Teams set for 1st tournament week of 2023
4 IN A ROW? – The Okarche girls won their third straight conference tournament title last season in Enid. The Lady Warriors shoot for their fourth this week...on their home court for the first time in a conference tournament. [Photo provided]
All seven local schools will be tipping off basketball tournaments this week....just as they’re returning to school from the holiday break.
Four of those schools - Okarche, Hennessey, Cashion and Crescent - will vie for Three Rivers Conference Tournament championships.
For the first time ever, that tournament will be played in Okarche.
In previous years of the conference’s two-decades-plus existence, when it became Okarche’s turn in the rotation to host, it’s been forced to do so at places such as the Kingfi sher APB due to a lack of adequate room at its old facility.
This is the first time Okarche has been tabbed to host since it opened its new gymnasium.
Both Okarche teams will have the opening games on Thursday.
Okarche’s girls are gunning for their fourth consecutive TRC tournament championship and are the No. 1 seed.
Cashion’s boys have won each of the last four tournament titles. They are seeded fourth this year as Hennessey has the No. 1 seed over second-seeded Okarche.
Kingfisher’s teams will once again be making the trek north to Chisholm for the 54th annual Wheat Capital Tournament.
The KHS boys have won the tournament title eight times in the last nine years. The lone exception was in 2019 when Kingfi sher’s JV team competed as the varsity took part earlier that year in the Tournament of Champions.
This year’s KHS squad is fresh off an appearnace in last week’s Tournament of Champions, but opted to not play in the Cleveland Invitational last month (Note: High school teams can play a maximum of three tournaments a season.)
Kingfisher’s girls are competing in the Wheat Capital for the first time under head coach Taylor Young. The Lady Jackets weren’t a part of last year’s field after playing in the Mustang Holiday Classic.
Same goes for the Lomega girls and the Warrior Classic at Hammon.
Last year the Lady Raiders sent their JV team after playing in the Mid-America Classic over the holiday break.
The Lomega boys were the tournament runners- up last year after winning it the year before.
Dover will get a look at some different competition this year.
The Longhorn squads are taking part for the first time in the Jim Walling Invitational at Earlsboro.
Dover competed last year in the Okeene Invitational.
Following are complete schedules of the local tournaments:
Wheat Capital at Chisholm High School Girls
Thursday
Game 1: Sunrise vs. Kingfisher, 10 a.m.
Game 2: Jones vs. John Marshall, 12:40 p.m.
Game 3: Alva vs. Perry, 3:20 p.m.
Game 4: Woodward vs. Chisholm, 6 p.m.
Friday
Loser 2 vs. Loser 3, 10 a.m.
Loser 1 vs. Loser 4, 12:40 p.m.
Winner 1 vs. Winner 4, 3:20 p.m.
Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 6 p.m.
Saturday
7th place, 10 a.m.
5th place, 12:40 p.m. 3rd place, 3:20 p.m. Championship, 6 p.m.
Boys
Thursday
Game 1: Kingfisher vs. Perry, 11:20 a.m.
Game 2: John Marshall vs. Chisholm, 2 p.m.
Game 3: Jones vs. Alva, 4:40 p.m.
Game 4: Woodward vs. Sunrise, 7:20 p.m.
Friday
Loser 2 vs. Loser 3, 11:20 a.m.
Loser 1 vs. Loser 4, 2 p.m.
Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 4:40 p.m.
Winner 1 vs. Winner 4, 7:20 p.m.
Saturday
7th place, 11:20 a.m. 5th place, 2 p.m. 3rd place, 4:40 p.m. Championship, 7:20 p.m.
Three Rivers Tournament at Okarche Girls
Thursday
Game 1: Okarche vs. Crescent, 10 a.m.
Game 2: Thomas vs. Hennessey, 12:40 p.m.
Game 3: Cashion vs. Watonga, 3:20 p.m Game 4: Fairview vs. OBA, 6 p.m.
Friday
Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 10 a.m.
Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 12:40 p.m.
Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 3:20 p.m.
Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 6 p.m.
Saturday
7th place, 10 a.m. 5th place, 1 p.m. 3rd place, 4 p.m. Championship, 7 p.m.
Boys
Thursday
Game 1: Crescent vs. Okarche, 11:20 a.m.
Game 2: Thomas vs. Hennessey, 2 p.m.
Game 3: Fairview vs. Watonga, 4:40 p.m.
Game 4: OBA vs. Cashion, 7:20 p.m.
Friday
Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 11:20 a.m.
Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 2:20 p.m.
Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 4:40 p.m.
Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 7:20 p.m.
Saturday
7th place, 11:30 a.m. 5th place, 2:30 p.m. 3rd place, 5:30 p.m. Championship, 8:30 p.m.
Warrior Classic at Hammon Girls
Thursday
Game 1: Sentinel vs. Erick, 10:30 a.m.
Game 2: Lomega vs. CBA, 1:10 p.m.
Game 3: Hammon vs. Boise City, 3:50 p.m.
Game 4: Shattuck vs. Binger-Oney, 6:30 p.m.
Friday
Loser 3 vs. Loser 4, 10:30 a.m.
Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 1:10 p.m.
Winner 1 vs. Winner 2, 3:50 p.m.
Winner 3 vs. Winner 4, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
5th place, 11 a.m. 3rd place, 1:40 p.m. Championship, 4:20 p.m.
Boys
Thursday
Game 1: Sentinel vs. CBA, 11:50 a.m.
Game 2: Hammon vs. Lomega, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: Shattuck vs. Boise City, 5:10 p.m.
Game 4: Binger-Oney vs. Erick, 7:50 p.m.
Friday
Loser 2 vs. Loser 3, 11:50 a.m.
Loser 1 vs. Loser 4, 2:30 p.m.
Winner 1 vs. Winner 4, 5:10 p.m.
Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 7:50 p.m.
Saturday
5th place, 12:20 p.m. 3rd place, 3 p.m. Championship, 5:40 p.m.
Jim Walling Invitational at Earlsboro Girls
Thursday
Game 1: Wilson vs. Stuart, 10 a.m.
Game 2: Vanoss vs. Wynnewood, 12:40 p.m.
Game 3: Dover vs. Olive, 3:20 p.m.
Game 4: Kinta vs. Earlsboro, 6 p.m.
Friday
Loser 2 vs. Loser 3, 10 a.m.
Loser 1 vs. Loser 4, 12:40 p.m.
Winner 2 vs. Winner 3, 3:20 p.m.
Winner 1 vs. Winner 4, 6 p.m.
Saturday
5th place, noon 3rd place, 3 p.m. Championship, 6 p.m.
Boys
Thursday
Game 1: Stuart vs. Wilson, 11:20 a.m.
Game 2: Vanoss vs. Olive, 2 p.m.
Game 3: Dover vs. Kinta, 4:40 p.m.
Game 4: Wynnewood vs. Earlsboro, 7:20 p.m.
Friday
Loser 1 vs. Loser 3, 11:20 a.m.
Loser 2 vs. Loser 4, 2 p.m.
Winner 2 vs. Winner 4, 4:40 p.m.
Winner 1 vs. Winner 3, 7:20 p.m.
Saturday
5th place, 1:30 p.m. 3rd place, 4:30 p.m. Championship, 7:30 p.m.