A trip to the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds on Wednesday for firstround action of the basketball State Tournament resulted in a loss for the Newcastle Racers, as well as the end to a winning season.
This was the first time in school history the Racers’ basketball team had made it to the State Tournament, according to Head Coach Jessie Brown, who has led the Racers to an 88-48 record during his tenure at Newcastle.
This year’s team was 24-5 on the season, and ranked number 6 in the state. They were the Okemah Tournament Champions, Hinton Tournament Champs, Sweet Pea Tournament Runner-Up, District Champions, Regional Runner-Up, and Area Consolation Champions.
They only suffered one loss at home this year. That was in the Sweet Pea Championship game, a 7976 loss to the eventual State Champion Frederick A. Douglass Trojans.
Newcastle was paired in first round action of the State Tournament with the Weatherford Eagles, a team that had beaten the Racers earlier in the year. Weatherford’s slower pace, roster full of six-foot plus players, and a stiff zone defense, took the 42-35 victory.
The Eagles had the 14-11 lead at the end of first period play, but the Racers came back by the end of the half to tie the game at 25 apiece.
In the second half of the game, the Racers could only muster 10 points. One Newcastle fan summed it up on social media by saying, “Poor guys couldn’t buy a bucket in the 4th.”
With Weatherford leading the game 36 to 32 with about 2:29 remaining in the third period, the Racers brought the ball down to just past half court where guard stood holding the ball waiting for the Eagles to come out of their zone defense and engage.
With no action on the court, the fourth period ended with the same score, 36-32.
The fourth period had the Racers taking shots, but nothing would fall. Newcastle had only three fourth-period points. With 4:29 to play in the game, Weatherford led 42-35. Then at the two minute mark, Weatherford began their stall game, successfully holding off the Racers for the win.
The Eagles went on to play and lose to Douglass, 48-44, in the State Championship game over the weekend.
