AREA PLAYOFFS: Several teams remain alive heading into week
Copan High School’s Teegan Caron (21) takes a shot during earlier season action. The Hornets continue playoff action on Monday at 2:30 p.m. against Lomega at Medford. (Weekend playoff scores and schedules are at the end of the article.)
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Wesleyan Chrisitan’s Jarrett Jensen (15) prepares to block out during earlier season action. WCS takes on Ripley at 2:30 p.m. at Porter on Monday. (Weekend playoff scores and schedules are at the end of the article.)
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
February 24, 2025
Bartlesville Area Sports Report
And then there were some…
That’s the bottom line of the area Class B through Class 2A OSSAA basketball playoff ledger following an action packed weekend of regional action.
Teams that survived until the start of this week are the Copan boys, Wesleyan Christian School boys, Caney Valley girls, Caney Valley boys, Nowata boys, Pawhuska girls and Pawhuska boys.
Just one win away from advancing to the regionals are the Copan boys, Wesleyan Christian School boys and Pawhuska girls.
Following are details from the weekend games and summaries of the others.
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CLASS B BOYS: Copan 67, Cimarron 62 (ot)
This game proved to be a stunning surprise statewide in the Class B boys regionals and propelled Copan to its deepest postseason run since 2009.
“I think we shocked some people,” noted Copan head coach Kolton Stacy, revealing that several coaches from the western side of the state had texted him with congratulations.
Copan (16-7) entered the game off a grueling 84-46 loss to Deer Creek-Lamont — Copan’s second-widest margin of defeat of the season.
But the Hornets were primed and ready to go against powerful Cimarron (15-13), which had scored more than 100 points in two games, more than 90 points six times and had beaten a very strong Covington-Douglas team, 67-60, the game prior.
“Cimarron has a really good team, a really solid team,” said Stacy. “This win was a good one for our program.”
Four Hornets scored 10-or-more points, led by Shooter Brewington with 22 points and Jarrett Shambles with 16.
Teegan Caron and Karson Woodworth also scored in double figures and Kane Foreman added nine.
As time ran down in regulation, Copan made a critical mistake that opened the door for Cimarron to win.
But, Caron made a huge defensive stop, forcing a shooter into an awkward left-handed shot that missed. Caron also scored a bucket-and-one to open overtime.
Shambles also came up big on the scoring end in overtime to help Copan move on.
“I’m real proud of my guys,” Stacy said.
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Wesleyan Christian School’s Trey White hit a career 1000 points over the weekend in the Mustang’s playoff games. WCS takes on Ripley at 2:30 p.m. at Porter on Monday.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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CLASS A BOYS: Wesleyan Christian School 49, Yale 47
After suffering a district playoff loss the previous week to Summit Christian, the WCS Mustangs (22-4) began their fight for postseason survival by outlasting Yale in the opening round of the losers bracket in the regional.
“I think with having beaten Yale earlier in the year, it gave us a little more confidence going into it,” said WCS head coach Steven Cooks. “I think we came out ready to play.”
WCS put it away with 20 points in the fourth quarter.
Kyle Kelley knocked down 17 points to lead Mustang scorers, followed by Trey White with 12 and Zander Week with nine.
White elevated his career scoring total to 999 points.
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CLASS A BOYS: Wesleyan Christian School 55, Liberty 53
For the second-straight game the Mustangs (23-4) wrested out a two-point win to snatch victory away from elimination.
White ripped the cords for 19 points — including his career 1000th point.
Week added 12 points followed by Owen Hay with 11.
WCS nearly squandered this one away after squandering most of a 14-point lead in the final period.
“They (Liberty) had players who hit some good shots with a hand in their face,” Cooks said. “Fouls became a factor but we made the plays we needed to win. I thought we did a pretty good job overall.”
With one more win Monday (see schedule below), the Mustangs can make their second-ever trip to the area level of the playoffs.
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CLASS 2A BOYS: Caney Valley 33, Haskell 18
Defense energized the Trojans to win and fight another day.
Haskell led early, 7-4, but Caney Valley got a burst of offense to lead by 10 at halftime.
Speck Gann and Zac Longan scored 10 and eight points, respectively, to lead the Trojans to victory.
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CLASS B GIRLS: South Coffeyville
The #14 South Coffeyville girls are 1-1 in regional action, with a first round loss to #16 Medford, 62-40 on Friday. However, the Lady Lions bounced back on Saturday, defeating Calumet, 55-23.
South Coffeyville (23-2), coached by Jeremy Rogers, lost only one regular season game and that was in overtime.
They play at 1 p.m. today at Medford. - By Becky Burch
Nowata High School’s Jalyn Trotter (3) drives the ball during earlier season action. The Lady Ironmen’s season ended over the weekend.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Oklahoma Union’s Jaicee Jones (24) passes the ball during earlier season action. The Lady Cougar’s season ended over the weekend.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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OTHER ACTION
Barnsdall girls, Oklahoma Union girls and Nowata girls all saw their seasons end in regional elimination losses.
But they battled hard to stave off defeat, with Barnsdall and Nowata both losing by single-digit margins. (See scores below).
The Caney Valley girls lost to unbeaten Okemah (26-0) but still remain alive.
Pawhuska (22-3) won its girls’ regional opener to go to the regional championship final. But, the team faces a tremendous challenge Monday against Okemah.
On the boys side, Nowata boys will look to overcome a loss to Okemah.
Oklahoma Union made a strong bid to continue with a 46-31 rout Friday of Hulbert. But Pawnee then eliminated Oklahoma Union, 74-44, on Saturday.
Pawhuska pounded Quapaw, 76-28.
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Nowata High School’s Chelo Prince (4) looks to pass the ball around Dewey’s Austin Eastman (11) during earlier season action. Nowata and Pawhuska meet in playoff action on Monday at 2:30 p.m. at Caney Valley in Ramona. Dewey is on the road at Commerce at 7:30 p.m.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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Weekend area playoff scores
GIRLS
Pawhuska 44, Fairland 36
Summit Christian 32, Barnsdall 24
Okemah 54, Caney Valley 18
Hulbert 60, Oklahoma Union 34
Haskell 40, Nowata 31
Medford 62, South Coffeyville 40
South Coffeyville 55, Calumet 23
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BOYS
Caney Valley 33, Haskell 18
Pawhuska 76, Quapaw 28
Deer Creek-Lamont 84, Copan 46
Copan 67, Cimarron 62
WCS 49, Yale 47
WCS 55, Liberty 53
Okemah 70, Nowata 55
Oklahoma Union 46, Hulbert 31
Pawnee 74, Oklahoma Union 44
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PLAYOFF SCHEDULE MONDAY
BOYS
Copan (16-7) vs. Lomega (19-9) (at Medford), 2:30 p.m.
Wesleyan Christian (23-4) vs. Ripley (21-6) (at Porter), 2:30 p.m.
Pawhuska (11-14) vs. Nowata (15-9) (at Caney Valley), 2:30 p.m.
Caney Valley (6-18) vs. Wyandotte (19-6) (at Caney Valley, 7:30 p.m.)
Dewey (12-10) at Commerce (4-19), 7:30 p.m.
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GIRLS
Caney Valley (14-10) vs. Wyandotte (8-17) (at Caney Valley), 1 p.m.
South Coffeyville (23-2) vs. ? (at Medford), 1 p.m.
Pawhuska (22-3) vs. Okemah (26-0) (at Caney Valley), 6 p.m.
Dewey (13-9) at Commerce (18-6), 7:30 p.m.