Tourney notes and answering a couple of curious questions

Just a couple of quick notes and observations as we begin the home stretch of this basketball season.

While it seemingly just began, we’re just a few weeks away from the postseason.

Doesn’t seem possible, but that’s the way it goes each year, especially with the flurry that is January basketball.

Lots of choices

If you want to see some quality basketball, you don’t have to go far from home this week.

Right here in Kingfisher, both KHS squads are in the top-eight in 4A.

The KHS boys are No. 1 and the Lady Jackets No. 6 and both have been impatiently waiting to get back on the court.

On the girls side, OCA is No. 7 in Class A, but the bracket has a mix of larger teams as well with 5A No. 19 Guthrie and 6A Yukon.

Same goes for the boys side.

While the Jackets are the favorites, nothing has come easy for them this season.

Larger schools like 5A No. 16 Guthrie or 6A Yukon lurk on the bottom half of the bracket.

Over in Cashion, there’s no shortage of top-ranked teams at the County Line Tournament.

The boys have four ranked teams...two are No. 1 in their respective class.

That’s top-seeded Dale (2A) and two-seed Oklahoma Christian School (3A).

Cashion, ranked second in 2A, is the third seed.

Clinton is ranked 20th in 4A and is the fourth seed.

For the girls, Perry is ranked second in 3A and is the No. 1 seed.

The Lady Maroons are coming off a Wheat Capital Tournament championship in which they beat then-No. 2 and defending 3A champ Jones in the final.

Class 2A No. 2 Dale is the second seed in the bracket while 3A No. 5 Bethel is the third seed.

Varnum, ranked fifth in Class B, was dealt the fourth seed.

Should make for some exciting games right here in Kingfisher County.

Why?

When a school hosts a tournament, it’s customary for the host schools to play the last games of the first day.

One of the primary goals of the tournament is to make money, so it makes sense to play the games when the bulk of your fans are off work and can make it to the games, pay admission and visit that concession stand.

Yet, if you’ll look above, you’ll see the KHS boys play Ponca City JV at 11:55 a.m. Thursday, the first boys game of the day.

Why, might you ask? First off, Ponca City

First off, Ponca City JV is a late entry as is the Edmond Santa Fe JV girls team.

That’s because the OKC Storm informed KHS less than two weeks ago that it wouldn’t be taking part in the tournament.

That left AD Jay Wood and the coaches scrambling to fill the bracket.

Ponca City’s JV wanted to fill the void, but had a transportation issue later in the evening.

To help alleviate that issue, the boys will play early in the day.

Why, Part II

It’s also been customary for the Cherokee Strip Conference Tournament to be played at the Chisholm Trail Expo Center on the north side of Enid.

However, this year’s tournament is at Pioneer High School.

Why, might you ask? “Everyone got tired of playing the old barn,” said Lomega girls coach Kevin Lewallen of the Expo Center.

So, teams starting looking for an alternative site.

The Stride Bank Center in downtown Enid isn’t an option as the Skeltur Conference Tournament currently resides there.

So the conference turned to Enid High School, which has a beautiful new gymnasium on campus, one that’s already hosted some postseason area tournament games and very well could in the future.

Smart thinking, so the conference set its tournament with EHS.

However, again, EHS also booked a wrestling tournament in its gym this weekend, which forced the conference to look for yet another alternative site.

In stepped Pioneer.

Its teams are playing in the Skeltur tournament, but it still agreed to be a gracious host this year.