The best around?

There are four basketball teams in Kingfisher County that have yet to experience defeat heading into this holiday break.

Two of them will be putting those sterling records on the line this week.

The Okarche boys - the two-time defending Class A state champion that’s currently ranked No. 1 in the class – travels to Tulsa for the 60th Tournament of Champions.

Meanwhile, the Lomega Lady Raiders - ranked atop Class B-II - are going southeast to Ada for the 48th Bertha Teague Mid-America Classic.

And they’re going to see some familiar faces.

Joining them in the eight-team field will be Kingfisher High School, which is ranked fifth in Class 4A.

Both tournaments will be played Monday through Wednesday (Dec. 29-31) and offer the county teams some of the - if not THE best competition they’ll see all season.

Bertha Teague Mid-America Classic

You don’t just sign up to play in this girls-only tournament at East Central University’s Kerr Activity Center.

You have to be invited.

“Anytime you get invited to a holiday tournament it is an honor,” said KHS head coach Taylor Young.

She has the unique perspective of taking part in the tournament both as a player and a coach.

Young was a sophomore on the Bethel team that played there in 2009 and a senior on the 2011 Shawnee team that won it (with her making the all-tournament team).

Now she makes her second appearance as a coach.

KHS participated in 2023 and placed fifth.

After dropping the opener to 5A McAlester, the Lady Jackets came back to thump both 2A Hartshorne and 3A Bethel for the consolation crown.

KHS will enter with a 5-2 mark.

The two losses? They came to 3A No. 1 Washington and 2A No. 3 Merritt, both of which are in this year’s field in Ada.

Kingfisher plays Howe, currently ranked No. 2 in 2A, to open the tournament.

Also taking part, along with Lomega, are B-I No. 2 Kiowa, 2A No. 7 Latta and 3A No. 8 Keys.

“I’m excited for our girls to get this experience and have a chance to go out and compete against some of the best teams in their respective classes,” Young said. “All three days will be against tough opponents, so the experience gained in those types of games hopefully will carry over for us going into the playoffs.”

This is Kingfisher’s third trip to the tournament overall. The 1988 team won the title.

Lomega’s goal? “It’s the same as always,” said coach Kevin Lewallen. “We want to win every game.”

Lomega has done that thus far as it sports an 11-0 record.

Outside of a three-point win over Okarche, Lomega’s closest game this season was 48-37 against 2A No. 11 Fairview.

This kind of tournament, said Lewallen, provides the opportunity for his team that the regular schedule doesn’t always offer.

“This tournament is good for us because we aren’t going to be the most athletic or biggest,” he said. “We are going to have to play good basketball and do things right to win a game.”

The Lady Raiders have done that in the past.

In 2012, Lewallen’s Lomega team beat 6A’s Union High School - the second-largest high school in the state at the time - to claim third place.

The Lady Raiders were back in 2021 and once again placed third.

After beating 2A No. 2 Amber-Pocasset in the opener, Lomega lost to 4A No. 1 Tuttle in the semifi nals.

The Lady Raiders came back to down 4A No. 4 Weatherford 57-52 in overtime for third place.

That Lady Raider team made the Class B state finals that season.

That’s why, Lewallen said, he wants to test this team.

“Playing good competition will only make us better in the playoffs, win or lose,” Lewallen said.

Following is the tournament schedule (Note: Kingfisher and Lomega are on opposite sides of the bracket): Monday, Dec. 29

Game 1: Kingfisher vs. Howe, 3 p.m.

Game 2: Merritt vs. Keys, 4:30 p.m.

Game 3: Washington vs. Kiowa, 6:30 p.m.

Game 4: Lomega vs. Latta, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 3 p.m.

Loser 3 vs. Loser 4, 4:30 p.m.

Winner 1 vs. Winner 2, 6:30 p.m.

Winner 3 vs. Winner 4, 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 31 7th place, noon 5th place, 1:30 p.m. 3rd place, 3:30 p.m. Championship, 5 p.m.

Tournament of Champions For decades, this tournament has been the opportunity for teams - large and small - to prove themselves.

“The TOC is the best tournament out there and it’s a tremendous honor to be invited,” said Okarche coach Aaron West.

Okarche is the smallest school in this year’s field. The Warriors are the lone team from Class 2A down.

Also in the bracket are 6A Southmoore, 6A Owasso, 5A Tulsa Memorial, 5A East Central (Note: since they play in districts in the regular season like football teams, Class 5A and 6A don’t have official rankings), 4A No. 2 Cascia Hall, 4A No. 3 Fort Gibson and 3A No. 1 Millwood.

“To be able represent 2A and down as the only small-school team in the tournament is something we don’t take lightly,” West said.

No team in the tournament can boast what Okarche currently carries: A 51-game win streak.

West knows that’s in jeopardy by agreeing to play in the tournament, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives, he said.

“We have nothing to lose from playing in this but a chance to find ways to improve our basketball team,” he said. “The field is highly competitive and we definitely are excited about the challenges ahead.”

The Warriors will play East Central, which is currently 5-1, in the opening round. They are on the same side of the bracket as Owasso, which features OSU signee Jalen Montanati, and Cascia Hall.

It’s not just the chance to play against big-time talent, but also in a big-time arena: The BOK Center in downtown Tulsa.

“The chance to play in front of those crowds and at the BOK will be an experience I feel our guys will always remember,” West said. “We have been going and watching the TOC for years and have been wanting this opportunity.”

Following is a complete schedule of the boys portion of the tournament: Monday, Dec. 29

Game 1: Owasso vs. Cascia Hall, 8:30 p.m.

Game 2: East Central vs. Okarche, 10:30 a.m.

Game 3: Memorial vs. Fort Gibson, 5:30 p.m.

Game 4: Millwood vs. Southmoore, 1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Loser 3 vs. Loser 4, 10:30 a.m.

Loser 1 vs. Loser 2, 1:30 p.m.

Winner 3 vs. Winner 4, 5:30 p.m.

Winner 1 vs. Winner 2, 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 31

7th place, 10:30 a.m. 5th place, 1:30 p.m. 3rd place, 5:30 p.m. Championship, 8:30 p.m.