Undeserving Bixby to play in T of C

By Ray Martin
rmartin@oklahoman.com 

The tournament of champions tips off next week.

And a mediocre Bixby team will undeservingly compete amongst the state’s elite squads (McGuinness, Verdigris, Pawnee, Jenks, Stringtown, Tulsa East Central and Sequoyah-Tahlequah).

The Spartans are currently 1-2, and 0-2 in Metro Lakes Conference play. They are ranked 15 in Class 5A on Okrankings.com, and are unranked in our preseason rankings (which rank the top 16 teams in each class).

And the Spartans have not lost to quality teams. Monday night they lost at home to unranked Claremore, 76-71.

So why was Bixby asked to play in the Tournament of Champions? I’m not sure. I can only think of about 50 other teams that are more deserving.

I do know this: Bixby will make the T of C exciting. Its first round loss to a small school (likely Stringtown or Pawnee) will set up a potential upset in the semi-finals. A small school could play in the championship game for the first time since 2003, when eventual runner-up Sequoyah-Tahlequah upset Union to advance to the finals against Bartlesville.