Pirates seek State berth in area title game clash with No. 4 Hennessey
The Preston Pirate varsity basketball team stands one win away from punching its second-straight ticket to the Class 2A state basketball championships in Oklahoma City.
After three double-digit wins to begin postseason play, the Pirates appear on their way to making a return trip to the ‘Big House’ in 2024.
The only hurdle that remains for the Preston gentlemen and a second-straight state tournament berth is the Hennessey Eagles.
The Pirates and Eagles are set to clash Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Cleveland Event Center in the championship game of the Class 2A Area II basketball tournament.
Both teams enter the battle for a state tournament berth ranked in the Top 5 in the Class 2A rankings with Hennessey sitting at No. 4, while Preston is one spot behind at No. 5.
Hennessey comes in with a 23-3 season record with the two of the losses coming against 2A No. 12 Fairview – 48-47 on January 5 in the semifinals of the Three Rivers Conference Tournament in Enid and 37-34 on February 8 at Fairview. The only other loss suffered by the Eagles this season was a 63-47 setback at home to Class 3A No. 3 Crooked Oak on December 1, 2023.
Hennessey’s road to the area title game began February 17 at home with an 81-44 victory over Meeker in the district tournament and also included a 74-62 win last Thursday over Morrison and a 53-44 victory over 11th-ranked Riverside last Saturday in regional tournament action at Hennessey.
Preston enters the area title game clash with a 24-4 record and an 11-game winning streak. Two of the Pirates’ four losses this season have come against 2A No. 1 and 2-time defending state champion Dale (93-63 Nov. 10 at Dale and 80-49 Jan. 9 at Preston). The other two losses this season for Preston came against Eufaula (54-51) on December 18 in Eufaula and Wilson (42-40) on January 20 in the finals of the 2024 Muscogee Nation Invitational in Okmulgee.
Besides finishing runner-up to Wilson at the Muscogee Nation Invitational, the Pirates were crowned champions at both the Freedom Ford Shootout in Savanna and the Mike Kerr Classic in Morrison.
In 28 games this season, the Preston cage squad has outscored opponents 1,861-1,260 – an average of 66.5-45.0 – and has outscored its three postseason opponents 218-125 – an average of 72.7-41.7.
The closest victory for the Pirates this season was a 31-30 decision over Class B No. 6 Kinta in the finals of the Freedom Ford Shootout in Savanna.
Besides the two teams that will battle for the area championship on Friday, the other four teams at the Class 2A Area II tournament this weekend are the 11th-ranked Riverside Indians, 14th-ranked Christian Heritage Crusaders, 18th-ranked Tonkawa Buccaneers, and the unranked Morrison Wildcats.
Thursday’s area tournament action began at 2:30 p.m. with an elimination game between Riverside and Tonkawa, followed by a 7:30 p.m. elimination contest between Morrison and Christian Heritage.
The two winners on Thursday will square off in Friday’s consolation semifinal contest at 2:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. consolation title game against the loser of Friday’s area championship game.
A win over Hennessey will earn the Pirates their second-straight state tournament berth, while a loss will drop the Preston gentlemen into Saturday’s consolation championship game and another chance at punching their ticket to next week’s Class 2A state basketball championships in Oklahoma City.
Two-straight losses this weekend will bring the Pirates’ state tournament dreams to an end.
— Road to Area Preston Pirates Record: 24-4
Ranking: No. 5 in 2A
• Head Coach: Chase Littlejohn
• Assistant Coach: Brigham Burt — Team Roster
1 – Giorgio Dunn-Spencer* (5-9, SR) 2 – Jervais Goree* (5-8, SR) 3 – Kent Rice (5-11, SO) 5 – Hunter McElhannon (5-10, SO) 10 – Bradley Winford (5-11, SO) 13 – Jayden Smith* (6-3, JR) 14 – Tanner Young* (5-11, JR) 20 – Jeremaine Bolden (6-1, SO) 21 – Ethan Moore (6-2, JR) 23 – Cayden Hollier (5-10, SO) 24 – Kaden Dean (5-10, SO) 30 – Trey Phillips (5-11, SO) 32 – Damarion Cottrell (5-11, FR) 33 – J’bari Webb (6-2, JR) 34 – Pheonix Finch* (6-3, SO) 35 – Carter Fuller (5-6, FR) — Season Results
Nov. 3 – Preston 75, Okarche 55 Nov. 10 – Dale 93, Preston 63 Dec. 1 – Preston 70, Oklahoma Union 33 Dec. 11 – Preston 69, Caddo JV 21 (Savanna Tourn.) Dec. 12 – Preston 67, Kellyville 54 Dec. 14 – Preston 78, Heavener 41 (Savanna Tourn.) Dec. 16 – Preston 31, Kinta 30 (Savanna Tourn.)
Dec. 18 – Eufaula 54, Preston 51 Jan. 2 – Preston 74, Morris 38 Jan. 4 – Preston 53, OCA 51 (Morrison Tourn.)
Jan. 5 – Preston 52, Pawhuska 38 (Morrison Tourn.) Jan. 6 – Preston 59, Frontier 47 (Morrison Tourn.)
Jan. 9 – Dale 80, Preston 49 Jan. 12 – Preston 57, Beggs 41 Jan. 18 – Preston 88, Wilson JV 22 (MN Inv.)
Jan. 19 – Preston 69, Morris 36 (MN Inv.)
Jan. 20 – Wilson 42, Preston 40 (MN Inv.)
Jan. 23 – Preston 76, Kellyville 63 Jan. 26 – Preston 96, Morris 44 Jan. 30 – Preston 60, Henryetta 49 Feb. 2 – Preston 79, Beggs 43 Feb. 5 – Preston 78, Oklahoma Union 28 Feb. 6 – Preston 70, Eufaula 51 Feb. 9 – Preston 84, Wewoka 36 Feb. 13 – Preston 55, Henryetta 45 Feb. 17 – Preston 88, Stroud 31 (Districts) Feb. 22 – Preston 63, Chelsea 43 (Regionals) Feb. 24 – Preston 67, Christian Heritage 51 (Regionals) — Class 2A Area II Tournament
Feb. 29 – March 2, 2024 • Cleveland (OK) HS Tournament Schedule Consolation Quarterfinals
Riverside vs Tonkawa; Thursday, 2:30 p.m.
Morrison vs Christian Heritage; Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Consolation Semifinals
Riverside/Tonkawa winner vs Morrison/Christian
Heritage winner; Friday, 2:30 p.m.
Championship
Hennessey vs Preston; Friday, 7:30 p.m. (Winner Advances to State) Consolation Finals
Consolation semifinal winner vs Hennessey/Preston loser; Saturday, 7:30 p.m. (Winner Advances to State)
