistake Horford for “It’s just more validation, I linebacker Kenneth Murray is So OU would rank fifth if now the reality is if a couple with the franchise going for- Ben Wallace, but Horford knows think, that not only are we mak- OU’s only first-round pick on de- placed among SEC schools. schools in our league don’t have ward, and he probably won’t be, the game, knows where to be, ing big strides and playing some fense. And while the Sooner of- Eight SEC schools trump Texas. a first rounder, we may not have Horford gave the Thunder some knows the nuances of pick-and- really high-level defense, and fense has certainly placed more This was a strange year for one. That’s just the nature of it.” valuable intel. roll defense. Horford is a qual- I think everybody can see the than its share of players in the OU. Not a ton of draft-eligible We continue our series of Attitude: A. Two things hap- ity defender. When Horford was difference in the product on the draft, the rest of the Big 12 has players. Thunder report cards with Al pened to Horford in the last resting occasionally, the Thun- field, but the individual develop- not kept up. “We had a good draft run this Horford. Horford’s Oklahoma seven months that would rankle der was 8-8 without him, an ment of these players is really Leading to the first-round year with the fact that it was a City experience likely will be most established NBA veterans. excellent record. But when Hor- happening,” Riley said. shutout in April. little bit of a unique year,” Riley brief. He played just 28 games He was traded from a contender ford was shut down for good, af- The three OU defensive play- “It’s the same old conversa- said. “We only had, I think, six of a 72-game schedule, and now to a non-contender. And when ter SGA’s foot injury, the Thun- ers selected were rush end Ron- tion,” Riley said. “If you go look draft-eligible players that left, he’s back on the trading block. he was shut down for the sea- der was 3-25. That wasn’t all the nie Perkins (third round to New at the history of the draft over which is a crazy low number. But Horford proved to the NBA son, so the Thunder could see absence of Gilgeous-Alexander. England), cornerback Tre Brown the last 10 years and take Ala- Our Pro Day took a third of the that he still is a quality player the development of younger (fourth round to Seattle) and bama out of the SEC, what’s the time it normally takes for that — why, oh, why didn’t Boston players and improve their draft Some of that was missing Hor- hybrid defensive back Tre Nor- SEC’s draft record? reason alone. I thought our guys make a deal to get Horford back status, the organization did not ford. wood (seventh round to Pitts- “The other thing that doesn’t were represented well in the with the Celtics? — and also had negotiate a buyout of Horford’s Marvin Johnson has been burgh). get talked about a whole lot is draft. a solid impact on the Thunder contract so he could sign on around awhile. Trae Young is in “And a lot of these guys, at just the number of teams we “Again, we’ve historically been culture. elsewhere, ala Blake Griffin or his third NBA season, his At- least up to this point, that have have in our conference versus represented well in the draft. 3-point shooting: B. Horford LaMarcus Aldridge. But Hor- lanta Hawks having put the New been drafted are still guys that some of these other Power 5 And that’s not going to change.” has a reputation as an excel- ford didn’t sulk or make waves. York Knickerbockers on the only had a limited amount of conferences. Just by sheer num- In ESPN’s rankings for the lent stretch-five — a center who He often appeared on the bench brink of elimination in the East- time with our new defensive bers, it is what it is.” 2022 draft, nine Sooners are consistently knock down out- and seemed to be mentoring. No ern Conference playoffs. staff and within this new sys- No one asked Riley about the ranked in the top 10 of their side shots, particularly the deep way could Horford have been We’ll see how Johnson fits.