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With just a week or so left in 2023, Bartlesville Radio continues with its’ best of local and area sports from the calendar year. For this one, we go back to February on the hardwood.

The Nowata Ironmen got a win over a tough Oklahoma Union squad in a game that was not separated by double digits until the fourth quarter, to secure a conference championship. It was a lower scoring affair in this one as the Ironmen came out on top 41-33.

Game started out slow, only 11 combined points at 6-5 in favor of the Cougars. 2nd quarter would be all Nowata as they would go up 18-13 at the half.

Second half would be more of the same. A close battle as a 4-4 stalemate in the third quarter made it 22-17 heading into the final frame. Nowata would eventually take over in the fourth, pushing it to 10 with this two-handed slam from Yamarion Cole.

Ironmen win 41-33 and capture the Northeast Valley Conference Championship. Chelo Prince came up huge for his Ironmen and had a season-high in seven total points, with 5 of them coming from the charity stripe in the fourth to help Nowata to the W.

Prince talks about the night and winning the conference.

Skylar Stevens led all scorers with 15 points, right behind him was Spencer Bullen with 8.

Former Nowata Ironmen Head Coach Nate Smith also had this to say after bringing home his first conference championship.

Nowata would finish the season at 20-7 with a loss to Warner to be eliminated in Regionals.