The Class 2A Area IV high school basketball brackets are set and both the Cashion boys’ and girls’ teams will play for a state tournament bid in district games this weekend.
The Wildcats will represent District 6 and will both host Stroud at CHS on Saturday, Feb. 15, for a chance to advance to the winners bracket of the Area IV Regional. They will then play for a shot at the Area tournament which would qualify them for the Class 2A state tournament should they win.
Starting with the Cashion girls, coach Andrea Taylor’s team tips off against Stroud at 6:30 P.M. after ending the regular season with a 16-9 record. They enter the postseason as the No. 14-ranked squad in Class 2A and winners of seven of their last 10 games behind the deadly frontcourt play of sibling duo Megan and Brooke Shafer.
Meanwhile, Stroud comes into the district matchup with a record of 7-14 and have lost eight of their last nine contests. They last faced Cashion two seasons ago at the 2023 Area IV district tournament, where the Wildcats won, 63-45.
“We’re looking forward to playoffs and making a deep run,” said coach Taylor. “We’re working on finding balance and cohesion with our post and guard play and I believe that, as we work through some growing pains, we’re one of the most balanced teams in 2A.”
Taylor says that the gameplan doesn’t change just because it’s a postseason matchup.
“We are preparing for Stroud the same way we prepare for every opponent, by striving to be uncommon, getting lots of extra shots up, and focusing on the little things. We can battle inside and outside, and if we can all get going on the same night we will be really good.”
For coach John Hardaway and the Wildcats’ boys, they’ll take on Stroud on their home court immediately following the girls’ game at 7:30 P.M. Cashion finished 18-7 during the regular season as the No. 11 team in 2A thanks to a loaded senior class including Carson Gump, Drake Woody, Hudson Horan and Kamden Miller.
Junior guard Parker Mitchell has also been a welcome addition to the Wildcats this season after transferring in from Edmond North.
“Its always nice to get home playoff games,” said coach John Hardaway about his team’s matchup against Stroud. “We are excited about our draw throughout the Area and looking forward to hosting the District tournament. Stroud is a pretty physical team and I think keeping them off the boards will be a big challenge, but I think we’re up to the task. I love where our team is at heading into the playoffs.”
Hardaway also talked about what the Wildcats need to do to have success this postseason, which starts with taking the process game-by-game.
“I think the biggest key for us is to just take it one game at a time. We really focus on the defensive end and on the boards, and continue hunting great shots on the offensive end. I really like the idea of traveling a little bit away from home base after the district tournament and having the opportunity to play some different teams in some different venues. I think it helps kids focus just a little bit more and be excited about the challenges ahead of them during the playoffs.”
Like the girls, Cashion’s boys last played Stroud at the 2023 Area IV district tournament, where they won, 55-50.
A win for both teams would send them to their respective regional winner’s brackets, where they would compete in a double elimination tournament to make the final Area IV tournament starting Feb. 27. A win at Areas would qualify them for state on March 4-8.