AREA BASKETBALL: CANEY VALLEY, DEWEY AND OKLAHOMA UNION SEASON OPENERS
Dewey High School’s Matney Epperson (10), center, battles for the ball with Oklahoma Union’s Sawyer Jackson (11) and Hurli Callahan (5) last Friday night at OKU. The Lady Bulldoggers defeated OKU 73-32.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Dewey High School’s Gage Hawkins (10) guards Oklahoma Union’s James Bottoms (12) during last Friday’s game at OKU. The Bulldoggers defeated OKU 87-40.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Nov. 23, 2024
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
A week before the festive feast of gratitude, a handful of local high school basketball teams celebrated Banksgiving — as in banking in a ton of shots.
Dewey and Caney Valley both made it clean sweeps in last Friday’s season openers to perhaps earn themselves an extra helping of gravy or another slice of pie on the holiday.
Following are summaries of the debuts:
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BOYS: DEWEY 87, OKLAHOMA UNION 40
Whew!
Veteran Dewey Dogger head coach Lance Knight spread out playing time like candy at a parade.
Fourteen different players contributed to Dewey’s points-fest: Kooper Crawford 23, Austin Eastman 21, Zach Renfroe 7, Gage Hawkins 6, Tyler Roach 5, Jay Murguia 4, Lathe Griggs 4, Tra Hicks 4, Scott Horton 3, Carter Sears 2, Kavery Weathers 2, Karson Johnson 2, Will Lawrence 2 and Dalton McAuliffe 2.
Dewey played with intensity over drive on both ends of the court, including controlling the defensive boards. Oklahoma Union players displayed some solid talent and battled valiantly.
But Dewey was King Kong on Friday.
“Obviously, it wasn’t Oklahoma Union’s night,” Knight said. “We were aggressive everywhere we needed to be.”
In addition to strong rebounding on both ends, “we just pushed the ball,” Knight said.
He expressed appreciation on how his team launched into the season.
“It was one of those nights where I couldn’t be more proud of the guys,” said Knight. “They showed no early game jitters. … If your shots are falling and the other team’s aren't, you're probably going to win.”
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GIRLS: DEWEY 73, OKLAHOMA UNION 32
A senior-laden Dewey Lady Dogger team stormed into the season like a blizzard with unrelenting intensity.
C.J. Jones canned 18 points to lead Dewey, followed by Adrianna Hicks with 10 and Matney Epperson with six.
“I was happiest probably with our effort on the defensive side of things,” said Dewey head coach Michael Sanders. “I felt like we were flying around to the ball. We were getting a lot of turnovers that we were transitioning into our offense.”
Despite losing a couple of key players to transfer, Sanders welcomes back a veteran, well-developed team led by nine seniors.
“I’ve coached seven of those girls since they were in sixth grade,” said Sanders. “We’re very senior heavy. All of them are probably going to see the floor at some point and we’ll sprinkle in some freshmen.”
One of the ninth-graders is Hicks, who is very talented, Sanders said.
He also welcomed a new girl to the program in senior transfer Cassie Snead.
“We have a balance of experience and youth,” Sanders said. “These older girls know how it all works.”
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In a photo from last season, Presley Smith (11), who played for Dewey, battles for the ball with Caney Valley’s Roxy Hawkins (1). Now, both athletes are on the same Caney Valley team. The Lady Trojans defeated Mounds last Friday at home, 63-12, in their season opener.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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GIRLS: CANEY VALLEY 63, MOUNDS 12
Mounds managed just four points in the second half against the monstrous defense played by Caney Valley. In fact, Mounds never put in more than seven points in any quarter.
“Our defensive intensity was really, really good for the majority of the night and we shared the ball really well,” Lady Trojan head coach Deric Longan said. “They (the Caney Valley players) were focused coming out of the locker room.”
Presley Smith smoked the nets for 20 points to lead the scoring attack, followed by Roxy Hawkins with 14 and Adesta Henry with 12. Rounding out the point-makers were Harper Watts with six, Chloe Crawford with five, Syndi Brown with four and Abby Daigle with two.
“Our team speed is really good and we have the potential to shoot the ball really well,” Longan said about his teams’ strengths going into the season. “I think as the season goes on and the kids get more comfortable with our offensive system their shots are going to fall better.”
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Caney Valley High School’s Speck Gann (1) goes to the basket during action last year. The Trojans defeated Mounds at home, 57-24, in their season opener last Friday.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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BOYS: CANEY VALLEY 57, MOUNDS 24
The CV Trojans held Mounds to single-digit scoring in every quarter to set the tone on the defensive end.
“We got turnovers early and got some layups,” said Caney Valley head coach Tug Brinker. “We played pretty well on the defensive end and went up and down the floor well.”
On the offensive side of the court, the Trojans boasted three double-digit scorers — Speck Gann 22, Zac Longan 12; and Preston Gipson 12.
Gibson made a promising showing in his first start at point guard and Gann and Logan Thompson helped control the boards, Brinker said, adding that Longen hit some key three-pointers.
“We’re still mostly sophomores and juniors and we have a chance to be a really good team,” Brinker said. “Our offense has got to get better and we’ve got to get better on free throws.”
Rounding out Caney Valley’s scorers were C.C. Breese with four points, Thompson with three and Jackson Rider and Kody Cox with two each.