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  • Velma-Alma’s Jaz Gayanich puts up a shot over a pair of Glencoe defenders during the Area Champiomship game last Friday night in Stroud. Evan Grice/The Duncan Banner

    Jaz Gayanich
February 27, 2013

State Quarterfinals calling on Comets

Evan Grice The Duncan Banner

VELMA — At this time of the year, if you’re still playing basketball then it means you’ve done something right.

For the No. 5 Velma--Alma Comets, they hope today isn’t the last day they do something right in a game situation.

V-A will begin its quest for a state title at 2 p.m. against No. 7 Fort Cobb-Broxton in the quarterfinals round from Southern Nazarene University.

“Number one Ft. Cobb has a great tradition and is well coached,” V-A coach Kenny Bare said. “They’ve won three state championships since the 2000’s and have made the finals a couple of times since. He knows what he’s doing for sure. The Collins brothers who moved in have also been a huge boost for them as well, and are very talented players.”

With the final eight teams left comes a rare scenario not often seen in the playoffs.

Each of the teams entering the state tournament number 1 through 8 in the state rankings.

“How often do the coaches get it right in the voting?,” Bare said. “You’re going to see the best eight teams in Class A. This is the way it should be and whoever wins is going to have made it through a very tough tournament.”

Ft. Cobb-Broxton punched its ticket to the big dance by virtue of surviving the second chance game against Hollis last Saturday night, winning on a buzzer-beater 53-50 at Cache High School.

V-A meanwhile pulled off an upset as the Comets took down previously undefeated Glencoe, 68-66 at the Route 66 Coliseum in Stroud.

One big trend the Comets will be looking to buck, is the fact that no V-A boys team has won any game at the state tournament since the 1984 state champions squad.

There is however some slight differences between this Comets squad and the one who made an appearance last season at the state tournament.

For one, the Comets aren’t entering with an unblemished record, and V-A isn’t viewed as the favorite in any shape, form, or fashion.

“At the time we didn’t think all the talk about being undefeated affected us,” Senior Dallas Bare said. “But when we look back at it, I think that did play a bigger factor than we thought. We haven’t been picked to win a single game since Area, but that’s how we like it. Being the underdog has made us a more united team.”

The winner of this contest will get either Weleetka or Laverne Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. from the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds Arena in the state semifinals.

 

 

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