Andy Urban  
Oklahoma State Director
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In a desire to best cover high school baseball in the state, PBR Oklahoma will be on the road this winter stopping by the practices and gathering information from teams around the state, highlighting top performers and difference makers for each club. Today, PBR Oklahoma will take an in-deep look at the 2017 Durant Lions.

Team: Durant 
Nickname: Lions
Class: 5A
Head Coach: Ron Moore
Years as head coach at school: 2nd
2016 Overall Record: 11-24
2016 Post­ Season Finish: Reginal Semi-Finals 
Preseason Ranking: Will be updated upon release 

Players to watch
Dakota Finley, RHP/INF (2017)
Brayden Green, RHP (2017)
Matthew Knox, OF (2017)
Braeden McKee, SS/INF (2018)
Brady Nichols, RHP/INF (2018)
Connor Roberts, RHP/C (2018)

Season Outlook
The 2017 Durant Lions will look to put a disappointing 2016 behind them and make another run at the state tournament this year after reaching it in 2012 and 2014. There will be no lack of experience for Durant this year as they return 10 position players with starting experience and four arms with more than 15 innings a piece a season ago. Included in this group are six senior and eight junior. Three of whom, Dakota Finley, Brady Nichols, and Matthew Knox, were all- district selections last year.

On the mound, right-handers Dakota Finley and Brady Nichols will again lead the way this year for Durant. A transfer in, junior right-hander Connor Roberts will look to make an immediate impact on the mound and could fill a spot in the starting rotation. Senior Brayden Green will also surely contribute a number of innings in important situations this season.

Offensively, the Lions will rely again on Finley to set the tone. Joining Finley in the order will undoubtedly be Matthew Knox who will look to build on last year and have an excellent senior campaign. Just like on the mound, Roberts will contribute instantly, this time by supply power in the middle of the Durant lineup. Junior Brady Nichols will also be an import part of the run scoring as well.

Defensively, like all good teams, Durant will be strongest up the middle. Junior transfer, Braeden McKee, will captain the infield from the short stop position. The athletic Knox will effectively patrol the outfield from center field. Kolby Blake will provide senior leadership from behind the plate where he will likely catch a bulk of the innings. Suplamenting the strong defenders up the middle, junior Jenson Simmons will have huge value for the for the Lions with his ability to player multiple positions.

High School coaches can request a 2017 team survey by emailing PBR Oklahoma State Director, Andy Urban, at [email protected].

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