OKWU Eagles soar into Tuesday championship game
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Jaden Lietzke is introduced during an earlier season game in Bartlesville. The Eagles play for the NAIA national championship Tuesday night in Kansas City, Mo. The Eagles defeated defending champions Freed-Hardeman 84-78 on Monday night.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
March 25, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
“You gotta have a dream. If you don’t have a dream, how you gonna make a dream come true?”
— Oscar Hammerstein II.
One more time lacing up the game shoes. One more pre-game introduction ceremony.
One more burst of effort to lasso elusive glory and ride it to the top of the mountain.
That’s the scenario for the Oklahoma Wesleyan University men’s basketball team as they tip-off at 7 p.m. Tuesday night in Kansas City with the NAIA championship on the line.
Standing in the way of the Eagles’ golden quest is The College of Idaho — the favorite.
Forget the favorite stuff. For four straight games the underdog Eagles — who are coached by Donnie Bostwick — have knocked off the nation’s best like ducks at a carnival shooting gallery.
It’s one of the most amazing runs in men’s college basketball championship tourney history. The Eagles were one of the No. 7 seeds coming into the sweepstakes, which began less than two weeks ago.
During their explosive odyssey, the Eagles have knocked off No. 2-seeded Dordt (Iowa) University, No. 3-seeded Baker (Kan.) University, No. 1-seeded LSU Alexandria and No. 1-seeded Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) University.
Now they face their third No. 1-seeded opponent in The College of Idaho.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Derrick Talton drives to the basket during an earlier season game in Bartlesville. The Eagles play for the NAIA national championship Tuesday night in Kansas City, Mo. The Eagles defeated defending champions Freed-Hardeman 84-78 on Monday night.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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Monday’s Final Four win against Freed-Hardeman — the defending national champion — by a score of 84-78 launched the Eagles into Tuesday’s national championship game.
Senior Dylan Phillip came off the bench to bury 24 points — including 3 3-pointers — and seize four rebounds to lead the way Monday.
Derrick Talton, Jr. added 21 points, 5 assists and 3 steals. Talton has scored 100 points in the first 5 tourney games.
Yashi McKenzie added 11 points and Jaden Lietzke pieced together a big effort with 7 points, 8 rebounds and an assist.
Rounding out OKWU’s other top scorers were Isaac Stanek, 8 points; Nick Bene, 6 points; and Ethan Williams, 5 points.
Several Eagles contributed big plays in the final 2:30, including a steal by Talton that led to two free throws and a 10 point lead, 78-68. After Freed-Hardeman answered, McKenzie hit a layup to push the lead back to 10 points, 80-70.
Freed-Hardeman then went on a 5-0 run to cut the lead in half, 80-75, with less than a minute remaining.
But, a steal by McKenzie and free throw by Bene, put the lead back at six points, 81-75.
Freed-Hardeman clawed the margin down to four points, 82-78, with six ticks left.
But Lietzke hammered home a dunk in the final three seconds to write a thunderous end to the Eagles’ win.
This is the second time in OKWU team history Bostwick has led the Eagles to a national NAIA championship game. The Eagles seized the NAIA-II title in 2009.
They’re on the verge of championship glory again Tuesday night.
Whatever happens, the Eagles have written a script about the anatomy of how to make a dream come true.