Kingfisher’s boys basketball coaches were expecting a solid season.

But this?

“We knew we’d be pretty good,” said head coach Jared Reese. “But we definitely weren’t expecting to win another state championship.”

Reese was speaking to the Kingfisher Lions Club during the civic group’s weekly luncheon on Thursday.

His Yellowjackets defeated Victory Christian 51-43 on March 12 to win the Class 4A state title.

It was Kingfisher’s third straight state championship and fourth overall since 2017.

This one came despite the team having almost no returning varsity experience from the 2021 title team.

“I really think it was the power of the mind,” Reese said. “These guys expected to win and it goes a long way.”

Reese also said the 2022 team was unique during his nine-year tenure here in that his staff that included Chris Combs and Danny Green rotated eight players regularly.

That kept the players fresh and eventually wore down other teams, he said.

“And I don’t mean this as anything negative against any other team I’ve had, but this is the hardest-playing team I’ve ever had,” Reese said.

He said the lack of experience was evident in some games, especially early, but added that several of the players also developed as the year wore on.

He noted that senior Chase Davis was the state tournament MVP by two different publications.

However, one publication had Xavier Ridenour on the all-tournament first team while the other had Caden Kitchens on its first team.

“The fact that you struggle to determine who our best players are is another reason I felt we were pretty good,” Reese said. “You couldn’t concentrate your efforts on one or two guys.”

A large majority of the key players in this year’s 28-1 team return next year.

Reese reminded Lions the team will take part in next season’s Tournament of Champions in Tulsa.

KHS is 224-24 (.903) in Reese’s nine seasons at the helm. That includes a 163-8 (.953) mark in the last six seasons, which includes the four titles and another state runner-up finish.

After his speech, the Lions Club members voted to donate $250 toward the purchase of state championship rings for the team members.

Reese was introduced by Lions Club member Chase Farrar.