Undersized and Underappreciated

BRIAN SOLOMON, El Reno Class: Senior Ht: 6-1 Wt: 220 Who he is: He is in his first year with El Reno after transferring from Ada, where he finished as the Class 4A runner up at 215 pounds a year ago. Why he is underappreciated: He has moved up a class and to a tradition-rich program. He is well known at 215 pounds and would be the favorite this year. But at the heavyweight division this year, he is one of many good wrestlers and will be outweighed by his opponents in nearly every match. Heavyweight can weigh as much as 275 pounds. He has started off well though, winning his first two tournaments. Solomon is also part of a program that is one of the best in the state and fighting for a tournament and dual state championship every year. He is one of many talented wrestlers with the Indians. Coach talk: "He knows he has a fight ahead of him at the heavyweight division. But he is ready for it. He is going to surprise some people. He doesn't back down from a challenge. That's the type of kid you want wrestling for your team." - El Reno coach Shane Head VICTOR DRIVER, Edmond Santa Fe Class: Senior Height: 5-8 Who he is: He is one of the three starting guards the Wolves use this season. Why he is underappreciated: Driver was a star last year -- at the junior varsity level. He averaged nearly 20 points a game, but had little playing time when on varsity. But this year he is much stronger after adding about 15 pounds of muscle to his small frame during the summer. "Little Vic" as he is known by his team, gets outshined by his other two backcourt mates, Nic Combs, who is one of the best guards in the state, and Michael Spinner. But Driver adds toughness and a good ball-handler. Coach talk: "He may be our most skilled player. He is so fundamentally sound. He is our best on-the-ball defender. He may have a future with the Harlem Globetrotters with the way he handles the ball. He can do all the And1 stuff, but at the same time he has good fundamentals. He does all the little things for us." - Santa Fe coach Shawn Schenk GREG MCPHERSON, Capitol Hill Class: Senior Height: 5-7 Who he is: He is the starting point guard for a state championship contender in Class 5A. He is a two-year starter for a team that made it to the state semifinals a year ago. Why he is underappreciated: Capitol Hill is known for producing some talented big men the last couple of years, so it's tough to recognize McPherson. He gets the team organized, though. On offense, he averaged nine points a game last year and scores in important situations. On defense, he gets one of the best defensive teams in the state set. Coach talk: "He does all the things a team needs to do to win, but may get unnoticed for it. He plays strong defense. He gets our offense going. He's really quick and a strong leader. He doesn't score a lot, but you can't win without a player like him." - Capitol Hill coach Don Tulley SASHA KING, Norman Class: Senior Height: 5-6 Who she is: She is a three-year starter for the Tigers, one of the best teams in Class 6A and made the state tournament the past four years. Why she is underappreciated: She doesn't look much like a basketball player, sporting the thick, black goggles and her short stature. That is until the game begins, then she is a terror. King doesn't get much attention because she does the little things for the talented Tigers. She is a player every coach loves and every team needs though - a scrappy, hard-nosed, defensive, non-stop hustling standout. She is all over the court, causing havoc. She leads the team in charges and assists. Coach talk: "She is so spunky and feisty. Her attitude is so contagious, she gets everybody going. She is our floor general. She gets everybody set up on offense and defense. She just doesn't stop fighting for the team." - Norman coach Matilda Mossman COURTNEY ALLEN, Harrah Class: Senior Height: 5-6 Who she is: She is the starting point guard for the fourth straight year for the Panthers, one of the best teams in Class 5A. Why she is underappreciated: Her older sister Taylor had a stellar career with Harrah from 2002-2005, so Courtney has always been known as Taylor's little sister. The Panthers have been known for their tough and talented, but unspectacular guards over the years. Courtney is no different. She foregoes individual numbers for team success at Harrah. It's not like she can't stand out though. She scored 30 points in a game once last year, led the team in assists and was named Suburban Conference Player of the Year, a rarity for an award usually given to a senior. Coach talk: "She is a hard-nosed type of kid, a well rounded player. She does whatever the team needs, so she is all about the team aspect. What people are realizing is she is a really good shooter, too." - Harrah coach Curt Knox