BOYS BASKETBALL: OKARCHE 62, CORDELL 51
By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
Okarche returned to action Tuesday night, defeating Cordell 62-51 for the team’s eighth win of the season.
The Warriors fell into a 20-17 deficit after the first quarter and entered halftime trailing 32-29 after a 12-12 battle in the second quarter. The Warriors used a 19-9 run in the third to all but seal the victory before closing the game out with a 14-10 run in the final eight minutes.
Logan Kroener led the team with 25 points while Kaleb Harris finished with 23. Each player grabbed four rebounds while each dishing out two assists. Evan Endres scored nine points while grabbing four boards and dishing out four assists. Joseph Schaefer scored five points with a team-high six rebounds while dishing out two helpers. Freshman Landon Goble grabbed five rebounds while Brayden Stover grabbed four.
“Early we didn’t follow the game plan, but we settled in in the third quarter, which was the difference in the game,” Okarche coach Aaron West said. “Cordell has two really good scorers and they scored 13 and 14 in the first half. In the second half they combined for one point. That was huge for us.”
The Warriors scored 12 points from the free-throw line and 16 points off turnovers. They shot 40-percent from the field and drilled eight three-pointers. Cordell won the rebound battle 30-31, however, Okarche forced the Blue Devils into 21 turnovers with 18 steals. Harris led the team with four takeaways while Endres finished with two. Brady Reimer led Cordell with 18 points while Bode Gallagher scored 12 and Gaige Keister scored 15.
Okarche returns to action today in the 2020 Three Rivers Conference Tournament. The Warriors take on Thomas at 2 p.m. The Winner advances to take on either Crescent or Hennessey in the semifinals Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Okarche hits the court for regular season action again next Friday at home against Thomas before hitting the road to take on Hennessey Jan. 21. Each game is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m.
