Mustangs' Early Lead Helps Advance Team to Big House

Ft. Cobb-Broxton got off to an early lead against the Okarche Warriors to roll on to a 20-point win.

Thursday, July 28th 2011, 6:08 pm

By: News On 6

Mustangs' Early Lead Helps Advance Team to Big House

Originally Published: Mar 3, 2011 4:30 PM CDT

Stephany Speck
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

CHOCTAW, Oklahoma – Ft. Cobb-Broxton was favored coming into their first game of to the state tourney, facing Okarche in the Class quarterfinals.

The No. 4 Mustangs’ only loss came at the hands of the undefeated 2A Watonga Bulldogs in December. Since that loss, the team has rolled onto an 18-game winning streak, extending that to 19 after a 69-49 win Thursday over Okarche to advance in the tournament.

The Okarche Warriors fell behind early after the Mustangs got off to a 19-4 run, trailing 23-8 by the end of the first quarter. Okarche struggled to get shots off against a bigger, more aggressive Ft. Cobb-Broxton team which refused to expose any open lanes or extra space.

Gavan Steinmetz showed why he’s such a valuable piece of the Mustang lineup, draining five 3’s for Ft. Cobb-Broxton, including two in the first quarter, to finish with 19 points.

Okarche struggled against the Mustangs relentless tempo and inside presence. Ft. Cobb was able to grab several offensive rebounds and rattle off second-chance shots, giving them an obvious edge on the scoreboard and extend their lead.

Nathan Beene controlled the final minute of play before the half. He patiently took his time to pass the ball and waste away the clock before taking a jumper at the top of the key to bring the halftime score to 35-15 as the two teams headed to the locker rooms.

The Arkansas transplant finished with 19 points for the Mustangs. His presence on the court helped Ft. Cobb-Broxton set the tempo for the game – a pace that was close to impossible for the Warriors to keep. Teammate Trent Troxell chipped in an additional 11 points to help his team advance to the next round.

Okarche was led by Bryce Carver, who finished with 16 points. Teammate Tyler Miller ended with 11 points, while Austin Kretchmar lit up in the second half, finishing with seven.

Despite two double-digit finishes, the Warriors never seemed to narrow the lead beyond 15 points.

The Ft. Cobb-Broxton Mustangs advance to the Big House to face the winner of the Hydro-Eakly/Caddo game.