By Chuck Reherman, Sports Editor – Southwest Covenant will be looking for a sort of redemption Thursday when the Patriots open play in the Hammon Invitational Tournament.
The Patriots, after a mediocre performance in the Crusader Classic at Christian Heritage Academy in early December, have their eye on the gold this week.
And, the tournament may be set up for the Patriots.
The tournament field includes Sentinel, Navajo, Union City, Beaver, Binger-Oney and Lomega, along with the Patriots and host Hammon.
Only two of those teams, SWCS at 4-3, and Union City at 8-3, have winning records.
“The Hammon Tournament always has a good field of teams,” SWCS head coach Kevin Cobbs said. “All the teams may not have great records, but they are usually tough teams and have played great competition coming in.
“Lomega always has a good team and they are tough again,” he added. “And, playing Hammon and Hammon is always difficult. But, I think we should experience some good success in the tournament this year.”
The Patriots play Sentinel, 0-11, in the opening round at 5:30 p.m. Hammon, 6-7, and class 2A Navajo, 5-5, play at 8:30 p.m. and are on the same side of the bracket.
A win would send the Patriots into the 8:30 p.m. semifinals against the winner of Hammon-Navajo and loss would have SWCS playing at 11:30 a.m.
Sentinel has struggled this season and come into the tournament after losing to Burns Flat-Dill City, 56-19. Sentinel had lost twice to Hammon, 54-35 in their first meeting and 60-21 in the Five County Tournament.
SHS has also lost to Navajo 59-33. The team tries to play more of a deliberate style of game. SHS’ biggest offensive output was 40 points in a 64-40 loss to Leedey.
The Patriots come in having won two of their last three games. Their last outing was a 54-51 loss to Oklahoma Christian Academy.
After a little more than a week off, the Patriots returned to the gym on Wednesday for light workouts.
With no game on Tuesday, Cobbs said the team will have five days to get ready for the tournament.
“I like coming back from break and getting straight into a tournament,” Cobbs said. “We immediately get three games and that launches us into the second half of the season.”
