Eastern earns first conference title in 21 years

By Derek Hatridge
McAlester News-Capital

The Lady Mountaineers have made history, two decades in the making.

With a win over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College on Thursday, Eastern Oklahoma State College women's basketball achieved a feat it has not done since 2000 — become regular season Region II Conference Champions.

Eastern earned a co-championship title it will share with Seminole State College, after finishing 15-4 on the season with a 13-3 conference record. And EOSC coach Al Davis said it's been a hard, grueling road to get to where they are today.

"It's been a long season. I mean, they got here August 10, and ever since, we've been kind of working at it," Davis said. "Basketball season is kind of both semesters, but we've turned into like a baseball/softball season."

Due to the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Junior College Athletic Association opted to have its basketball season start in January, opening up a hard and fast race to the finish line.

But COVID wasn't the only issue Eastern has had to face this season. A two-week stoppage because of winter weather, and even a bomb threat that saw campus evacuated for what was thankfully a false alarm.

But Davis said despite the disruptions, distractions, and scary moments, his team has done a great job of putting all that aside to create something special.

"It's like every day something comes up. I done told them 'hey, take every day seriously, but enjoy the moment,'" he said. "I think we're doing a good job of that."

Davis said his group of young women have done a great job of staying together and playing as a single unit, and that's what has helped lead to their success. The Lady Mountaineers started the season with a loss, but rattled off a 12-game winning streak, while also skyrocketing itself to one of the top scoring teams in the nation.

But there was a moment when Davis said everything began to click for his team, when he knew they had the potential to be something special. And he wanted to make sure his players knew what they could accomplish.

"Last year's team played pretty good, had the most conference wins. This year, I pointed to that banner up there and said 'hey, it was 20 years since the conference tournament and 21 years since the regular season (championship),'" Davis said. "So I want them to understand that."

"I'm very proud of them," he added. "I love them like they're my own."

Davis said the support that he and his team have received from Eastern and the surrounding communities has been incredible, and gave thanks to everyone from EOSC President Janet Wansick to the fans that have been by their side throughout this journey.

And he's grateful he gets to be by his team's side as they make school history.

"This is really a special group," Davis said. "So this is a group I want Eastern to remember. The fans, everybody that come to support us, this is a group they need to remember, because this is something really really special."

Contact Derek Hatridge at dhatridge@mcalesternews.com.