2027 Sooner State Standouts at Session 5: Norman

Session 5 in Norman, OK brought the energy, passion, competition, and skill. Each guy on the floor was ready to go to work and claim what is theirs. I saw an abundance of standouts from each class. As a native of Oklahoma and a journalist for high school hoops here in the area, I already had previous knowledge of which Oklahoma hoopers would perform this weekend. To recognize them all, I will start out with the soon to be seniors of the 2027 class.

Jasper Chaves | 6'4 | G/F | Oklahoma Chaos 17u | Southmoore

Jasper had an outstanding weekend overall. At 6'4, he mostly controls the perimter but with an undersized team, he stepped up to patrol the paint as well. He soared up for countless boards, blocks, and bumps. He absorbs contact well and finishes strong. He has a great eye for hawking the ball down on the fly as well as getting down the lane. His soft touch off the glass benefited him well. He's also able to hit shots from different ranges.

Marcus Lee II | 6'0 | PG | Pro Vision 17u | Millwood

Goodness gracious this dude was unstoppable this weekend. Lee averaged a whopping 25.5 points a game. 6'0 point guard that runs the floor with insane court vision. Electric feet that allow him to read his opponents for easy steals. Moves swiftly and smoothly down the floor in transition where he does not fail to create a scoring opportunity for himself or his guys. He averaged 4 assists a game too, highlighting his ability to dish out dimes. Not only did he impact the game with the rock in his hands, he was a menace on defense as he averaged almost 5 steals a game. Dude was cooking out there.

Mekhi Thomas | 6'2 | G | Oklahoma Chaos 17u | Putnam City North

Mekhi really balled out this weekend. He put the team on his back in game 3 against a very tough Team Oklahoma group. He showcased his ability to make a difference at all spots on the perimter as well as a threat in the paint. Outside, he carries the tendency to be a slasher that can drive in with control but also pull up from different ranges to knock down the contested shot. He knows how to create seperation from defenders to create opportunities for him or his guys. Excelled at finding his groove early and preventing any loss of possession.

Kolson Smedley | 6'5 | G | Oklahoma Chaos 17u | Guthrie

Kolson is a difficult guy to gameplan against. He's a 6'5 wing who is a sharpshooter that heats up quickly. He uses his length to his advantage to finish over defenders with ease. Pure shot that connects repeatedly. Also brings a nice dunk package which he is not afraid to showoff. Had a clean baseline drive where he got around the opponent, then got up for a nasty one-hand slam at the rim.

Edan Litherland | 6'3 | G | Team Oklahoma 17u | McLoud

Edan made it known that it's very difficult to prevent him from getting to the rim and his spots across the floor. He's a built 6'3 guard with high strength that allows him to basically bully his way down the court. Lengthy arms make it easy for him to shoot over defenders, extend out to intercept passing lanes, and snatch loose boards.

Aaron Hill | 6'7 | F | Team Oklahoma 17u | Leedey

I was highly impressed with Aaron this weekend. Coming from Leedey, a B2 school, the smallest class in the state, Hill showed he can compete with the top dawgs in his age group. His 6'7 frame created a mismatch easily as he can work in the paint but also pop outside the perimter to hit a tough shot from distance. He has a great bag of moves down low, especially gifted by his hesitations or spin moves. Strong frame that stays solid through contact. Was a major piece down low for his squad.

Austin Johnson | 6'5 | G | Team Griffin 17u | Carl Albert

I was in shock when I witnessed Austin's absolutely disgusting one-hand slam over a defender this weekend. Dude can get up and throw it down. That's just a fraction of what Johnson brings to the table. He's a great shooter from beyond the arc but can put his shoulder down to get to the basket. It's hard to stop this kid from doing what he wants against a defense. Highly athletic wing who competes all the time. Does a great job of providing for his guys with precise passes in high pressure moments.

Nate Jones | 6'8 | F | YPG 17u | Millwood

Nate Jones was a name heard a lot this weekend. Although he's actually rostered on the Legynds 17u EYCL squad, he picked up with Kendrick Perkins' team to help carry them to a 4-0 record. I first caught glimpses of Jones at the Super Prep Showcase last month where he showed out running the floor and hammering the ball down at the rim. Sure enough, he did the exact thing again here in Norman. He caught several lobs where he used his athletic wingspan to poster it on his defender. They didn't stand a chance. Jones has the ability to make a difference on both sides of the ball. He brings intense pressure, competitiveness, and momentum to any group he runs with.