AREA HOOPS: Dewey boys and Caney Valley, WCS teams win
Wesleyan Christian’s Zander Week (20) blocks out during an earlier season game in Bartlesville. The Mustangs defeated Barnsdall on the road, 76-35 earlier in the week.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
When it comes to sports success, there is glad, happy, joyful and ecstatic.
Put Dewey High School head coach Lance Knight’s reaction somewhere between the first two following Tuesday’s (Dec. 3) season-opening success at Sperry High School.
Lathe Griggs tickled the cords with 19 points to energize Dewey to the 49-42 victory.
“It’s good,” Knight said. “We want to celebrate wins. But they (Dewey players) knew they didn’t play their best.”
In other early-week area action, Sperry squeezed past Dewey, 43-38, in overtime; the Caney Valley girls outlasted Barnsdall, 34-27; Mav Condry poured in 20 points to lead the Caney Valley boys past Barnsdall, 56-47; Wesleyan Christian School teams both improved to 2-0 with a Monday sweep at Barnsdall — 76-35 in the boys game and 49-47 by the girls.
Following are more details:
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GIRLS: WCS 49, Barnsdall 47
The WCS Lady Mustangs are off to a 2-0 start for the first time in several seasons.
Lydia Foster amassed 18 points to pace the WCS offense.
“My defense all pretty much contributed,” added Lady Mustang head coach Kendall Huntington, including starters Kori White, Miranda Hadrava and Whitlie Tennison.
“We started off a little slow but I’m glad we kept fighting,” said Huntington. “Our defense helped us keep the lead.”
Last season Barnsdall swept WCS by almost 20 points twice.
“This game was a good progress note,” the coach said.
Next up, WCS travels north to South Coffeyville to play the late game Friday (Dec. 6) night.
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BOYS: WCS 76, Barnsdall 35
Shifting the tempo into overdrive, the WCS Mustangs surged past the Panthers.
Kyle Kelley and Trey White dropped in 18 and 17 points, respectively, to lead the offensive storm. Owen Hay added nine points followed by Timothy Wisdom with seven.
“We really pushed the pace overall,” said WCS head coach Steven Cooks. “We had 11 different guys score. When you play good defense you always have a good opportunity of strong offense as well.”
Despite the graduation of some key starters from last year’s squad, this season’s Mustangs appear cast in the same mold.
“They’re buying in every day,” Cooks said about this team’s hard-work attitude, adding the two fundamental aspects of WCS’ success are fierce defense and pushing the ball.
“(Those two things) will help us to be consistent throughout the year,” Cooks said.
Wesleyan Christian’s Miranda Hadrava (11) brings the ball up the court during earlier season action. The Lady Mustangs defeated Barnsdall on the road, 49-47.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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BOYS: Caney Valley 56, Barnsdall 47
In Tuesday’s showdown, Condry and Zac Longan combined to score 35 of Caney Valley’s 56 points.
“It was a tight game the whole time,” said CV Trojan head coach Tug Brinker. “We got down by six in the third period.”
But in the fourth quarter, after retaking the lead, Caney Valley nailed enough free throws down the stretch.
“It was kind of the typical Caney Valley vs. Barnsdall game the way they used to be,” Brinker added.
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GIRLS: Caney Valley 34, Barnsdall 27
The CV Lady Trojans upped their record to 2-0 by turning in another defensive masterpiece in the road win.
“It was a physical game,” Lady Trojan head coach Deric Longan said. “Our girls matched the intensity that Barnsdall brought.”
Both teams played tough and aggressive, he added.
Adesta Henry dialed in 11 points to lead Caney Valley’s scoring sheet, followed by Abby Daigle with nine, Roxy Hawkins with eight and Jaycee Tant with 6.
Due to a slim roster, the Lady Trojans are not running a full-court man press as in years past.
“We’re running multiple defenses,” said Longan. “We’re trying to give teams multiple looks to prepare for. We’re trying to manipulate where we want teams to put the basketball.”
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BOYS: Dewey 49, Sperry 42
Following Griggs’ 19 points, rounding out Dewey’s scoring list were Austin Eastman, nine; Kooper Crawford, eight; Jay Murguia, seven; Karson Johnson, five; Zach Renfroe, three; and Jaden Gray, three.
The Bulldoggers were on track to hold Sperry in the 30’s but gave up some unwanted points late, Knight said.
“(We) know we didn’t play up to our capability,” added Knight. “It was nice to get that win … but it’s kind of nice these guys know they didn’t play their best.”
Knight praised Griggs for stepping up.
“He did not get a lot of varsity time last year,” Knight said. “We really needed him last night.”
As Dewey revs up for Friday’s rivalry collision at Nowata, Knight said his Doggers “have got a couple of things to fix.”
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GIRLS: Sperry 43, Dewey 38 (ot)
Dewey was able to dig themselves out of a 21-9 deficit at halftime and send the game into overtime.
"After some adjustments and us finally settling into the game we stormed back and took it to overtime," said head coach Michael Sanders. "I'm super proud of the girls for showing some grit and battling back."