BRUCE IN THE RECORD BOOK: Hulbert tailback sets state mark

11/12/2018 |  Ben Johnson

*Photo courtesy of April Howard photography 

Allen drops pair of regional tuneup games

Fastpitch | 4/26/2018 | Brian Johnson | The Ada News

STUART — The Allen Lady Mustangs, in gearing up for regional play, dropped a 10-2 decision to Stuart and a 12-2 contest to Varnum Tuesday in softball action at the Stuart Festival. Allen (No. 15 in Class 3A), with the two setbacks, fell to 17-19 on the season. Stuart (No. 7 in Class 2A) improved to 28-10, while Varnum (No. 9 in Class A) is now 19-9.

OBCA Announces Stellar Hall of Fame Class

5/3/2021 |  Michael Swisher

Five coaches with nearly 200 years experience and more than 3,800 victories make up the 2021 class of the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

The five – Larry Callison, Dan Hays, David Page, Bob Weckstein and the late Ray West – will be inducted during a luncheon in Edmond on June 5. Tim Bart, director of the OBCA Hall of Fame, revealed the roster of honorees this week.

The OBCA was formed in 1967 and the inaugural Hall of Fame induction was in 2002. The 2021 class brings the total of honorees to 115.

Ticket information and reservations may be obtained through Coach Bob Hoffman, University of Central Oklahoma, 580.478.9186 or bhoffman4@uco.edu.

The 2021 Hall of Fame selections:

Larry Callison. Coached boys and girls basketball during a 40-year career. Won state championships with boys at Ketchum (1995) and girls at Tahlequah Sequoyah (2015, ’17, ’18) and had three runners-up. Overall coaching record: 900-224 (552-117 in boys, 348-107 in girls), retiring in 2019. Coaching stops: Gore (1977-85), Ketchum (1985-97, 2010-12), Vian (1997-99), Stilwell (1999-01, 2005-06), Eufaula (2001-03, 2006-08), Boynton (2003-05), Tahlequah Sequoyah (2013-19). Member of Oklahoma Coaches Association and Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association halls of fame.

Dan Hays. During a 38-year collegiate career, compiled record of 724-470 at Northwestern Oklahoma State (five seasons, 71-68 record) and Oklahoma Christian University (33 seasons, 653-402). Holds record for most wins by men’s basketball coach at a four-year Oklahoma college. Spent three years as assistant at Southeastern Oklahoma State. Product of Albuquerque, N.M. Inducted into NAIA Hall of Fame, 1998.

David Page. 39 years as coach (36 as head coach). Ranks fifth all time among Oklahoma prep boys basketball coaches with 744 victories. Coached at Blackwell (1980-90), Hominy (1990-98), Yale (1998-2004), Pawnee (2004-current). Won state championships at Yale (1999, 2000) and Pawnee (2005, ’08-09-10) with two runner-up finishes. Product of Oklahoma’s cradle of coaches, Cleveland. Member of Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Bob Weckstein. Began coaching career with baseball (seven seasons) and girls basketball (four seasons) at Okarche before hitting his stride in boys basketball at Frontier in 1989. Has won six state championships at Frontier, the consolidated Red Rock-Marland schools, with a record of 650-240. Recently retired as superintendent at Frontier, but will remain as the head coach. Played for OBCA Hall of Fame coach J.V. Haney.

Ray West. Died in 2019 while in 45^th year as head coach. Ranks No. 2 all-time among Oklahoma boys basketball coaches with record of 853-391. Coaching stops: Fort Supply (1974-76), Gould (1976-77), Purcell (1977-78), Mountain View (1978-81), Mustang (1981-82), Cordell (1982-94), Okarche (1994-2019). President of OBCA 1992-93. Will be inducted into Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame in July.

Garber's Jones Passes Boys Basketball Torch to Reed

4/8/2021 |  Michael Swisher

Little did Fletcher Reed know that when he was coaching Snyder in the state basketball semifinals, he was also taking part in a job interview of sorts.

Reed on Wednesday night was named the new boys basketball coach at Garber High School when that district’s board of education unanimously approved the move.

He takes over for Will Jones, who coached the program for four seasons. 

His tenure culminated with the 2020 Class A state championship and a runner-up trophy in 2021.

Jones, also Garber’s superintendent, stepped down from his basketball job shortly after the season ended and Reed was someone he had his mind on to take his place.

And it was mostly from what he witnessed a couple weeks prior at The Big House.

“I didn’t know much about him before the season,” Jones admits about Reed.

For good reason.

Reed was just in his second year as head coach at Snyder. Prior to that, he spent one season as a graduate assistant at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Fletcher Reed

In the high school coaching landscape, he was still getting his feet wet.

“Then I started hearing some rumbles about maybe Snyder being a contender from down in that part of the state,” Jones added.

Snyder finished the regular season 14-2 and was ranked 11th.

The playoffs hit and, in the regional, the Cyclones beat No. 7 Caddo.

In the area final, they were even more impressive as they handily beat No. 1 Fort Cobb-Broxton to earn their first trip to state since 2015.

“When I saw they beat Fort Cobb, I thought, ‘OK, there’s another bully on the block now’ and I really perked up,” Jones said.

He got some film on Snyder and was immediately struck by what he saw.

“I loved the edge his team played with,” Jones said. “They came out swinging every night.”

As Jones was coaching Garber through the Class A state bracket, he spent his time scouting future foes.

That included the semifinal matchup between Snyder and Hydro-Eakly.

Hydro-Eakly won - just as it did the next night against Garber - but not without being taken into overtime.

Jones was sold by what he saw on the court and on Snyder’s sideline.

“There was this really well-dressed, young guy,” Jones said. “But beneath that surface of those nice clothes was a fighter.

“He’s a young coach, but he doesn’t coach young.”

A Hobart native, Reed said he struggled with the choice to leave Snyder, but called Garber “the right fit.”

“Just watching Garber the last two or three years and seeing how they compete at a high level every night really intrigued me,” Reed said. “Their kids seem coachable and they’re very competitive and I know the community support is outstanding.

“And also, in getting to know Coach Jones, I knew he’d be great to work for.”

As he was coaching at the state tournament, Reed was quite unaware that Jones might have had some future plans for him.

“We were just in the midst of a playoff run and trying to do the best job to put ourselves in a position to win,” he said. “So I didn’t think of it that way, but when you put it that way, it’s cool to think about.”

Now Reed gets to think about taking from Jones the torch of a program that’s been to state three years in a row and won 84 percent of its games during that stretch.

Jones is confident he’s found the coach to do it.

“A goal of mine was to make sure the program didn’t take a step back,” he said. “We’ve built a good foundation here. I’m excited to see how high he can take it.”

BROKEN ARROW FIRES DAVID ALEXANDER

11/30/2020 |  Ben Johnson

BROKEN ARROW -- Some results over the weekend were stunning. But none near as shocking as the news from Broken Arrow to start the week.

In a release from the school on Monday morning, Broken Arrow announced it was stripping David Alexander of his head coaching duties. A move no one saw coming, including Alexander himself.

Two years after leading the Tigers to their first state championship, Alexander, 56, now finds himself without a head coaching gig. He went 60-23 in seven seasons and finished with a state runner-up finish in 2015.

“We appreciate and thank coach Alexander for his dedication and time with the program," said Chuck Perry, associate superintendent of student services, in a statement released by the district.

"His legacy has been cemented in the fact that he came home to his high school alma mater and was the first coach to take the program to the top of the mountain. After much consideration, though, we feel the timing is right and is in the best interest of the district to move in a new direction.”

Alexander gradated from Broken Arrow in 1982.

The district said the search for the next head coach begins immediately.

Playoff Picks - Nov. 27

11/27/2020 |  Korry Rogers

We are back! A good week for Whitt last week, who is still too far behind to matter.

We are one week closer to handing out gold balls, so let’s fire off some more picks for the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds!

Last week (overall):

Whitt: 16-3 (87-36)

Swish: 13-6 (91-32)

Ben: 13-6 (95-28)

WEEK 3 - PLAYOFF GAMES & PICKS

Playoff picks - Nov. 20

11/20/2020 |  Ben Johnson

PLAYOFF GAMES - WEEK 2 - PICKS

Broken Arrow @ Union
Westmoore @ Santa Fe