SEQUOYAH TAHLEQUAH
“Optimistic” would be the word that describes the outlook that both the Sequoyah Tahlequah Indians and Lady Indians have as they approach the 2025 basketball season.
For the guys of coach Zac Briscoe, they began turning the corner on success last year with a winning season at 14-12 after several years in the losing column.
“We return four starters and seven of our top eight players from last season so we’re feeling pretty good about things,” said Briscoe. “We have the talent and overall skills to have a great season, but we still have to go out on the court and prove it. We hope the experience we gained and the momentum we created last year will carry over to this season.”
Leading the way for the Indians is Aiden Hooper (6-0, Jr.) who averaged 20 points a game last year including 49 in a game against Wagoner.
“Aiden is one of the most talented offensive players in the state who has scored over 1000 points in his first two years of high school basketball,” said Briscoe unequivocally.
Other returning starters include Malakhi Baccus and Talon Vaughn (6-2, Sr.) who both averaged around 11 points per game and Logan Taulbee (6-2, Sr.) who averaged just over six points a game. Other major contributors among the upperclassmen will be Aidan Cochran (6-2, Sr.), Nelson Leach (5-10, Jr.), Hanley Eusebio (5-7, Jr.) and Kaiden Cochran (6-1, Jr.). Underclassmen will also be looking to score points and playing time starting with Azavian Duke ((6-4, Fr.).
“Azavian had a great summer when he was brought up to play with the varsity and has continued to develop this fall,” said Briscoe. Other youngsters looking to leap ahead include Braylon Johnson (5-9, So.), Eli Vance (5-11, Fr.), Cam Minor (6-1, Fr.), and Kenna Little (5-10, Fr.)
The Lady Indians come off a season that saw them make it to the Class 3A state finals and they return 10 of their top 11 players including three VYPE TOP 100 players in Prairie Holmes (5-10, Sr.), Brenlyi Lamb (5-7, So.) and Juliana “JuJu” Davenport (5-9, So.).
“Prairie is the leader on the floor and leads most of our stat and is super important to us,” said head coach Justin Brown. “Brenlyi is a great scorer with a lot of natural ability who played well at state and JuJu is a high energy motivator who has real nose for the ball.”
The Lady Indians will have a lot of depth with seniors Allya Freeman, Layney Smith, Amanda Pebeahsy, Melyssa Williams, Tylee Ford and Emma Culie along with juniors Tessa Trammel, Abby Wyatt, Macy Brown, Kenzi Fourkiller and Kya Poafpybitty. More help is available from sophomores Jayden Travis, Kashyah Tehee and freshman Kobey Kirk.
