BOYS BASKETBALL
By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
OKARCHE – The Warriors dominated from start to finish on route to a district title Saturday.
Okarche (14-12) cruised to a 71-30 victory over Moss in the first game of the 2019-20 Class A Boys Basketball Championship Series. The Warriors advance to the winners bracket of the regional tournament with the win and are now potentially just five games away from a second straight state tournament appearance.
Coach Aaron West’s squad jumped out to a 26-7 lead in the first eight minutes and never looked back, entering halftime with a 55-11 advantage. Things evened out in the second half as Moss won the third quarter 10-7 followed by a 9-9 effort in the fourth.
Juniors Logan Kroener and Joseph Schaefer led the way offensively, each scoring in double digits for the Warriors.
Kroener led the team with 17 points while also grabbing six rebounds. Schaefer scored 14 points and capped a double-double effort with 10 boards. Senior Kaleb Harris chipped in nine points while senior Koby Mingus scored eight and sophomore Evan Endres scored seven. Freshman Landon Goble and senior Kody King each scored four points while sophomores Osbaldo Barcenas and Brayden Stover each scored three. Freshman Haydin Parsons scored two points.
Okarche won the rebounding battle 67-29 and forced 30 turnovers. The Warriors scored 27 points from three-point range and converted on the offensive glass with 37 second-chance points. The team also assisted on 14 of 26 made baskets.
The Warriors move on to face No. 17 Asher (17-9) in the first game at regionals tonight at 8 p.m. at Moss. Asher defeated Soper 63-33 last week in their district final matchup.
The winner moves on to face either No. 3 Ft. Cobb-Broxton (22-2) or Crowder (16-10) in the regional championship game scheduled for Saturday at 8 p.m.
With just one win, Okarche would also stake claim to a spot in the area tournament Feb. 27-29 at Bethel Acres.
