The Varsity boys basketball team lost to Nocona Tuesday, finishing their district season in third place and still securing a spot in the playoffs. They will face Cisco in Weatherford on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The team’s record is 17-13 overall and 6-3 for district.
“Considering how the season’s been up and down with highs and lows,” basketball coach Josh Castles said, “I’m very pleased with district results so far and how our team has responded to adversity.”
Junior Chance Warren said he thought the district would end with a three way tie between Seymour, Nocona and Archer, which would’ve happened if Archer beat Nocona. Nocona was first with only one loss to Seymour, Seymour was second with one loss each to Nocona and Archer and lastly Archer had three losses; two to Nocona and one to Seymour.
“I like this placing, but I wish we were first because we had the ability to be first,” Warren said. “It was difficult, though, to get to the top this year because we have three No. 1 teams.”
Junior Laine Hall said he feels proud of their position among the district teams.
“I feel like we worked really hard to get to that place like we weren’t supposed to be able to get to the spot we’re in, but we did” Hall said.
Castles said that not only were the wins against Petrolia important, but the team’s victory over Seymour the second time was huge.

“Seymour’s win showed the kids that they really can do that and show out,” he said. “One of our strong suits is that we have a lot of different combinations of personnel that let us do a lot of different things. When we’re in our game, they all know their roles and do really good at what they’re supposed to.”
Warren said his goals for playoffs is to make it two or three rounds deep.
“We’ve really improved on limiting our turnovers with better passes, and our leadership’s improved because of Coach Castles,” he said. “But sometimes we get flustered in big moments.”
Castles said the team’s improved on so many things this season, but has a couple more things to still work on in the playoffs.
“Playing together, being unselfish, decreasing turnovers, not forcing shots- these are all the little things it take, to be a great basketball team, and this is what the boys have bettered themselves on,” Castles said. “We do need to improve on our shooting and spend more time in the gym. To stay playing at this time of year, you need to be shooting well.”
Hall said the team has gotten better at arguing less and bonding more as a team.
“Right now one of our strengths is Kline Mayo and Chance working together with guard and post plays,” he said. “I want to make it far in playoffs, but even if we don’t, it’s still been a fun season.”
Castles said his goals are to take each game one by one and win for as long as they can.
“We’ll just have to work on getting a little bit better each day, each practice until things like our pick and roll action becomes undefendable,” Castles said. “When we’re on doing the things we work on, it’s very fun. I’m proud of them.”