AREA HOOPS: WCS advances to area; Dewey wins district title
The Dewey Bulldoggers are Class 3A district champions. Dewey defeated Commerce, 83-55 to propel them into regionals.
PHOTO PROVIDED
The Wesleyan Christian Mustangs are headed Class A area playoffs. WCS defeated Ripley, 51-48 in the regional consolation final in Porter.
PHOTO PROVIDED
By Mike Tupa
February 26, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Following are playoff reports for area high school basketball teams.
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CLASS A BOYS: Wesleyan Christian 51, Ripley 48
Wesleyan Christian School’s boys basketball players have displayed an uncanny ability to rise to whatever height of capability they need to win.
On Monday, they finished off a remarkable weekend odyssey by beating Ripley, 51-48, in their Class A regional consolation final in Porter.
Zander Week skinned the nets for 18 points to fuel the offensive attack.
The victory propels the unranked Mustangs (24-4) to just their second appearance in team history into area playoffs.
A week ago, it appeared the Mustangs’ probability of prancing into the area seemed almost preposterous.
After all, the Mustangs were coming off a disconcerting 24-point loss, 60-36, to No. 12-ranked Summit Christian, on Feb. 15, in their district championship battle.
That setback sent Wesleyan Christian to the losers bracket in the regional — which meant it had to win three-straight games in order to cross the area playoff threshold.
Mission accomplished — by almost the closest of the margins.
The Mustangs won their three regional games by a combined point total of seven points — 49-47 against Yale, 55-53 against Liberty and Monday’s three-point thriller, 51-48, against No. 15-ranked Ripley.
Rounding out the Mustangs’ top-three scorers in the latter victory, after Week, were Trey White and Kyle Kelley with nine and eight points, respectively.
Week has developed into a major scoring weapon during the playoffs.
Wesleyan Christian School’s Zander Week (20) blocks out during an earlier season game. Week was instrumental in the Mustangs playoff win over Ripley, 51-48. The Mustangs move on to Class A area playoffs
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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“He’s just kind of playing with some confidence,” said Wesleyan Christian head coach Steven Cooks. “He’s always been a capable offensive player. Teams have been keying on Trey — Ripley face-guarded him the whole game — and Zander stepped up for us.”
In prior seasons Week had done most of his offensive damage in the low post. But he worked hard last summer on his outside shot — against Ripley he buried four three-pointers.
His final bucket put the Mustangs ahead by six points, 51-45, with about a minute left. Ripley failed to fully respond.
In addition to their clutch offensive play, the Mustangs also thrived on shadow-tight defense by White. He allowed Ripley’s best shooter to “maybe get up five shots,” Cooks said.
Having survived their gritty gauntlet through the regional, the Mustangs are now just two wins away from traversing the bridge into the Promised Land of the state playoffs.
The path is unfolding.
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Dewey High School’s Lathe Griggs (3) looks to the basket in action against Caney (Kan,) earlier in the season. The Bulldoggers are Class 3A district champions.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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CLASS 3A BOYS: Dewey 83, Commerce 55
Dewey (13-11) is heading into the regionals on a whale of momentum.
Six Bulldoggers scored in double figures in Monday’s district championship game — Kooper Crawford 18, Cooper Wood, 13; Zach Renfroe, 12; Karson Johnson, 12; and Austin Eastman, 10.
Rounding out Dewey’s scorers were Tra Hicks, nine; Lathe Griggs, two; Jay Murguia, two; and Will Lawrence, two.
“We put a good game together,” said Dewey head coach Lance Knight. “We went in and played strong from start to finish. … I was really happy. We were not able to practice all last week (due to an arctic blast and snowstorm) and didn’t get in the gym until Saturday. I didn’t know how we’d respond.”
Dewey led by just 12 at halftime, 40-28, but scored 26 in the third quarter to put the game away.
Dewey is set to open the regional at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Claremore-Sequoyah.
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Caney Valley High School’s Logan Horseman (0) takes a shot during playoff action against Wyandotte on February 24, 2025. The Trojans season ended with a 85-48 loss to the Bears.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Caney Valley High School’s Jaycee Tant (10) tries to pass the ball against Okemah in playoff action on February 22, 2024. The Lady Trojans ended their season at 15-11 with a loss to Fairland.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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OTHER RESULTS
The Class 2A Caney Valley girls season ended with a 47-30 loss to Fairland on Tuesday. They had outlasted Wyandotte on Monday, 34-24.
Nowata’s Ironmen moved forward in the Class 2A regionals by beating Pawhuska, 45-36. Pawhuska was eliminated.
But the Caney Valley boys saw their season end against Wyandotte, 85-48, and Copan suffered an elimination loss in the Class B regionals to Lomega, 68-50.
The Commerce girls surged past Dewey, 51-39, in their girls Class 3A district championship showdown. Dewey will advance to the regionals’ losers’ bracket.
The Class B South Coffeyville girls saw their impressive season end Monday with a 63-56 regional loss to Shidler. Coached by Riley Smith, the Lady Cougars end the year at 23-3.
Wesleyan Christian girls (14-10) lost their opening Class A district round game to Summit Christian, 38-35 on Feb. 11. The Lady Mustangs (14-10) grabbed a four game winning streak toward the end of the regular season before a loss to Regent Prep.
Caney Valley High School’s Ethan Brown (10) battles for a rebound during playoff action against Wyandotte on February 24, 2025. The Trojans season ended with a 85-48 loss to the Bears.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports