Class 2A boys basketball: Dale, Pocola advance to state championship game

The 2024 Class 2A boys basketball state semifinals were held Friday evening at State Fair Arena. Here's a look at what happened:

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Pocola 49, Hooker 38

Garrett Scott remembers when basketball was an afterthought in Pocola.

The 6-foot-3 senior was in the eighth grade when the Indians finished their 2020 season with a 2-22 record. He often pictured a world where things were different. A world in which Pocola was one of the state's elite powers on the hardwood.

But in 2024, Scott's adolescent dream has become a reality.

"I remember when it used to never be like this," Scott said as he looked into a sea of Pocola fans following a 49-38 win over Hooker in the state semifinals.

"We didn't ever really have fans, it felt like. But now we do, and I've always thought about the community. I just try to feed back to them how they feed into us, and we go out, play at a high level, and do our thing."

Scott scored 18 points to help send Pocola to a state championship matchup with two-time reigning 2A champion Dale on Saturday. The Indians outscored Hooker in three quarters and sparked a 19-3 second-quarter run which the Bulldogs were never able to fully respond to.

Although Pocola's dominance in basketball seemed to transform overnight, it didn't happen by pure luck.

Derek Barlow took over the reins as head coach of Pocola in the 2020-21 season. The Indians finished 13-10 that year and won two games in the regional playoffs for the first time in over a decade.

Barlow had only a few years of coaching experience when he took the position. Before serving as a girls' coach at Sallisaw, he practiced law in the area for 13 years.

But when the time came to suit up on the sidelines at Pocola, Barlow knew it'd be a work in progress.

"They got rid of elementary basketball a number of years ago in Pocola because it was just too much of a hassle," Barlow said. "So when I got there, we had sixth graders who had never played basketball.

We still have a long way to go to make basketball a more significant part of the culture. But when you see talented guys like Garrett and Dakotah Terrell work to become who they are now, how can you not be excited about our future here?"

Now in his fourth year as head coach, Barlow has led Pocola to its first-ever state championship appearance. The second-ranked Indians are 28-1 and unbeaten against 2A competition in 2024.

Barlow has wholly revitalized the program to a 90-21 record in his tenure at the school, which is 195 miles east of Oklahoma City. A state championship would all but solidify his journey as worthwhile in his eyes.

"We're not afraid of anybody," Barlow said. "I've learned that if you take that mentality to the kids and say we're going to outwork everybody, good things will come if you trust that process. And it's worked wonders leading us all the way here so far."

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Dale 67, Hennessey 44

Dale is well-informed that teams will play at their best whenever they face off against them.

Hennessey displayed that notion early in Friday's state semifinal contest with the Pirates. Dale trailed by five points heading into the second period.

However, OU commit Dayton Forsythe didn't seem concerned by the deficit as he emerged from the huddle.

"Our defense was poor in the first quarter, and we knew that at the time," Forsythe said after the Pirates' 67-44 victory over Hennessey on Friday.

"Once we bound together and identified that we had to play with more effort on that side of the ball, our offense started rolling, too. Those two things always go hand-in-hand in basketball."

Forsythe was a force in the semifinal victory, leading all scorers with 22 points while grabbing nine boards off the glass.

Dale erupted on a 15-2 run in the second quarter, outscoring Hennessey 21-8. The Pirates then came out of the halftime break and added a 10-point margin, thanks to help from big man Trayden Chambers, who finished with 11.

Relentless attacks at the rim led to 20 free throw attempts for Dale, who made 18 of them en route to victory.

"We're on a mission, and we're really focused on holding that gold ball in the end," Pirates head coach Jeff Edmonson said. We had to play well on Wednesday to even get here in the first place. It's been a blast coaching these kids."

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Since the start of the 2023-24 school year, Forsythe and co. have been driven to play at the big house again. They grew obsessed with the fairground floors and the bright lights centering the hardwood.

A potential win on Saturday would make Dale the fourth 2A team in Oklahoma high school basketball history to win three consecutive state titles. The idea of a 3-peat has eaten away at Forsythe since last March.

To win another title in his final high school game would be a dream for the senior.

"This season has been super special, man," Forsythe said. I've grown up loving basketball in this town, and now I'm getting to do it in front of my whole family and the whole community. It's something I'll cherish heading into tomorrow."

Jordan Davis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jordan? He can be reached at jdavis@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jdavis34_. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Jordan’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.