Opening night a success in Okarche

The head coach was wearing a suit.

The old chalkboard was put to use.

Okarche got a win.

It was just like countless other Friday nights in Okarche High School basketball history, except it wasn’t.

Okarche defeated Preston 65-61 to open the 2019-20 season with a victory, which was nothing out of the ordinary.

What was different was the setting and the fact it was the first time in a quarter-century the Warriors haven’t started a season with Ray West as the head coach.

West passed away from cancer in August just as the finishing touches were being put on a brand-new gymnasium, one that made its debut last week.

“It was an emotional night for everyone,” said Aaron West, Ray’s son and assistant coach the past seven seasons, who is now the head coach of the team.

“But the kids played extremely hard. They were very passionate about trying to get a victory in the new gym. Since they were honoring Dad, they didn’t want to lose that game.”

Okarche erased a nine-point second-half defi cit by going to an old West staple: The half-court trap.

“It’s ‘old faithful’ and it got us back in the game,” West said.

Okarche’s first-half pressure helped the Warriors go on a 14-2 run for a nine-point lead. The Pirates answered with their own 16-2 run.

That left Okarche trailing. With the trap leading the way, Okarche was able to force 32 turnovers in all and score 20 points off those miscues.

“It got us back in the lead and then we pulled it out,” West said.

Preston had a chance to tie the game in the waning seconds, but missed. Logan Kroener was fouled and made it a two-possession game at the free throw line.

Kaleb Harris led all scorers with 23 points. He also had nine rebounds and seven assists before fouling out.

Kroener chipped in with 15 points while Joseph Schaefer scored eight.

Preston was led by Jaden Skuplen’s 18 points while D.J. Glover scored 17.

Okarche won despite shooting 33 percent (22 of

67) overall and 17 percent (5 of 29) from 3-point range.

“We didn’t shoot it great, but we continued to play hard all night,” West said. “We’re just so inexperienced and raw that we’re going to face some ups and downs like we did tonight.

“But if we stay positive and stay with it, I know there’s going to be a ton of improvement once we get some experience.”

Okarche honored the elder West by showing some of his career highlights before the game. The night also featured a “Coaches vs. Cancer” theme and had a number of activities that honored cancer victims, their families and cancer survivors as well.

West and assistants Brandon Treece and Tony Williams wore suits, which were a trademark of Ray West during his four-decades-plus career.

They even used West’s chalkboard to draw up plays.

“It was defi nitely different not having him there. He was a fixture here for 25 years,” Aaron West said. “He probably would have coached forever in some form or another, so it’s tough from that standpoint.”

With such a large roster turnover from last year’s state semifinal team, both Wests knew this year would present some challenges.

“There will be times when it might be tough,” West said. “But we’re going to grind it out and keep working. I know he wants us to continue to work because that’s what he would have done.”

Lady Warriors overcome slow start to topple Preston

Kelli Jennings is hoping better basketball lies ahead, but, regardless, her team is 1-0 after the season opener.

The Lady Warriors pulled away in the second half Friday to beat Preston 44-32 in the fi rst varsity basketball game played at Okarche’s new gym.

“It defi nitely wasn’t the best I’ve seen one of our teams play,” Jennings said after the fact.

Okarche was just 3 of 13 from the field in the first quarter and fell behind 11-7.

But Marlo Hunt and Rachel McDowell led the comeback with two 3-pointers apiece in the second quarter and helped Okarche pull within a point.

The second half belonged to Okarche, namely its defense.

The Lady Warriors allowed Preston just three second-half field goals. Preston was 3 of 16 and scored just 11 second-half points.

McDowell scored seven points in the quarter as Okarche took the lead for good.

The senior forward had 13 of her game-high 16 points in the pivotal second and third quarters.

Raegan Robinson helped keep Okarche in it early with fi ve first-quarter points. She ended up with nine.

Karsyn Vallerand scored seven.

Mayci Jones paced Preston with 10 points. Three Lady Pirates scored six points apiece.