OKLAHOMA CITY - The Oklahoma City Stars men's basketball team jumps into competition on back-to-back days to round out the 2023 slate with a matchup against Bethel College on Saturday at 2 PM inside Abe Lemons Arena before hitting the road on New Year's Eve to take on Lubbock Christian at 3 PM in Lubbock, Texas.
Game Information
- Oklahoma City (3-7, 1-4 SAC)
- Previous Game: Oklahoma Panhandle State (W, 80-78)
- Bethel College (5-6, 3-3 KCAC)
- Previous Game: Tabor College (W, 81-73)
- Date & Time: Saturday, Dec. 30, 2 PM
- Location: Abe Lemons Arena
- Live Coverage: TV | Radio | Live Stats
- Lubbock Christian (8-3, 4-0 LSC)
- Previous Game: Texas A&M Kingsville (W, 76-60)
- Date & Time: Sunday, Dec. 31, 3 PM
- Location: Lubbock, Texas
- Live Coverage: TV | Live Stats
Key Players
- Oklahoma City
- Bethel College
- Sr - Keyaun Hoskin - 13.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 41.3 FG%, 3.2 APG, 1.2 SPG
- So - Carmelo Yakubu - 12.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 46.4 FG%
- Sr - Nick Bonner - 11.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 42.7 FG%
- Lubbock Christian
- Gr - Tiras Morton - 16.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.9 APG 1.1 BPG
- Jr - Najeeb Muhammad - 13.4 PPG, 4.0 APG, 41.4 3PT%, 1.9 SPG
- Fr - Ethan Duncan - 13.2 PPG, 45.8 FG%, 49.4 3PT%
About the Stars
- Oklahoma City comes off a narrow two-point victory over Oklahoma Panhandle State securing its first Sooner Athletic Conference win by snapping a four-game losing streak.
- OCU used a 14-2 start to help them take down the Aggies behind a career day from freshman guard Yorgio Golesis who cashed in 20 points along with five rebounds and four assists on an efficient 8-12 shooting.
- The Stars are led in scoring by senior Brandon Jackson with 16.8 points per game followed by sophomore Avery Jackson with 16.2 PPG.
- Both Brandon and Avery lead the Sooner Athletic Conference in free throw percentage with Avery Jackson holding the top spot and Brandon Jackson following in behind.
- The Stars have seen a youthful movement throughout the first half of this season with two sophomores and a freshman in the starting lineup while three OCU freshmen see 15.0 minutes per game or more
About the Threshers
- Bethel College enters with a 5-6 overall record while starting KCAC play 3-3.
- The Threshers come off a win over Tabor College 81-73 after much production from their bench with 22 points while seeing a big night inside with 50 points in the paint.
- Bethel College has experience with the Sooner Athletic Conference this season having played Mid-America Christian back on Nov. 7 seeing a two-point win over the Evangels in a low-scoring affair of 51-49.
- Bethel is led in scoring by Keyaun Hoskin 13.5 PPG seeing his top performance come against Mid-America Nazarene with a season-high 33-point outing in the six-point defeat to the Pioneers.
About the Chaps
- Lubbock Christian comes out of the Lone Star Conference in NCAA Division II with an 8-3 record and a 4-0 start in conference play.
- With the Chaps receiving votes in the latest poll they come in on a five-game winning streak. Most recently, the Chaps took down Texas A&M Kingsville 76-60 behind a 20-point performance by Ethan Duncan.
- Four different players average double-digit scoring with Tiras Morton leading the way with 16.9 PPG with a team-leading 13 blocks through 11 games.
- Najeeb Muhammad follows in behind with 13.4 PPG and leads the squad with 4.0 APG.
- Ethan Duncan has been the main shooter for the Chaps this season shooting 45.8% from the field and ranks ninth in the country with a 49.4% from long range. Duncan comes off a big game over Texas A&M Kingsville knocking down a season-high six threes.
Meet the Coaches
- Mark Berokoff (3rd Season)
- Mark Berokoff is in his third season at the helm for the Stars coming off a 17-13 in the 2022-23 season while finishing third overall in the Sooner Athletic Conference. Berokoff, previously a three-time national champion at Randall University holds a 36-31 overall record at Oklahoma City
- Before Randall, Berokoff served as an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech, Texas State, and Hill College. Berokoff contributed to one of Louisiana Tech's finest seasons with a 24-11 record and a berth in the College Insider Tournament quarterfinals.
- At the high school level, Berokoff had a career record of 225-77 in 10 years of coaching, including winning the California Interscholastic Federation Championship. He also was involved with the Los Angeles Rockfish AAU team where he coached more than 50 future Division I players.
- Jayson Artaz (6th Season)
- Artaz has led the Threshers to four straight 20-win seasons while leading the team to a regular season conference championship in the 2020-21 season.
- The 106 wins the Threshers have amassed in Artaz's first five years is more than the previous 8 seasons combined.
- Artaz was named the KCAC coach of the year in the 2020-21 season and has led Bethel to three NAIA National Tournament appearances under Artaz, making it to the Round of 16 twice.
- Artaz has the best overall win percentage in Bethel History while having coached 4 All-Americans, two KCAC players of the year, 15 All-KCAC Performers, 6 All-KCAC defensive Team selections, 5 All-KCAC Freshman team selections, and 3 Freshman of the year.
- Todd Duncan (13th Season)
- Duncan holds a record of 221-123 overseeing the Chaps through the 2022-23 season. He has led the team to five NCAA Tournament appearances in eight years of postseason eligibility at the Division II level, back-to-back Lone Star Conference Regular Season.
- Duncan has coached 34 All-Conference selections, including 2020-21 first-team selections Hicks and Daniels, and third-team selections Cameron Copley and Rowan Mackenzie. Aamer Muhammad was also recognized as the league's Sixth Man of the Year for the season, while Ty Caswell made the Academic All-Conference Team.
- Before his success at LCU, Duncan spent 15 seasons as the athletic director and head boy's basketball coach at Trinity Christian School in Lubbock. At TCHS, Duncan led the Lions to eight Final Four appearances in the TAPPS State Tournament, including a number four ranking during his final season where the Lions finished the year with a 32-4 record. Duncan amassed over 400 career wins during his tenure and led his team to a state championship in 1999.
Series History
- OCU and Bethel have met only twice with the previous meeting taken by the Stars in an 86-64 victory on Oct. 29, 2021.
- Bethel took the very first meeting back in 2019 by a score of 88-75.
- Between Oklahoma City and Lubbock Christian, the Stars hold an 11-6 all-time series record over the Chaps dating back to 2007.
- The Stars have taken the last four of five meetings with the most recent happening in 2021.
What's Next
Oklahoma City will hit the new year by jumping back into SAC play against Southwestern Assemblies of God on the road in Waxahachie, Texas at 7:45 PM on Thursday, Jan. 4.
