Eisenhower’s RJ Fisher finds his path to the rim blocked by Coweta’s Wheeler Chandler during Thursday’s quarterfinal game at the Class 5A State Tournament at ORU’s Mabee Center.
TULSA — The high school basketball season has come to a close, and what a ride it was.
Three city teams — two from Eisenhower and one from MacArthur — competed against some of Class 5A’s top competitors in the state tournament, and though none hoisted the Gold Ball, they provided some interesting matchups and storylines along the way.
Let’s get the most publicized story out of the way first — RJ Fisher.
After throwing down what some consider the dunk of the year over Coweta’s 6-foot-7 post man Andrew Keathley, the Eisenhower senior received two technical fouls, ejecting him from the game and disqualifying him from the Eagles’ semifinal battle with No. 1 Tulsa Memorial.
The decision brought a storm of criticism with it, as many people took to social media platforms in protest. The hashtag ‘#FreeRJ’ circulated around Twitter as many Ike supporters bashed the OSSAA and the official who took Fisher’s, and possibly Ike’s, fate into his own hands.
If you haven’t seen footage of the incident, you can check out the video on our photographer Gerardo Bello’s Instagram profile, @gerardobellophoto.
Some called it a terrible call. Others said the ref should have his right to officiate basketball stripped.
Although I don’t think one mistake warrants someone losing their job, these angry comments are understandable. After all, it did take one of the best players in the state out of the mix, compromising the 5A boys tournament in the process.
To put it simply, the games at that stage should be played among the best players on each team, not one less.
I sent the video to a trusted former OSSAA official I know personally, and here was his assessment of the situation:
“Personally, it wasn’t worthy of two technicals. The initial reaction didn’t warrant the tech, and I think the guy from the other team initiated the contact with him that got him the second one.”
Memorial went on the beat Ike in the semifinals and claim its second-straight state title the next day, but one question will always be there to delegitimize the Chargers’ feat. What if Fisher played?
Yes, Memorial cruised to a 29-point win over the short-handed Eagles. Fisher probably wouldn’t have scored 30 points to make up the difference, but his role and impact on the team goes beyond the box score.
Fisher is the undeniable leader of the squad, and he makes everyone around him better with the swagger and confidence he carries onto the court. These traits were visible during football season as well, playing a part in earning him a Division I college football scholarship from Air Force.
To be cliché, he is straw that stirs Ike’s drink. He is the floor general — the player Eagles coach Todd Millwee relies on to guide the team on both sides of the court. Had he been with his teammates on the court Friday night, the outcome very well could’ve been different.
But we will never know, and therein lies the problem.
To have him taken away less than 24 hours before the semifinals was devastating, and it showed on the court. Ike wasn’t the same without him.
Regardless of whether the call made on Thursday night was correct, there is no denying it served as a major disservice to every team, competitor and fan at the Mabee Center on Oral Robert University’s campus in Tulsa.
What was supposed to be a legendary matchup between two of the top programs in the state, whose previous two encounters were decided by a combined 13 points, turned into the exact opposite in the matter of about 30 seconds.
That can’t happen. Someone needs to be held accountable, but even if a reprimand is given, the damage is already done. The Eagles had the tools to win a championship but didn’t have the chance to utilize them all because of poor judgement from someone we entrust to properly uphold the rules of high school athletics.
Now, a dangerous precedent has been set.
“Don’t play with passion and emotion, you’ll miss the semifinals of State,” Fisher said via Twitter the night of his ejection.
Ike, Mac girls leading basketball revival
The renaissance of girls basketball in Lawton is underway.
In fact, it has been going for some time now. Quietly and effectively, the Ike and MacArthur girls have risen to prominence in Class 5A.
It started last season with the Lady Eagles shocking the state with their first state tournament berth since 2003. They followed that up this year with a 14-win regular season, worthy of a No. 1 ranking, making consecutive state appearances for the first time since 1984 and 1985.
Even The Oklahoman took notice, with prep writer Jacob Unruh picking Ike to take home the Gold Ball in his pre-tournament coverage.
“The gold ball is anyone’s in this bracket, but Lawton Eisenhower has the best size and athleticism in the field, plus the experience of a tough schedule,” Unruh wrote.
The Lady Eagles fell to eventual champion Booker T Washington in the first round, but they certainly have the state’s attention moving forward. That’s pretty impressive for a program that wasn’t considered elite only three years ago.
Mac joined the party as well this year, ending an eight-year absence from the dance under a first-year coach in David Vann, no less.
“Nobody knows anything about MacArthur.”
Vann said it many times throughout the season, and he was right. The last time the Lady Highlanders were in the state tournament field, freshmen starters McKenzie Washington (pictured above) and Tamera Thomas were in first grade.
Mac finished the season ranked No. 7 with a 17-9 record that included two wins versus Top 10 teams.
The young squad, which started only one senior alongside two freshmen and a sophomore, played Ike to within 10 points twice in two of three meetings. It nearly knocked off No. 2 Woodward in an instant classic during the Area tournament.
The Lady Highlanders were upset by Coweta in the first round of the state tournament, but that doesn’t take away from the accomplishments achieved. The seeds are sown for success well into the future, so don’t be surprised if Mac becomes a regular at state in the next few years.
This weekend also marked the first time since 2003 both Mac and Ike made the tournament in the same season, and with Ike moving down from 6A in the past five years, 2018 was the first time the programs have ever participated in the same bracket.
With all of that in mind, the past two seasons have been history in the making for girls basketball in Lawton.
Buckle up, the girls basketball renaissance is rolling along, and it doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon.