When Rylan McCool steps onto the court wearing his Oilton jersey, he carries a mindset built for domination. “My mindset is to dominate and take over,” said McCool, a senior at Oilton High School. Averaging 23 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals per game, McCool has established himself as a two-way threat for the Panthers, playing both point guard and shooting guard.
“I play basketball, baseball, and track, but I intend to go play college basketball,” McCool said. “My personal goal this season is to make it as far as we can in playoffs.”
The Oilton squad’s unity is something McCool takes pride in. “The team’s morale has been good, we all rely on each other which is awesome,” he said. “The team’s biggest improvement has to be that we all have come so close—we are like family, which is great for our team.”
Their bond has helped them power through early challenges. “Our biggest goal is to get better every day no matter what,” McCool said. “We’ve had some problems at practice, but we are finally getting on track. Our team chemistry is amazing.”
When game time arrives, McCool approaches every matchup with confidence and focus. “First, I look at their defense, then I try and find the mismatch for the best shot,” he said. “I don’t really like thinking about it too much—I try and think that every game is the same and just to have fun.”
That mindset has helped define McCool’s career, and he’s determined to leave a mark. “I want my legacy at Oilton to be that I was the best to ever put an Oilton jersey on,” he said. “We are on a mission to prove that we are a team you don’t want to hear that you’re playing that night.”
For McCool, basketball is more than a game—it’s passion, drive, and purpose. His favorite memory says it all. “My favorite memory has to be the very first game I played in high school,” he said. And when it’s time to lock in, there’s only one song on repeat: “My go-to song probably has to be ‘Trophies’ by Drake.”
