June 19, 2021 Issue, Page 4 of 12

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4 June 19, 2021 Sports Berry Tramel: Tramel’s ScissorTales: OU, Texas Tech, Texas & KU in wild Big 12 basketball transfer portal Berry Tramel, The Oklaho- Probably a net loss of tal- season at Vanderbilt, Allen av- Net: Big plus. The Cowboys Lafayette in 2003 and 2008, De- meet the stringent academic man ent. Harmon and Manek were eraged 15.6 points over three retain most of their roster from Paul 2005 and 2007, and Hawaii standards. The dirty secret in prime-time players, Williams years at Utah and Bishop aver- the NCAA Tournament team, in 2010. NCAA football, is that more OSU basketball is an outlier and Kuath had their moments, aged 11.0 at Creighton. Askew Cade Cunningham being the no- In the 10 seasons before that, Black players had a chance to in the crazy off-season of 2021. and Phipps and Iwuakor were was a big-time recruit at Ken- table exception. Thompson was 28 mid-majors made the WCWS, excel when academic standards The Cowboys have a relatively promising young players. But tucky who averaged 28.9 min- one of the nation’s top recruits and Fresno State won the cham- were relaxed almost everywhere. stable roster. new coach Porter Moser brought utes last season. And Benson a year ago, and while neither pionship in 1998. That’s 28 out “So what about eligibility? A That is not the norm. in the Groves brothers, the dar- was a Beard favorite at Texas Smith nor Newton were big-im- of 80 slots, 35 percent. primary reason that the 1949 The NCAA transfer portal, lings of the NCAA Tournament, Tech, where Benson was a de- pact players, Smith is an athletic We know what happened. OU team (and many other teams coupled with the new rule that plus a Duke point guard in Gold- fensive specialist. All without a big man and Newton is a perim- Around the turn of the century, of their era) were good, was allows one-time immediate eli- wire. Chargois should play a mass exodus. eter shooter, and both were at schools in the South, particular- that they were older. It wasn’t gibility for transfers, has created ton on the inside, and Johnson 6. Iowa State high-achieving programs. ly the Southeastern Conference unusual to see 23-, 24- and a free-agent frenzy in college brings much-needed athletic Coming in: Izaiah Brock- 10. Baylor but also the Atlantic Coast Con- 25-year-olds on the field (and I hoops. ability. ington, 6-4, r-jr., Penn State; Coming in: James Akinjo, 6-4, ference, began adding softball believe Darrell Royal and maybe It’s hard to keep up. The trans- 3. TCU Tristan Enaruna, 6-8, so., Kan- jr., Arizona; Dale Bonner, 6-3, and/or investing heavily in it. Stan West were 26). Teams of fers have slowed — the grace Coming in: Damion Baugh, sas; Caleb Grill, 6-3, so, Nevada- r-so., Fairmont State. Now the SEC is a softball pow- the modern era have had the ad- period ends June 30 — but still 6-3, so., Memphis; Micah Peavy, Las Vegas; Robert Jones, 6-10, Going out: Tristan Clark, erhouse. vantage of the redshirt, or fifth occur. Just a few days ago, Texas 6-7, fr., Texas Tech; Maxwell Ev- so., Denver; Gabe Kalscheur, SMU. Additionally, the softball se- year of eligibility, an advantage Tech got star forward Bryson ans, 6-2, sr., Vanderbilt; Cashius 6-4, jr., Minnesota; Aljaz Kunc, Net: When you win the NCAA lection committee began seed- not available until the 1960s Williams from Texas-El Paso. So McNeilly, 6-4, so., Texas A&M; 6-8, jr., Washington State. championship with three NBA- ing teams less on geography, (and the medical redshirt still movement hasn’t stopped. Emanuel Miller, 6-7, so., Texas Going out: Rasir Bolton, Gon- bound guards like Jared But- so there were fewer Northeast counted against the athlete even The Big 12 is divided into two A&M; Xavier Cork, 6-9, so., zaga; Jalen Coleman-Lands, ler, Davion Mitchell and MaCio representatives with a fighting then). So should we say that say, camps. OSU joins Baylor, Kan- Western Carolina; Shahada Kansas; Tyler Harris, Memphis; Teague, the transfer portal is not chance. Massachusetts made an average Barry Switzer club of sas State and West Virginia with Wells, 6-0, jr., Texas-Arlington. Dudley Blackwell; Nate Schus- quite as big of news. But Scott the WCWS in 1992, 1997 and the early 1980s was better than relatively stable rosters. Not Going out: Jaedon LeDee, ter; Nate Jenkins, Wisconsin- Drew has been collecting tal- 1998. Princeton made it in 1995 the 1955 or 1956 Sooners? much different than in the days San Diego State; Kevin Samuell Green Bay; Darlinstone Dubar, ent. Akinjo will help a ton — he and 1996. Connecticut in 1993. “Do we look at age and race as before free agency. Jr.; Taryn Todd, New Mexico; Hofstra. averaged 15.6 points at Arizona Baseball similarly has joined a measure of greatness among But OU, Tech, Texas Chris- Diante Smith, South Alabama; Net: Big loss. New coach T.J. — and Bonner averaged 21.2 at the arms race, but the mid-ma- today’s teams? For instance, tian, Kansas, Iowa State and Terren Frank, Vanderbilt; Dylan Otzelberger brought in some Division II Fairmont State. jor baseball conferences have some observers would no doubt Texas have new-look teams. Arnette, Western New Mexico; players — Brockington aver- James Madison and star hung in better. Heck, four of the rank Bob Fenimore much lower Here’s an update on each bas- Kevin Easley Jr., Duquesne; aged 12.6 points at Penn State, pitcher Odicci Alexander made last 17 CWS champions have among the running backs at ketball roster in the Big 12, as Mickey Pearson Jr., Ball State. Kalschuer averaged 10.4 at Min- a stirring run to the Women’s come outside the power con- OSU, yet there he is, at the top it pertains to the comings and Net: Another extreme make- nesota, Grill averaged 9.1 at College World Series semifinals. ferences — Coastal Carolina in of those lists. goings of transfers, ranked by over. And Jamie Dixon clearly UNLV and Jones averaged 9.1 at They were the hit of the NCAA 2016, Fresno State in 2008, Cal “To me, you leave the social overhaul. brought in some talent. Miller Denver. Also, Kunc played a lot softball championships, which State-Fullerton in 2004 and Rice elements of any era out of the 1. Texas Tech averaged 16.2 points at A&M. at Washington State. But Bolton concluded last week with a in 2003. equation and measure them Coming in: Bryson Williams, Wells averaged 16.8 points at is a star, and Coleman-Lands Sooner national title. Still, it’s getting more and against the competition they 6-8, r-sr., Texas-El Paso; Sadaar UTA. Cork averaged 12.7 at was a scorer. When Gonzaga Now it’s baseball’s turn for more difficult for the little guy faced at the time. Goodness gra- Calhoun, 6-6, jr., Florida State; Western Carolina. Evans aver- and Kansas get your players, you center stage, and there are no to compete in NCAA baseball. cious; the 1949 Sooners were Davion Warren, 6-6, sr., Hamp- aged 8.5 at Vanderbilt. Baugh know you’ve lost some talent. James Madisons in the bracket. And it’s even worse for the little the measure of greatness for ton; Mylik Wilson, 6-3, so., Lou- at Memphis and Peavy at Tech 7. Kansas State Texas, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, gal in NCAA softball. many years at Oklahoma.” isiana-Lafayette; Daniel Batcho, each played about 20 minutes Coming in: Markquis Nowell, Mississippi State, Stanford, Ari- In my recent ranking of the Tramel: It’s a fascinating de- fr., 6-11, Arizona; Adonis Arms, per game. 5-7, jr., Arkansas-Little Rock; zona, North Carolina State and best OU football teams not to bate. But to answer the initial r-sr., Winthrop. 4. Kansas Ismael Massoud, 6-8, so., Wake Virginia comprise the field. win a national championship, question, lists such as these Going out: Avery Benson, Tex- Coming in: Cam Martin, 6-9, Forest; Mark Smith, 6-5, sr., The last hope for a mid-major I didn’t put the 1949 Sooners require a racial quota when we as; Nimari Burnett, Alabama; sr., Missouri Southern; Remy Missouri. Cinderella was Dallas Baptist, high. My reasoning: segregation remember that football in 1949 Jamarius Burton, Pittsburgh; Martin, 6-3, sr., Arizona State; Going out: Antonio Gordon, which lost to Virginia on Mon- days. Some took exception. in much of America, including Vladislav Goldin; Kyler Edwards, Joseph Yesufu, 6-0, so, Drake; Southeastern Louisiana; Rudi day in Game 3 of their Super Re- Don: “Whoa, there, Brother in Oklahoma, required a racial Houston; Joel Ntabwe, Florida Jalen Coleman-Lands, 6-4, r-sr., Williams, Coastal Carolina; Da- gional series. Berry! Oklahoma’s 1949 foot- quote. The maximum number Atlantic; Micah Peavy, TCU; Iowa State. Juan Gordon, Missouri; Joe Pe- The James Madison/Dallas ball team should not be ranked of African-American players al- Tyreek Smith, Oklahoma State. Going out: Tristan Enaruna, trakis. Baptist fates got me to thinking. as high among the nation’s top lowed was zero. Net: When players started Iowa State; Silvia de Sousa; Lit- Net: Bruce Weber brought in Which sport has the more pari- 50 non-champions? Because As far as academic standards, bolting after Chris Beard’s exo- trell Jossell, Stephen F. Austin; three good players. Nowell aver- ty, particularly for teams outside they did not have Blacks on their we had segregated and inferior dus to Texas, you felt sorry for Tyon Grant-Foster, DePaul; Ge- aged 14.3 points at UALR, Smith the bright lights of the Power 5 teams? Since when do lists such public schools for minorities, the Red Raiders. But new coach thro Muscadin, New Mexico; averaged 10.3 for Missouri (and conferences, which use football as this require a racial quota? I then we used certain academic Mark Adams made a quick re- Bryce Thompson, Oklahoma scored 11 vs. OU in the NCAA money to generate top-flight fa- recall several Michigan State requirements to keep them out covery. Williams averaged 15.1 State. Tournament), and Massoud av- cilities and recruiting budgets? teams with multiple Black play- of universities. I don’t see how points and 7.4 rebounds last Net: Big plus. Bill Self brought eraged 8.3 for Wake. And the answer clearly is ers during the segregation era. that improves the case for the season at UTEP. Warren av- in four players who were double- 8. West Virginia baseball. Duffy Daugherty’s teams were 1949 Sooners. eraged 21.2 points a game at digit scorers last season. Remy Coming in: Dimon Carrigan, In the last 10 years, champi- good but were not great. Ohio And yes, some schools in 1949 Hampton. Wilson averaged 12.9 Martin is an all-Pac-12 guard. 6-9, sr., Florida International; onships from 2011-21 (there State also had some great Black were integrated. But OU didn’t points a game at ULL. Arms Coleman-Lands averaged 14.3 Pauly Paulicap, 6-8, r-sr., De- were no 2020 tournaments), the players when OU was the domi- play many of them. OU’s big- averaged 10.5 points a game at points a game at Iowa State. Paul; Malik Curry, 6-1, sr., Old College World Series in Omaha nant team of the 1950. gest rivals, Texas and Oklahoma Winthrop. The Red Raiders will Yesufu averaged 12.8 points at Dominion. has welcomed seven mid-ma- “Matter of fact, there really A&M, had no African-American be fine. Drake. Cam Martin, from Yu- Going out: Emmitt Matthews jors. Cal State-Fullerton in 2017 weren’t as many great Black players. And OU’s bowl games 2. Oklahoma kon, is the all-time leading scor- Jr., Washington; Jordan Mc- and 2015, Coastal Carolina players to recruit as one would usually were against southern Coming in: Tanner Groves, er at Division II Missouri South- Cabe, Nevada-Las Vegas. in 2016, Cal-Santa Barbara in think, even should there have schools — let’s see, North Car- r-jr., 6-9, Eastern Washington; ern. Big infusion of talent. Net: Positive, although the 2016, Cal-Irvine in 2014, Kent been no segregation. HBCU olina State 1947, North Caro- Jacob Groves, so., 6-7, Eastern 5. Texas likely loss of Miles McBride to State in 2012 and Stony Brook teams improved as college atten- lina 1948, LSU 1949, Kentucky Washington; Jordan Goldwire, Coming in: Dylan Disu, 6-9, the NBA Draft and the for-sure in 2012. dance among Blacks improved. 1950, Maryland 1953, Mary- sr., 6-2, Duke; Ethan Chargois, so., Vanderbilt; Timmy Allen, loss of Derek Culver to the pros Coastal Carolina even won the Grambling was an outlier for land 1955, Duke 1957. That gets 6-9, sr., Southern Methodist; 6-6, jr., Utah; Devin Askew, 6-3, will hurt more. Curry averaged championship in 2016. years among Black football pro- us to Gautt’s barrier-breaking Marvin Johnson, 6-6, sr., East- fr., Kentucky; Christian Bishop, 14.3 points a game at ODU, and There has been no such suc- grams. Even the great Prentice year of ‘57. ern Illinois. 6-7, jr., Creighton; Avery Ben- Carrigan and Paulicap were key cess in the Women’s College Gautt couldn’t start at OU un- For many years, we just Going out: De’Vion Harmon, son, 6-4, r-jr., Texas Tech. contributors. But all three in- World Series. The only mid-ma- til his junior season in 1958. shrugged on things like baseball Oregon; Brady Manek, North Going out: Royce Hamm Jr., coming transfers are seniors, jors the last 10 years were James Even though Prentice had one history and college football his- Carolina; Victor Iwuakor, Ne- Nevada-Las Vegas; Kameka meaning Bob Huggins will face Madison, Louisiana-Lafayette in of the greatest runs I ever saw tory and didn’t consider race. vada-Las Vegas; Alondes Wil- Hepa, Hawaii; Gerald Liddell, another major rebuilding job. 2014 and South Florida in 2012. on Owen Field, he was not the But we did consider the war. liams, Wake Forest; Kur Kuath, Alabama State; Will Baker, Ne- 9. Oklahoma State ULL and USF did not win a game dominant running back as had Awards and honors and suc- Marquette; Trey Phipps, Oral vada; Donovan Williams, Ne- Coming in: Woody Newton, in Oklahoma City. been Tommy McDonald, Leon cesses in baseball during World Roberts; Josh O’Garro, San Jose vada-Las Vegas. 6-8, fr., Syracuse; Tyreek Smith, And access to the WCWS is Heath; and especially Clendon War II largely have been pushed State; Anyang Garang, Mary- Net: Another big bonanza. 6-7, r-fr., Texas Tech; Bryce getting worse, not better, for Thomas. aside, because we know it was land-Baltimore County; Rick Is- New coach Chris Beard brought Thompson, 6-5, fr., Kansas. mid-majors. In the 10 seasons “How about some of Notre an inferior product. Some of the sanza. in three double-digit scorers — Going out: Ferron Flavors Jr., from 2001-10, five mid-majors Dame’s great teams? Not many best players were gone. Net: Interesting makeover. Disu averaged 15.0 points last Robert Morris. made the Series — Louisiana- Blacks. Why? They couldn’t Same with college football. Oklahoma State basketball: Outlaws' summer softball league to Bryce Williams will return to return in 2021 Andy Morphew, The Dun- two will have their first games Bronchos will play at 8 p.m. Cowboys for extra season can Banner on June 22. The first team in ac- tion will be Empire. June 21 on the West Field against Lindsay. One of the biggest summer Empire will start on the west softball leagues to prepare field at 4 p.m. June 21 against Bray-Doyle and Comanche Jacob Unruh, The Oklaho- He averaged 7.3 points and alongside break-out star Av- for the upcoming season will Elgin. will appear as the final teams man started 19 of his final 21 games. ery Anderson III. Former Tulsa makes its return after a year off The next two teams will begin Williams brought energy. He due to COVID-19 as the Out- at 5:20 p.m. in the second game making their summer league Booker T. Washington five-star STILLWATER — Bryce Wil- had high-light blocks of bigger laws prepare to host their sum- session of the day. debut on day two of action as guard Bryce Thompson trans- liams is officially back with players. He also had breakaway mer softball league in 2021. The Duncan Lady Demons ferred from Kansas. Rondel they will play the early games to Oklahoma State. dunks in the closing seconds in Over a span of five weeks will have their first game The OSU men’s basketball wins over Texas Tech and Kan- Walker — who often paired beginning in late June and last- against Empire, who will play begin their preparation for the team announced Monday night sas. with Williams to form a stifling ing until the first official week back-to-back games and will be 2021 season. that the senior guard will return But it was never a given that defensive duo — also returns. of the 2021 regular season, 20 on the east field beginning at The Lady Donkeys will play at for his extra year of eligibil- he would return this season. Keylan Boone also finished the teams will play. 5:20 p.m. June 21. ity, giving the Cowboys a strong Williams was open in season All seven Stephens County The Velma-Alma Lady Com- 4 p.m. June 22 against the Alex season strong. boost in an already talented about his distaste for school. He schools received invitations ets will have their first game at Lady Longhorns while Coman- Plus, the Cowboys could get backcourt. continued to work out with the this year with most teams play- 5:20 p.m. June 21 on the West back Chris Harris Jr. and Dono- che will begin their prep at 5:20 Williams transferred to OSU team in the spring, though. He ing two games on one day with Field as they face Ninnekah to from Ole Miss last season and also reported to campus more van Williams from knee injuries. the host Marlow Lady Outlaws open up the summer league for p.m. June 22 against the Bray- instantly became a high-impact than a week ago to begin sum- OSU still has one scholarship playing four games each week. their team. Doyle Lady Donkeys. player with his athleticism on mer workouts, but he had yet to available. Even with the addi- Games will begin at 4 p.m. Host Marlow and Central June 21 and will include two High will appear as the final If rainouts occur, they will try both ends of the floor. decide about his future. tion of forwards Tyreek Smith He was third on the team Now, the Cowboys have a fields playing each session with teams to make their debut on to makeup games on Wednes- of Texas Tech and Woody New- with 54 assists, 28 steals and 19 loaded backcourt despite the de- the final games taking place at day one as the Lady Outlaws days and Thursdays of each blocks. He was also second on parture of superstar Cade Cun- ton of Syracuse, the Cowboys re- 9:15 p.m. each night. will play at 8 p.m. June 21 on the team with 34 made 3-point- ningham. main in the hunt for a rim pro- Five of the area teams will the East Field against Walters week unless the teams agree to ers. Leader Isaac Likekele returns tector to fill the open spot. begin on June 21 and the other while the Central High Lady not play those games.