AREA HOOPS: Nowata boys notch 14th win; WCS breaks 4-game 'L' streak
Following is a summary of area weekend basketball games.
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BOYS: WCS 73, Copan 40
In a season defined by a steep climb and one quick descent, the Wesleyan Christian School boys made a major thrust upward Friday.
The victory snapped a four-game losing streak.
Cooper Holley drained 18 points, followed by Trey White with 11 to lead the Mustangs. Brad Rucker contributed nine points and Tyrel Cloud batted eight more.
WCS head coach Steven Cooks saw 12 of his players score.
Next up, WCS plays host Tuesday night - weather conditions permitting - to Foyil for Senior Night and hits the road Friday for Claremore Christian.
WCS is on track to post at least 17 wins for the fourth-straight season._
GIRLS: Nowata 41, Commerce 24
Despite the distractions of Homecoming, the Nowata Lady Ironmen snapped into sync the second half.
Nowata scraped back to lead at the end of a brutally cold first half, 14-12.
This win followed a 38-34 triumph at Ketchum — Nowata’s first back-to-back wins since Dec. 5.
Trailee Watson dialed in 17 points to pace Nowata scoring. Ty Brown added nine points, followed by Jordan Ashley with four and B.K. Malone with two.
Malone played older on defense than her freshman status might have otherwise suggested by guarding Commerce's best shooter.
The team already has developed a solid home following, said Hewitt, the team’s first-year head coach.
Next up, Nowata eyes what could be rightly labeled as Rivalry Week — on Tuesday at Dewey and on Friday at home against Oklahoma Union.
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GIRLS: Afton 37, Caney Valley 25
One thing’s almost certain when these two quality rivals meet — the offensive firepower can be measured in kids’ birthday cake candle power.
In their first meeting this season, Caney Valley and Afton combined to score 52 points (Afton won, 32-20). In this rematch last week they dialed it up 62 points — still not exactly a power surge — at Afton.
But, Caney Valley has to be given points for grit — Afton is 15-2 on the season and ranked No. 8 in the state. Caney Valley (13-5) is ranked No. 17.
Jade Upton poured in 12 points to lead Caney Valley in last week’s game, followed by Sammi Gilbreath with six.
“We held their best two players to a total of 10 points. But, like it is with really good teams, they had another girl who stepped up and led them in scoring, CV head coach Deric Longan said.
The pattern of low scoring games between Afton and Caney Valley extend to past seasons.
Last year, for example, Afton won the first game, 31-30, and Caney Valley came out on top in second meeting, 19-16. The teams also met in last year’s playoffs, with Afton pulling out a 34-32 decision.
Back during the 2019-20 season, Caney Valley outlasted Afton, 38-32, in overtime.
For those keeping track, in the last six meetings, the combined point total for both teams per game is 57.7.
CV: 4-14-2-5—25Afton: 11-10-8-8—37
Caney Valley scoring: Jade Upton 12, Sammi Gilbreath 6, Libby Thompson 3, Kensly Foreman 3, Chloe Scherman 2._
BOYS: Nowata 73, Commerce 50
Once again, an opposing team had to wonder that if it tore the jersey of Nowata's Skylar Stevens off his back there wouldn't be another costume underneath - mostly blue, with red trunks, red boots, a red cape and a big red letter 'S' on on a field of yellow on the chest.
Stevens was certainly super against Commerce - 28 points and seven assists, to lead Nowata (14-5) to a 9-1 record the last 10 games.
Yahmarion Cole could have come out wearing a dark cape and a bat mask and no one would have been surprised - he added 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Rounding out Nowata's scorers were: Spencer Bullen, 13; Kaleb Bashford, eight; Chelo Prince, four; Eli Savla, two; Michael Prince, two; and Kade Freeman, two.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Area high school hoops: Teams busy on weekend
