ORAN HOPES TO BUILD ON EARLY SUCCESS

Oran lost all five starters from last year's team, but Eagle pride decided to hang around for at least another season.

Despite heavy losses to graduation, Oran had compiled a 3-2 record prior to last Friday's game at Delta, with both its losses coming to undefeated teams in Scott City and Kelly.

Oran advanced to the finals of its own Oran Tournament, where it lost to Kelly, the second seed in this week's Christmas tourney.

"The Kelly game is the only one I really felt we were out of," said Oran coach Mitch Wood. "I felt they controlled the tempo."

But with a group of juniors leading the way, Wood likes how his team has handled the early going.

"We're feeling pretty good about what we're doing," said Wood. "We play the toughest part of our schedule right before Christmas and right after."

Oran, a Class 1A team, had not played a 1A school until meeting Delta last Friday.

"I set the schedule up, so I can't gripe," joked Wood.

Oran enters the tournament as the eighth seed and will play ninth-seeded Woodland at 9 p.m. Friday in the first round. The winner will, in all probability, face top-seeded Charleston in the quarterfinals.

"If we win we get to play Charleston. That's definitely not a plus," said Wood.

He added, "After the No. 1 seed and maybe No. 2, it's going to be a wide open game. It's the first time I've seen the big schools not dominate the top."

Oran, which plays a three-guard lineup, may be without junior Chris Nichols, who recently injured an ankle in practice.

"It will definitely affect us if he's not able to play," said Wood.

Nichols is one of four Eagles averaging between 12 to 15 points a game.

Also averaging in that vicinity are juniors Dustin Dannenmueller, Billy Loper and Daniel Wheeler. Another junior, Ricky Eftink, has also scored as many as 17 points in a game.

Justin Wierman, one of two seniors on the team, has been directing the Oran offense from point guard.

"We don't really have a go-to guy," said Wood. "We're not having much problem scoring points. The biggest problem has been guarding on defense and that's something we have to get better at if we're going to do something."