Analyzing the Oklahoma basketball postseason pairings in Classes 2A-4A

Who will be the two teams to make it out of each area round?

By Ty Loftis 

Photo of Dale's Dayton Forsythe by Christian Potts

The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association released district basketball assignments over the weekend for Classes 2A-4A, paving the way ahead to the state tournament.

Each class is divided up into four areas and only two teams make it out of each area. Here is what each of those teams will be facing as they look to make a run to the state tournament.

On the boys side in Class 4A, Weatherford will get to host a district game against Clinton and host the Area I regional. If the Eagles were to get past that, they would get to travel to Hennessey, which is a little more than an hour away.

Bethany, standing at 12-6, will also be hosting a regional, but expect two-loss Oklahoma Christian School to challenge the Broncos once they get there.

Class 4A Area II features one of the favorites to win it all in Lincoln Christian facing off against Tulsa McLain in districts. The Bulldogs will travel to Harrah for regionals, where they will be going up against Perkins-Tryon, Tuttle and Newcastle, all teams that are ranked in the top 11 according to ossaarankings.com.

Opposite of that regional site sits an Oklahoma City Douglass team who appears to have caught a break. If the Trojans can get past their district opponent in Harding Charter Prep and the likes of Wagoner and Locust Grove in regionals at Checotah, it should make for an entertaining area tournament in Stroud.

The top teams in Class 4A Area III will have district road tests, as Crossings Christian goes to Tecumseh and Tuttle travels to Cache. If the Knights are able to take care of that district matchup against Tecumseh, they will host regionals, where their most difficult matchup will undoubtedly come against Tuttle.

Potential contenders from the other Area III regional include a 15-2 Stilwell team which has won six straight and a Catoosa team that sits at 12-4. That Area site will be played at Henryetta.

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In Class 4A Area IV, Kingfisher hosts a district and sitting at 16-2, shouldn’t have any issues making it to area. Once in Shawnee, expect both Anadarko and North Rock Creek to challenge the Yellowjackets for a state tournament bid.

As for how things break down on the girls side in Class 4A Area I, Bethany and Weatherford should be the favorites to make it to state, as they have a combined record of 33-4. Both teams host a regional before traveling to Hennessey for area.

State title favorite Lincoln Christian will host a district in Class 4A Area II. The Lady Bulldogs will travel to Harrah for regionals.

A 14-2 Wagoner team, who is in the other regional, will likely be the only competition Lincoln Christian faces until they get to the state tournament. Area is set to take place in Stroud.

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In Class 4A Area III, 16-2 Tuttle and 15-3 Verdigris are set up well.

Verdigris gets to host both a district and regional before traveling to Henryetta for area. Tuttle does have to play at Cache in districts and have a regional site at Crossings Christian. Muldrow and Tecumseh could be a challenge for both teams.

Class 4A Area IV is wide open, as this group features Kingfisher, Oologah-Talala, Inola, Mannford and Fort Gibson, all teams who have been battle-tested this year. Having played some of the top competition in the state, expect Kingfisher to be one of the two favorites to come out of the area tournament, set to take place in Shawnee.

Moving down to Class 3A boys, top ranked Metro Christian will host a district in Area I before going to Beggs for regionals. In regionals, the Patriots only face one team in Washington that is ranked, but they could have to face a very athletic team in Beggs as well.

Alva and Crooked Oak should both be expected to make it out of the other regional in Perry, at which time they would meet up with Metro Christian in area at Enid and have to defeat the Patriots if they harbor any hopes of making it to state.

Class 3A Area II sets up well for Prague and Purcell, two teams with a combined 30-3 record. Both teams host a district and they are set up on opposite sides of the regional.

Aside from Kellyville, no other team in their regional is ranked inside the top 20 of the OSSAA rankings. A potential area site game would be played at East Central University in Ada.

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Much like the previous class, Class 3A Area III sets up well for both Roland and Marlow, who once again are on opposite sides of the regional and are at 30-5 on the year.

Roland gets to host both a district and a regional before traveling to Ada for area. After Marlow’s home district contest against Davis, they go to Kingston for regionals. Valliant and Lindsay could both make things interesting.

Class 3A Area IV features two of the favorites to win it all once again in both Oklahoma City Millwood and Sequoyah-Claremore. Both of those teams host a district, as they are set up on opposite sides of the regional, but reaching the state tournament won’t be easy.

Millwood will have to travel to Morris for regionals, and they will likely face a solid 13-4 Keys team once they get there. As for Sequoyah-Claremore, the Eagles will most likely face a dangerous Kiefer team at Adair. That area site will be at Verdigris.

In Class 3A Area I on the girls side, Washington is one of three undefeated teams remaining in high school basketball. They will get to host a district before traveling to Beggs for regionals.

Aside from Alva, who sits at 17-3, there is no other team ranked in the top 20 according to www.ossaarankings.com. Those two teams wouldn’t meet up with each other until the area tournament in Enid.

Moving down to Class 3A Area II, three teams with a combined 41-13 record will be vying for spots in the state tournament.

Bethel, Silo and Purcell have all had great years and will be looking to keep that going, but it won’t be easy as neither team hosts a regional and they must travel to East Central University for area. Comanche is a team that could spoil a wide-open Class 3A field.

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An 18-1 Idabel team will be the favorite to come out of Class 3A Area III. They will go to Roland for regionals before a trip to Ada for area.

The other regional is sure to be plenty competitive, as Marlow, Dickson and Kingston could all make a run at the state tournament. Kingston does get to host the regional.

A top-ranked Jones team is expected to lead the way in Class 3A Area IV. Kiefer will also be one of the favorites, as they get an automatic bye into regionals at Adair.

Expect Sequoyah-Claremore to be a challenge to Kiefer, and if Jones is to make it to area in Verdigris, they will have to go to Morris for regionals, where the host team is 13-5 on the year.

Looking at Class 2A Area I - on the boys side - Hennessey, Hooker and Hobart are all vying to come out of this area and yet they are all ranked in the top 10 according to www.ossaarankings.com.

Oklahoma Union will always be dangerous, as the Cougars won the state title two years ago. Ketchum is also a team that could be in contention to make it to the state tournament.

This much-anticipated area tournament is set to take place at the Stride Bank Event Center in Enid.

Oktaha and Oklahoma Christian Academy highlight Class 2A Area II, as both teams are expected to make a run at the state title. Each team gets to host a district and the only other team that should pose a threat to either team is Stratford, who stands at 11-7 on the year.

The area tournament is set to be held at Seminole.

Class 2A Area III features tournament favorite Dale. The Pirates host both a district and a regional. At that regional, they will face off against Cashion and Christian Heritage, teams with subpar records, but who have gained plenty of experience.

At the area tournament in Cleveland, Dale could meet up with a host of teams, including a Nowata team that has gotten better as the year has gone along and a Colcord team that is 10-3.

Class 2A Area IV features quite possibly the most challenging test for state-contending contending teams, as five of those squads are ranked in the top 15. Preston, Pocola, Rejoice Christian, Latta and Calera will all be competing for two spots.

Rejoice Christian will get to host a regional with Preston. Calera, Pocola and Latta will all be in Hartshorne looking to make it to area, which is set to take place at Checotah.

On the girls side in Class 2A Area I, a 17-1 Merritt team is likely to be a favorite to make it to state. Aside from that, the field is wide open.

Expect Hobart, Hooker, Afton and Pawhuska to be right there with a chance to make it to the state tournament. Hinton, also in that field, and Enid High School are the two regional sites, and the Stride Bank Event Center in Enid will be the area site.

Class 2A Area II features three teams with a combined record of 46-10. Amber-Pocasset, Howe and Oktaha have all had great years and a 14-4 Stratford team could also play spoiler. No matter how things turn out, some very good teams will be staying home.

Amber-Pocasset will get to host a regional, while Howe and Oktaha will have to go to Haskell. An entertaining area tournament is set to take place in Seminole.

Dale and Warner lead the way in Class 2A Area III. The Lady Pirates have only one loss on the year and Warner comes in with a 13-4 record. Dale gets to host a regional and Warner travels to Colcord.

Area will be in Cleveland. Stroud and Fairland, teams with a 14-3 record, could play spoiler if they come ready to play.

Class 2A Area IV showcases Preston and Pocola, two teams who are sure to be battle-tested headed into the playoffs, as both teams played a tough regular season schedule.

A 14-3 Okemah team and a 13-5 Caney Valley team could pose as a threat to those two teams, as the two regional sites will be in Hartshorne and Rejoice Christian, respectively, before going to Checotah for area.