Warriors check the boxes with win at Cashion

Perfection has been achieved.

Now the tough part begins.

Okarche completed the rarely-attained undefeated regular season last Tuesday with an 84-66 victory at Cashion.

It served as a double-dip for the Warriors.

Not only did they wrap up their regular season with a 25-0 record, but they also secured the Three Rivers Conference regular season title.

Both Okarche and Cashion had 6-0 conference marks entering the game.

“I’m proud of what they accomplished in the regular season,” said coach Aaron West. “These guys control what they can control and just focus on playing good basketball.”

And the Warriors played that good basketball all season long, marking off all the regular season goals along the way:

• Go undefeated at home. Check.

• Win the conference tournament. Check.

• Win the conference regular season. Check.

• Win all three tournaments during the season. Check.

Cashion was Okarche’s victim last month in the conference tournament championship game.

Like the first matchup, the Wildcats managed to hang in for as long as possible, but Okarche’s multiple runs proved too much to overcome.

There were a pair of early lead changes, but the Warriors opened up a 24-13 lead by the end of the first quarter.

It grew to 18 points by halftime and 23 points by the end of the third quarter.

The Warriors led by as many as 29.

Cashion didn’t fall prey the way so many other teams do…with dozens of turnovers. The Wildcats had “just” 17 miscues against Okarche’s pressure, though the Warriors did convert them to 26 points.

And Cashion shot it at a better clip than did the visitors. The Wildcats were 20 of 46 (43.5 percent) from the field Okarche shot 40.3 percent, but attempted 26 more shots.

Jett Mueggenborg delivered another double-double for his team.

The junior guard notched 21 points and 15 rebounds.

Colin Hendrickson added 18 points, Easton Roby 17 and Hunter Mueggenborg 12.

They helped offset a 30-point night by Cashion’s Parker Mitchell.

Mitchell was 5 of 9 from 3-point range and 9 of 19 overall.

Carson Gump added 14 points for the Wildcats.

Cashion, ranked 11th in Class 2A, concludes its regular season with an 18-7 mark.

West wanted his team to relish in what they had done over the last threeplus months…but also not for too long.

“We talked about what they accomplished regular season-wise after the game. We are proud of that,” West said.

“Then we said tomorrow is when the real season starts. Everybody is 0-0 now. We have to stay locked in 100 percent now.”

The top-ranked Warriors began defense of their Class A state title Saturday when it played the winner of Pioneer and Cherokee in a district championship game.

The Warriors enter the playoffs with a 36-game win streak dating back to last season.