2025-26 Basketball Season Preview

November is here and with it comes the unofficial start of the holiday season and the official start of small school basketball season in Oklahoma.

Non-football playing schools can tip off their seasons annually on Nov. 1.

Dover and Lomega are wasting little time as they begin this week while Okarche waits until late next week.

Dover opens up at home Tuesday against Cimarron.

Lomega travels to Drummond on Tuesday.

Okarche’s first game isn’t until Nov. 14 when it heads to Lomega. That will be Lomega’s third contest of the season.

(Note: Lomega plays at Dover on Saturday, Nov. 8.)

The outlooks vary for the three girls and three boys teams associated with each school, but there is major change that affects them all this year.

Their classification sizes are smaller than before.

This is the first year of having an additional classifi cation for the smallest schools in the state.

The OSSAA classifies schools for basketball by their average daily membership (ADM) from the previous years.

The 32 largest schools are 6A, the next 32 are 5A and it works its way down.

In previous years, once it hit Class A, that group consisted of 96 schools and the remaining schools - which has been just over 120 - fell into Class B.

This year there will be more Class B schools, but it will be split into B-I and B-II.

Now Class A, which includes Okarche, is only 64 schools.

That pushes 32 teams that previously would have been in A down to B.

Of the 157 smallest schools, the 76 largest will be B-I.

The last 81 schools - the smallest - will be B-II.

Both Dover and Lomega fall into B-II this season, meaning that’s about 40 fewer schools with which to contend come playoff season.

By numbers alone, the path to the state tournament should be easier for Okarche, Lomega and Dover.

But basketball is played on the hardwood, not the calculator.

Below is a look at each team that will be competing in those smaller classes, what they’ve got coming back plus a season outlook from their coaches: Dover Girls

Head coach: Matt Peck Assistant( s): Miguel Obeso Last year: 22-10, Class B area finals Returning starters: 0

Other key returnees: Sophomore Leslie Soto; Junior Presley Squires; Junior Alexcea Caldwell Outlook: Peck has been at the helm of Dover’s return to contender status as the Lady Longhorns have won 73 games the last three seasons and in 2023 made it back to the state tournament for the first time since 2007.

But now it’s back to rebuilding as the Lady Longhorns have to replace every starter and almost all the offensive production from a team that fell just one win shy of getting back to state last season.

Not only is the team inexperienced, but also young on top of that.

“We have no seniors on the roster, so we will be returning everyone next year,” said Peck. “Right now we’re just focusing on getting better everyday. We also have to get better mentally.”

Dover Boys

Coach: Jared Reese Assistant( s): Danny Green, Chris Combs Last year: 27-3, Class B state semifinals Returning starters: 1 - Junior Casen Buck (10.5 ppg) Other key returnees: Junior Randy Vitales; Senior Brennan Fletcher (4.5 ppg) Outlook: Dover made its first trip to the Class B state tournament in more than 30 years last season, which came in Reese’s second year at the helm of the program.

Four starters are gone from that squad, leaving Buck as the only returnee from that group.

However, it’s not necessarily a rebuilding year.

Both Vitales, who has started in the past, and Fletcher provide the Longhorns with experience at the forward and post spots.

Vitales had a major heart issue last season, but has since been cleared to play by multiple doctors.

Dover will also rely on a several underclassmen, including move-in guard Daxx Compton and fellow sophomores Kyler Williams, A.J. Avila and Marco Sotelo along with junior post player Ivan Ruiz.

“It’s a young team, but very athletic,” Reese said.

“This team should be a much better shooting team that’s fast and exciting to watch.”

One thing that most Reese (and Combs and Green)coached teams have at their disposal is the ability to defend. This year’s squad is expected to be no different.

“Defense should still be solid,” Reese said.

Another key for this team to make a long postseason run is getting valuable experience in November, December and January.

“We just need to get reps under our belts,” Reese said. “Yes, we are young, but we’ve got several pieces to work with.”

Lomega Girls Coach: Kevin Lewallen Assistant(s): Tate Ott Last year: 25-5 Class B area finals Returning starters: 4 - Senior Paige Wheeler (12 ppg, 2.6 asst); Senior Aliana Lawson (10 ppg, 6.1 reb); Senior Hadley Ott (8 ppg, 4.3 reb); Junior Bree Yost (7 ppg, 1.6 reb) Other key returnees: Sophomore Reagan Snowden (17 ppg, 8.8 reb) Outlook: The end of the 2024-25 season still leaves a bitter taste for the program.

Needing just one win to return to the state tournament, the top-ranked Lady Raiders were defeated by Arnett and Leedey at area to have those hopes derailed.

“It was a very disappointing finish to our season,” said Lewallen.

The team’s top five scorers are back to try to ease last year’s disappointment and get back to state. Ironically, the team’s leading scorer and rebounder - Snowden - isn’t one of the four returning starters.

The dynamic sophomore came off the bench as a freshman and Lewallen jokingly hints you just may see her in the starting lineup in 2025-26.

Fellow forward Lawson gives the team a tough matchup for opponents trying to figure out who to concentrate on in the post.

Wheeler and Ott provide scoring punch from the outside and a wealth of experience to go with it. Yost is a versatile junior with a lot of experience as well.

Lomega’s game plan doesn’t change: Score quickly, pressure, run. Each aspect feeds the others.

Lewallen just wants to see some improvement in areas.

“We have to shoot the basketball better so it can help us get in our defense,” he said.

Lewallen said he’ll likely play up to nine Lady Raiders.

“And I think that any of those nine could get 20 points on a given night,” he said.

The revamped Class B gets some of Lomega’s annual hurdles out of the way, but there is still a solid list of teams who can win B-II this season.

Lomega - the program with more state championships than any other girls program in the state - will likely be among those on the list.

“Consistency will be key for us,” Lewallen said.

Lomega Boys Coach: Justin Edsall Assistant(s): Tate Ott Last year: 21-10, Class B area semifinals Returning starters: 3 Senior Lance Yost (16 ppg, 7 reb, 8 asst); Senior Jaxson Snowden (11 ppg, 8 reb); Senior Brenden Uhlenhake (4 ppg, 4 reb) Other key returnees: Senior Cameron Ramer (3 ppg, 3 stl); Junior Noah Lentz Outlook: “I think we have a really good team that can compete in our class,” Edsall said.

That’s bolstered not just by the returning experience, but the new landscape of Class B basketball (see above).

The Raiders fell just two wins shy of a trip to state last year and most of this year’s key contributors were part of that run.

That experience is led by Yost, who is starting at point for a fourth year.

Snowden gives the team a solid inside presence as well.

“We have a lot of experience in our starting group and some promising younger guys to help off the bench,” Edsall continued. “I think a lot of guys have improved over the summer.” Okarche Girls Coach: Brett Tahah Assistant( s): Scott Tahah

Last year: 23-10, Class A state semifinals Returning starters: 2 - Junior Katie Parham (15 ppg, 7 reb, 2.4 asst, 2.9 steals); Junior Callie Cramer (8 ppg, 5 reb, 1.4 asst) Other key returnees: Sophomore Logan White (4.5 ppg, 2 reb); Senior Ally Baustert (2 ppg, 2 reb); Senior Kate Baustert (2.6 ppg, 2 reb); Sophomore Emory West; Junior Kateyn Waugh Outlook: Whether you call it peaking at the right time or getting hot at the right time, Okarche did it last year.

The Lady Warriors entered the playoff ranked 20th and won three straight games at area to get to state (including over #7 Red Oak) and then beat #5 Am-Po in the quarterfinals.

Some big parts of that run graduated, but some big ones return as well.

Parham is a sharp-shooting guard capable of lighting it up while Cramer and White will give the team size that’s tough to match up.

The team will also be bolstered by West, who had to miss her freshman season with a torn ACL.

Waugh should also provide some depth at the guard position after averaging 7 ppg at Southwest Covenant a year ago.

For Tahah, the expectations for her second season don’t change. “We’re expecting to make another run at the state tournament,” she said.

Okarche Boys Coach: Aaron West Assistant(s): Brandon Treece, Hunter Frisby, Tony Williams Last year: 32-0, Class A state champions Returning starters: 4 - Senior Jett Mueggenborg (26.2 ppg, 9 reb, 4.2 asst, 4.2 steals); Senior Easton Roby (18 ppg, 7 reb, 3 asst, 2.1 steals); Senior Colin Hendrickson (6 ppg, 3 asst, 3 steals); Senior Brett Carnott (6 ppg, 5 rebs) Other key returnees: Senior Ethan Kirby (7 ppg); Senior Macklin Smith (4 ppg, 3 rebs); Senior Cody Endres (3 ppg, 3 rebs); Senior Sam Kroener (2 ppg, 2 steals); Junior Kysen Avila (2.9 ppg); Sophomore Court Sumrall (3.4 ppg); Junior Austin Pinkerton (2 ppg); Junior Carter Robinson; Junior Ryan Mayo; Freshman Harry Mueggenborg Outlook: “Last year was last year…” said West.

But what a year it was as the Warriors closed out the old State Fair Arena with an undefeated season and a second straight state title.

The good news for West is that most of the roster returns. The lone exception is Hunter Mueggenborg, a multi-year starter who was an All-State selection and was a big part of the engine that made the Warriors operate.

Despite that being a huge loss, there is still a lot to like and West says so himself.

“I really like this team,” he stated. “I feel with the core we have in place, we have another great chance to make a deep run.”

That core is led by Mueggenborg, a two-time state tournament MVP, and Roby, twice picked to the all-tournament team at state.

The seniors are both starting for their fourth years and combine for 44 points and 16 rebounds a game.

Hendrickson offers an outside threat and Carnott additional toughness inside.

But the list of available players for West is long.

“We have a deep bench and could play up to 13 guys,” West said. “I feel comfortable doing it.”

That makes the Warriors’ already-tough practices even more competitive “and allows me to put the players on the floor who continue to give 110 percent effort.”

That includes looking forward, not backward.

“We have to have the focus to be disciplined and focus on the things that are consistent to winning. Last year was last year and we have to be ready to play every time we step on the floor,” West said. “It is a new year with new challenges. We have to continue to practice and stay locked into goals that we want to achieve and have an attack mindset.”

Class A continues to be a balanced class with a long list of challengers.

“Class A is going to be as tough as ever, but I really like our chances if we continue to play together, tougher and relentlessly on both ends of the floor,” West said.