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The Oologah-Talala Mustangs appear to be finding their stride at the right time, following a rollercoaster stretch of the season with a championship run in their hometown tournament. After going nearly three weeks between wins since a December victory over Verdigris, the Mustangs endured close losses to Grove and Pawhuska before suffering a lopsided rematch loss to Grove. Head coach Caleb Branscum said the season has been a learning process, noting the team is filled with new faces and has experienced plenty of ups and downs. That growth paid off in the tournament, where the Mustangs entered with a clear mission and captured the title for the second straight year.

Oologah-Talala’s momentum showed immediately following the tournament, highlighted by a dominant 90-41 win over Salina and a convincing 68-51 victory over Dewey in a game that many expected to be a toss-up. The Mustangs were then tested by a physical Cleveland team in the tournament championship, a matchup Branscum described as evenly matched throughout. Cleveland built a 16-point lead in the third quarter, but Oologah-Talala responded with tightened defense and timely shooting to claw back into the game.

The Mustangs sealed the one-point win in dramatic fashion, blocking a potential game-winning three-point attempt in the final seconds and securing the rebound to preserve the victory. Branscum credited his team’s persistence and defensive effort in the second half for the comeback. With confidence renewed, The Mustangs now turns its attention to a challenging stretch ahead, beginning with a home matchup against Skiatook, followed by road game at Miami and back home against #8 Catoosa. Branscum acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming schedule but said the goal is to continue competing hard and build on the momentum gained from the recent tournament success.