bartlesville basketball girls and boys face top teams in the state
Bartlesville High School’s Daeton Stevens (0) goes to the rim during earlier season home action. The Bruins fell to Edmond City North on the road Dec. 3, 2024. The Bruins (1-1) are back in action at home on Dec. 10.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Bartlesville High School’s Cadence Gray (11) and Emma Zimmerman (5) fight for the ball during earlier season action. The Lady Bruins fell to Edmond City North on the road Dec. 3, 2024. The Bruins (1-1) are back in action at home on Dec. 10.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
BY MIKE TUPA
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
An eternal truth shackled the up-and-coming Bartlesville High School basketball teams with stringing reality earlier this week.
That truth?
There’s no shortcut to the top of the mountain.
Coming off explosive wins on November 22 against Ponca City, it appeared the Bartlesville Bruin boys and Bartlesville Lady Bruins might be acres ahead on their climb of progress.
But on Tuesday (Dec. 3) they stumbled on a slippery slope at Edmond North High School — which boasts state championship contenders in both girls’ and boys’ hoops.
In the girls contest, the Edmond North Lady Huskies opened up a huge lead in the third quarter on their way to a 70-37 victory.
The nightcap witnessed the Huskies take control early and fashion a 60-32 victory.
Even though trailing by 21 at halftime, the young but gritty Bruin boys played almost dead even despite Edmond North keeping its starters on the floor throughout a long span of the second half.
Both Bartlesville teams saw their records evened at 1-1. Next up, they host a doubleheader next Tuesday (December 10).
Following are more details about the Edmond North games.
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BRUINS
If determination were a power source the Bruins might be referred to as the Electric Company.
They played with high voltage throughout the contest. But the highly resistant Huskie squad did what few other teams might be able to do this season — short circuit Bartlesville's energy.
Truthfully, the Huskies — who were Class 6A state championship runners-up last year and have been one of 6A’s top two teams the past several seasons — grabbed control early and never loosened their grip. This was their season opener.
But Bartlesville amped up its effort, forcing the Huskies to keep playing hard and rely on their regulars a lion's share of the 32 minutes.
By the end of the first quarter the Huskies led by double-digits, 17-5.
Early in the second quarter, four different Bruins scored buckets in what is developing as a balanced offense under the leadership of first-year head coach Tommy DeSalme.
Bartlesville’s Michael Kent, Trey Collins, Dennis Duncan and Daeton Stevens each netted a deuce to maintain a 12-point deficit midway through the second period, 25-13.
However, Edmond North snapped off a 7-0 run to end the first half and carry a 19-point lead into halftime, 32-13.
Throughout most of the third quarter the margin vacillated at between 17 to 21 points. Three-pointers by Trey Collins and Nash Zervas helped Bartlesville squeeze the gap to 17 points, 40-23.
Edmond North carried a 21-point lead into the fourth quarter, 50-29.
But even though they continued to hustle, the Bruin offense produced only three points — all on Jordan Turner’s long-distance special — in the final stanza.
Zervas finished unofficially with 10 points as six different Bruins contributed to the scoring total.
DeSalme — a former Bartlesville Bruin standout warrior who was part of a state championship legacy — now has his first win and first loss as the head coach.
Relying on multiple freshmen to contribute a high number of quality minutes, DeSalme’s trademarks so far feature depth, defense and desire.
When the Bruin shots start falling with more regularity some future opponents might be hoisting a S.O.S. flag.
Bartlesville High School’s Sami Sheaffer (15) is fouled during an earlier season game. The Lady Bruins fell to Edmond City North on the road Dec. 3, 2024. The Bruins (1-1) are back in action at home on Dec. 10.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
LADY BRUINS
This was your ubiquitous tale of two halves.
Through the first two quarters Bartlesville pushed the powerhouse Lady Huskies — who have been to the state title game last few years in a row — with vivacious verve.
Edmond North led by just six points at the end of the first quarter, 14-8 — and by only eight points at halftime, 24-16.
Coming out of intermission, Bartlesville seemed poised to heap more pressure on the highly-favored Lady Huskies.
Only, instead of wilting in the fire of Bartlesville’s desire, Edmond North wrapped itself up in the asbestos of confidence.
The Lady Huskies blazed out of halftime with an 18-4 run and kept smoking until they had wrapped up the 33-point win.
There was no great analysis needed. Edmond North’s level of play — at least in terms of explosiveness and rhythmic momentum — is the stratum Bartlesville wants to reach sometime in the not-too-distant future.
Sami Sheaffer and Kennedy Nubel both scored in double figures for the Lady Bruins, who are led by fourth-year head coach Justyn Shaw.
Excruciating early foul woes — with Shaeffer and Adrianne Flick both picking up three in the first half — altered Shaw’s strategy, especially when Sheaffer had to take an early seat to avoid being whistled a fourth time.
Edmond North tried to deliver a knockout blow early, pounding out to a 10-2 lead.
But Sheaffer tallied a quick four points and Alayah Lunn notched a bucket to power the Lady Bruins back to within two points, 10-8.
Sheaffer picked up her third foul in the opening part of the second quarter and would miss some court time.
Even so, Bartlesville continued to hang tough, thanks to timely scoring by Emma Zimmerman, Kadence Gray and Kennedy Nubel, to keep the margin a single digit at halftime.
That didn’t last long after the horn blew to welcome the third quarter.
The Lady Huskies quickly pushed the lead to 12, 28-16. Bartlesville clawed back to within nine, 28-19, thanks to three free throws between Sheaffer and Lunn.
Edmond North went ahead by 11, 30-19, and never let the Lady Bruins get closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
Kenzie Denny’s trey provided one of the few Bartlesville highlights in the final 10 minutes.
With this painful lesson to grow on, the Lady Bruins will look to snap back next Tuesday.