Thursday, November 13, 2014

Booker Can Score in Many Ways

See Frank's Full OU Bio at this Link
With a year of Big 12 basketball behind him, Augusta's Frank Booker (Westside HS) looks poised to make a significant impact this season for ESPN's #19 ranked team, the Oklahoma Sooners.  As a freshman, Booker scored 5 ppg and grabbed 1.5 rpg while playing 14 mpg for the NCAA tournament bound Sooners.


Frank has always been fun to watch play.  He was the first player outside of my old high school team featured at the old blog.  He scorched the nets at Westside for 4 years.  And I predict anyone expecting Frank to be only a designated shooter this season will be mistaken.  Although his two made field goals were both from deep in the team's first exhibition win over Washburn College, Frank looked at home playing all phases of the game.  In the first half alone, he blew past his defender twice, drawing a foul and getting a good shot in the paint the other time.  He nearly tapped in an offensive putback in traffic.  And he blocked a shot and took a charge on defense.


*Side Note:  the Sooner announcing crew informed us during the broadcast that Frank's teammates voted him the "team's best singer (who knew?) and the sideline reporter informed us Frank has lost 20 pounds during the off-season and he now weighs 193.  (I'm going to say the reporter was mistaken because if Frank played at 213 pounds last season that would shock me!)*




But let's get back to Frank's play during the exhibition season.  After a good all around first game when the many of his shots didn't fall, Frank got things going in a big way versus Southwest Oklahoma State Tuesday.  Booker scored 15 points in 15 minutes, making 3 threes and 3 twos and leading the team in scoring along with guard Isaiah Cousins.


So after having a major impact, mostly as a three point marksman (making two or more threes in 13 games and making 42 three point field goals to 7 two point field goals during the season) on an NCAA tournament team, Booker looks ready to do what comes as natural to him as shooting... scoring!

And he'll fit right in as he is surrounded by dangerous perimeter players.  6'5" guard Buddy Hield was described by ESPN's Fran Fraschilla as a possible NBA lottery pick.  And fellow guards Cousins, Jordan Woodard, and Dinjiyl Walker can all make things happen on the perimeter.  This should be an exciting team to watch.  All the more so because our hometown boy will be a big part of its success.

Watch Frank's teammates play in the video below:




***Here are some related posts from the past about Frank***

Nov 12, 2014
OU Basketball:  Sooners Roll Over SWOSU
by Ryan Aber of OKNews

Feb 28, 2013
Flashback Post - Booker Explodes in Final Home Region Game

Dec 10, 2012
Westside's Impressive Road Win

May 23, 2012
Avery and Booker Instructors of Summer's First Camp

Feb 20, 2012
Westside vs Josey: 2012 Region Championship Game

Feb 4, 2012
Flashback Post: Aquinas vs Westside (2012)


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