By Robert Medley
Managing Editor
The Okarche basketball games against Harding Fine Arts Academy, teams they won handily against before the Thanksgiving break, were canceled for both the boys and the girls Tuesday, Dec. 5.
The Okarche High School boys were 3-1 before the cancellation, and the girls stood at 2-2, the girls having notched their first win over Harding Nov. 14 and second one over Coyle Nov. 28.
But after Thanksgiving, games with Fairview and Oklahoma Bible Academy were also canceled following the homecoming games with Harding Nov. 14. So the teams have had three straight games rescheduled or postponed.
Fairview couldn’t play basketball because their football team reached the state championship game.
Boys Coach Aaron West said the teams were not given a specific reason for the cancellation at Harding. But it gave him more time to prepare for a tough tournament that starts Thursday, Dec. 7.
The boys were ranked #4 by the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Athletic Association Monday, Dec. 4. Leedey, ranked #10, hosts a tournament Thursday, Dec. 7.
Caddo boys were ranked #1 followed by #2 Okay and #3 Rattan.
The girls were ranked #5 on Dec. 4 behind #1 Seiling, #2 Caddo, #3 Cyril and #4 Red Oak.
The Okarche teams will play in the South Canadian Classic Tournament at Leedey Thursday, Dec. 7 through Dec. 9.
The boys will open the tournament against Arapaho-Butler at 1:45 p.m. and the girls will play Balko at 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7.
“It will be a tough tournament for us in December,” Coach West said. “There are a bunch of good basketball schools out there.” The team’s only loss came to Class 2A powerhouse Preston.
“To start out the year with Preston was tough, but we’ve been playing very good since,” West said.
Okarche basketball had road games at Coyle Tuesday, Nov. 28 when the Lady Warriors won 68-21. The boys won 74-17.
On Homecoming, Nov. 14, the Okarche basketball teams notched wins over Harding Fine Arts Academy. The girls won 63-7 and the boys won 76-32.
Okarche plays in the Three Rivers Conference with Cashion, Crescent, Hennessey, Okeene, Thomas-Fay and Watonga in Class A.
The updated schedule follows:
South Canadian Classic at Leedey, away, Dec. 7-9.
Watonga, away, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15.
Tonkawa, home, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 2.
Three Rivers Conference Tournament, Hennessey, times TBA, Jan. 4-6.
Thomas, home, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12.
Oklahoma Bible Academy, Saturday, Jan. 13, girls at 7 p.m. boys to follow.
Hennessey, away, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 16.
Coyle Tournament, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 18-20.
Crescent, home, 6:30 p.m., Jan. 23.
Amber-Pocasset, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 26.
Strother, away, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 27.
Calumet, home, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30.
Fairview, home, 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3.
Cashion, away, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 6.
District tournament, Feb. 8-10.
Regional tournament, Feb. 15-17.
State tournament, Feb. 27 to March 2.
