DUNCAN — High school basketball coaches often like to divide the season into three segments. There is pre-winter break, the rest of the regular season and then the playoffs.

With most teams having wrapped up the 2012 portion of their schedules, it’s an opportune time to take a look at how area squads have done in the first segment of the season.

5A

DUNCAN

While the Demons’ 3-3 record isn’t anything special for program as good as theirs, Duncan’s players and coaches have plenty to smile about as they head into the break.

“I’ve coached a bunch of different levels ... and this is the smallest team I’ve ever coached,” Duncan coach Mikel Davidson said. “But they play harder than any team I have ever coached.”

After starting the season off with back-to-back wins, the Demons slid into a three-game losing streak, kicked off by a triple-overtime loss to rival Ardmore. That streak came to an end in dramatic fashion on Tuesday, though, as Duncan fended off Cache for a 68-63 win.

In Duncan’s two regulation losses (both on the road) their offense struggled, scoring 40 and 41 points. When the offense is rolling, the Demons have been hard to beat.

The high scoring has come from a largely inexperienced squad. Jack Braught, has emerged as a dominant scorer and rebounder, posting four double-doubles and even a 20-20 game against Cache. Just as surprising have been senior Cade Baldwin and juniors Je’Mario McCoy, Isiah Ervin and DeAndre Vermaire, who have frequently broken double digits in scoring.



3A

COMANCHE

It has already been an up-and-down season for the Indians, just eight games in.

Comanche opened up with a three-game losing streak, just to bounce back with a four-game win streak, which ended on Tuesday with a loss to Marietta.

While the results have been mixed, the Indians’ scoring has been rather consistent. In five of their eight games, they have finished in the 50s. The difference between winning and losing, it appears, comes down to defense for Comanche.

The Indians (4-4) go into the break with a bit of a sour taste in their mouth thanks to a lopsided loss to Marietta, but they could easily get rid of that in their first game of the new year as they take on rival Marlow.

MARLOW

The Outlaws came into the season with plenty of optimism despite losing several of their key players from last season. So far, they have lived up their lofty expectations, building a 5-2 record.

Marlow has also proven to be a clutch team. Five of its games have been decided by single digits. Four of them were won by Marlow, including three decided by three points or fewer.

Senior Jackson Huddleston has stepped up and shouldered much of the load, as has junior Wes Coast.



2A

CENTRAL HIGH

After experiencing only modest success last season, the Central High Bronchos are in the process of taking a big step forward.

The Bronchos are 7-2 with their two losses being decided by a combined nine points. Their wins, meanwhile, have all been decided by at least 13 points.

Thanks in part to a tremendous start to the season by senior Dallin Ferrin, who sat out last season as a transfer year, the offense has been on a tear, averaging 67.5 points per game, and breaking 70 points in their last four games.

Central High heads into the break riding a five-game win streak.

EMPIRE

Things started well for the Bulldogs (3-7), who started the year with back-to-back wins before spiraling into the break as they dropped seven of their next eight.

While the defense has been solid for the most part, Empire has struggled to produce points, cracking 50 only twice this year.

The team, though, still has plenty of confidence as it heads into the break, knowing they are still working out the kinks in a new system.

“We definitely have things to build on and plenty of things to work on over Christmas break,” Empire coach Ryan Green said.

BRAY-DOYLE

The first potion of the season is sometimes referred to by coaches and players as the “preseason.” A warm-up of sorts before the real action begins. That may be the best way for the Donkey’s (0-9) to view it this year.

Bray-Doyle has struggled to keep up with its opponents in the early part of the season, falling by an average of more than 30 points a game.

The Donkey’s though, have one last chance to right the ship before heading into the break as they take on a winless Rush Springs (0-7) squad on Friday.

Coming out of the break, Bray-Doyle will take on an always tough Velma-Alma squad before playing in the Black Diamond Tournament.

VELMA-ALMA

Other than seeing their 35-game regular season winning streak snapped in overtime at the hands of Amber-Pocasset, it’s been a near-perfect start for the Comets (8-1), who once again appear to be one of the top teams in Class A.

Velma-Alma, currently ranked seventh, heads into the break riding a four-game win streak and averaging 69.7 points per game.

Their uptempo style has left most of their opponents in their dust, but it may also be the Comets Achilles’ heel. In their lone loss, the Comets were forced to play a slow, grind-it-out game, falling 48-44 in OT.

WAURIKA

It appears that when the Eagles can get their offense going, they can be a tough team to stop.

In the two games where Waurika (3-6) has topped 60 points, they have topped their opponents. It is 1-6 when it can’t reach that mark. A big part of that has to do with their defense allowing more than 60 points in six of their nine contests.

The Eagles will have a lengthy break to examine that before tipping off in the Big Pasture tournament on Jan. 7.