AREA BASKETBALL: COPAN, DEWEY, NOWATA, SOUTH COFFEYVILLE, WESLEYAN CHRISTIAN
Dewey High School’s Tra Hicks (5) dunks the ball while Wesleyan Christian School’s Carter Kennard (3) defends on Tuesday in Bartlesville. The Bulldoggers defeated WCS 42-32.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
Jan. 9, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
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DEWEY VS. WCS BOYS
If at first you don’t succeed try Tra again.
That mottled motto might have found a root in Tuesday’s Dewey vs. Wesleyan Christian School boys basketball battle.
Following an uneven start, the Dewey Bulldoggers needed a pick-me-up — or slam-me-down.
And that’s just what happened.
Tra (pronounced tray) Hicks got the ball in his hands and made a thunderous dunk.
“Up until then, we couldn’t really get over the hump,” said Dewey head coach Lance Knight. “And Tra did it. The crowd was fired up and the kids loved it. It was a big moment in this type of game.”
Dewey went on to win, 42-32, to open its January schedule. The Doggers improved to 9-1 while Wesleyan Christian (7-3) lost for just the third time this season.
Kooper Crawford and Zach Renfroe each scored 10 points to lead Dewey’s balanced scoring sheet, followed by Hicks and Austin Eastman with seven apiece and Gage Hawkins with six.
WCS came out playing shutdown defense right from the start. In fact the Mustangs would hold Dewey to its season lowest point total.
“Wesleyan Christian really good after us defensively and caused us to turn the ball over in the first quarter,” Knight said. “After that, we really buckled down on defense and scrapped the rest of the way.”
When Hicks’ produced his first career dunk, Dewey felt an added surge of energy that would ultimately make the difference.
Dewey plays this weekend in the Oologah tournament while WCS travels to the Regent tourney.
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Wesleyan Christian School’s Owen Hay (11) goes to the basket against Dewey’s Karson Johnson (23) on Tuesday in Bartlesville. Dewey defeated WCS 42-32.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Copan High School’s Jacklynn Thompson (5) drives the ball against a South Coffeyville player on Tuesday in Copan. The Lady Hornets defeated South Coffeyville in overtime, 40-39.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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COPAN VS. SOUTH COFFEYVILLE GIRLS
Copan Lady Hornet freshman Jacklynn Thompson had the victory well in hand.
With the final seconds ticking off in overtime, the right-handed Thompson let fly a 15-feet-plus shot — with her left hand.
The ball zipped through the cords to elevate Copan to the 40-39 win, in Copan.
“At first, she didn’t know she made it,” said Copan head coach Kirsten Ergenbright, while the fired-up home crowd let loose with an explosive reaction.
This was a big win overall for Copan, which — as far as Ergenbright could ascertain — was the first time in a dozen seasons, or so, that Copan had beaten the Lady Lions.
In their previous two meetings, South Coffeyville had defeated Copan by a combined point total of 85-62.
But the third time proved the charm — and perhaps a launching pad for more success to come.
It’s been a season of development — which one would expect being that Ergenbright is starting three freshmen and a sophomore.
But the team’s attitude — which includes some senior leadership — is impressive.
“They have so much heart and hustle,” Ergenbright said. “They get better every game. They don’t have quit. That’s something you can’t coach.”
The Lady Hornets also displayed plenty of character in crunch time.
After talented senior Zoey Secondine fouled out early in the fourth quarter, Ergenbright had to rely on three freshmen (Thompson, Macee Secondine and Harley Shull), two juniors and a sophomore to pull out the win.
Junior Aimee Nittler nailed a buzzer-beater at the end of regulation, off an assist from junior Kaylee Woodward to send the game into overtime.
Then it came down to Thompson’s game-winner, who scored off an inbounds play.
She caught the ball near the baseline, about the three-point line and dribbled in. Her defender prevented Thompson from shooting right-handed so she threw it in left-handed — and the ball banked through the cords.
In addition, Thompson had played a key defensive role in guarding South Coffeyville’s top scorer out of a box-and-one defense.
“We told Jacklynn not to let her score and she held her to four points,” Ergenbright said.
Thompson put in 10 points, followed by Zoey Seondine with eight, Shull with six, Macee Secondine and Nittler with five apiece and Rylee Preston and Woodworth with three each.
Kennadi Spencer pumped in 18 for South Coffeyville, followed by Anna Mansfield, six; Selena Arredondo, five; Aerylle Gilpin, four; Makaelyn. Reeves, four; and Autum Scott, two.
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Dewey High School’s Adrianna Hicks (1) tries to control the ball against Wesleyan Christian on Tuesday in Bartlesville. Dewey defeated WCS 65-21.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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DEWEY VS. WCS GIRLS
The Christmas holiday glow has hung on a little later for Dewey Lady Dogger coach Michael Sanders.
Paced by C.J. Jones with 18 points, Dewey took down Washington County rival Wesleyan Christian School, 65-21, in Dewey’s 2026 opener.
“We played very, very well,” said Dewey head coach Michael Sanders. “For our first game out of the Christmas break … I was very pleased.”
Dewey hung its hat on defense, which doubly pleased Sanders.
“I felt our defense had been lacking in some areas,” he said. “This was an area we covered in practice during the Christmas break. It looked like it took.”
On the offensive side, rounding out Dewey’s top five scorers, following Jones, were Cassie Snead 10, Kaci Swan six, Adrianna Hicks six and Chanley Herren, five.
“We got to play everybody,” Sanders noted.
Dewey improved to 5-5 while WCS went to 7-3.
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COPAN VS. SOUTH COFFEYVILLE BOYS
The Hornets spread the scoring around in a 64-37 win against the Lions.
Payton Call led the way with 18 points, followed by Shooter Brewington with 15, Teegan Carolne with 14 and Xavier Allston with 12.
“We played pretty good,” said Copan head coach Kolton Stacy. “We got points from everybody. I was pretty proud of them coming off the break. Sometimes those games swing either way.”
Copan improved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 against South Coffeyville.
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NOWATA VS COMMERCE BOYS
The Nowata Ironmen nearly doubled up on Commerce on Tuesday at home, winning 81-44. Clint Harrington led the way with 21 points, followed by Talon Thompson and Ty Williams with 14 apiece, and Brayson Richards with ten.
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NOWATA VS COMMERCE GIRLS
Three Lady Iromen scored in their 53-29 loss to Commerce. Kaylee Bashford led the way with 14, followed by Jayln Trotter with nine, and Lyrique Walker with six.