Tenacious tradition: New-look Caney Valley basketball tournament set to start Thursday

Mike Tupa, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise
·2 min read
Caney Valley' (Kan.) player Jack Billingsley drives to the basket during a battle earlier this season at Dewey High. Both teams are slated to play in this week's Caney Valley (Okla.) Invitational, set to start Thursday in Ramona.
Caney Valley' (Kan.) player Jack Billingsley drives to the basket during a battle earlier this season at Dewey High. Both teams are slated to play in this week's Caney Valley (Okla.) Invitational, set to start Thursday in Ramona.

One of Washington County’s premier prep basketball get-togethers has a new look but boasts the same tradition of high-quality teams, top-of-the-line coaching and feisty competition.

A staple of the winner hoops scene since the early 1990’s, the Caney Valley Invitational has changed its format this season to a three-day hoopsfest, Thursday through Saturday.

In the past, the tourney has extended throughout the week, with four games each on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and the finals on Saturdays.

But, this year, there are eight games scheduled each on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The list participating teams also has altered significantly.

Traditional tourney partners in the field include host Caney Valley (Okla.), Barnsdall, Copan and Liberty.

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But, rounding out the checklist are four programs new to the competition — Dewey, Caney Valley (Kan.), Oklahoma Bible Academy (Enid) and Riverfield Day.

There will be an eight-team boys’ tourney and an eight-team girls’ tourney.

Caney Valley's Jill Emery, No. 11, and a Barnsdall player fight for possession of the ball during a game at Barnsdall.
Caney Valley's Jill Emery, No. 11, and a Barnsdall player fight for possession of the ball during a game at Barnsdall.

One of the girls’ brackets includes Caney Valley (Okla.) (10-2), Dewey (6-7), Copan (5-5) and Riverfield Day (1-10).

The other girls’ bracket includes Caney Valley (Kan.) (3-3), Barnsdall (2-9), Liberty (8-4) and Oklahoma Bible (8-5).

Constituting one of the boys’ brackets are Barnsdall (0-11), Riverfield (9-2), Oklahoma Bible Academy (7-7) and Liberty (5-8).

The other boys bracket features Caney Valley (Okla.) (9-3), Caney Valley (Kan.) (2-5), Dewey (6-7) and Copan (5-5).

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First day games

Following is Thursday’s opening day schedule:

  • Girls: 10 a.m. — Dewey (6-7) vs. Copan (5-5)

  • Boys: 11:30 a.m. — Dewey 6-7) vs. Copan (5-5)

  • Boys: 1 p.m. — Riverfield (9-2) vs. Barnsdall (0-11)

  • Girls: 2:30 p.m. — Caney Valley (Okla.) (10-2) vs. Riverfield (1-10)

  • Girls: 4 p.m. — Oklahoma Bible (8-5) vs. Barnsdall (2-9)

  • Boys: 5:30 p.m. — Oklahoma Bible (7-7) vs. Liberty (5-8)

  • Girls: 7 p.m. — Liberty (8-4) vs. Caney Valley (Kan.) (3-3)

  • Boys: 8:30 p.m. — Caney Valley (Okla.) (9-3) vs. Caney Valley (Kan.) (2-5)

Ranked teams

On the girls’ side, the lone OSSAA ranked team is Caney Valley (Okla.), which is No. 18 in Class 2A.

In the boys’ field, Caney Valley (Okla.) also is ranked No. 18 in Class 2A. Riverfield sits at No. 15 in Class A.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Oklahoma high school basketball: A look at Caney Valley Invitational