CHAMPIONS
Beating the odds. DJ Talton Jr. There are not enough good things I could say about our team or our sensational PG. No valley has been to deep or dark for God to lead our team through the last four years. I returned as head coach eight years ago as the NAIA was going One Division. Many people questioned my sanity leaving a dominate SAGU program in the heart of recruiting heaven to go back to a smaller NAIA D2 Oklahoma Wesleyan program. They said the decision made no sense as I decreased my chances of succeeding on the National level.
After losing two starters including All-American center Jaden Lietzke for a month mid/season, this team was forced to win 14 straight just to win our conference and to advance in the NAIA Tournament. We were forced to travel 8 hours to play in Iowa in the Regional to play a talented MACU and 2-Seeded powerhouse Dordt University in front of a rowdy packed house. We were told winning in Dordt was virtually impossible. We were told since the NAIA went to the new one division format and used the RPI power ranking system, nobody lower than an 8 RPI had ever made the Fab Four. So what were the odds 7-Seed OKWU with a 37 RPI would be playing last night?
The next 5 days required OKWU to take down 3 Seed Baker University in front of about 3000 of their rowdy fans, 1 Seed LSUA, 1 Seed and defending National Champion Freed-Hardeman, and then 1 Seed College of Idaho. Four games in five days, while CofI had an extra day’s rest playing four games in six days.
Beating the odds is what is possible when you play to bring King Jesus Glory. DJ and his Eagles teammates have proven the odds are incapable of measuring the heart of player, team, or their God. Yes we came up short last night on the scoreboard to a CofI team that has won 2 NAIA Titles in 3 seasons reaching the Final Four last year as well. What my boys did however was miraculous! Since the NAIA went back to One Division NOBODY has ever overcome these odds and reached the Championship Game. That makes DJ and his boys Champions.
The last four years DJ has dominated NAIA basketball going 119-18. He made the impossible seem simple leading the country in steals and will be named All-American for the 2nd straight season. We were the only college basketball team to offer this 5-10 and 150 lb warrior a scholarship, yet he started as a freshman leading us to within one play of the Elite 8 that season. His sophomore season, playing injured, with an ankle injury and an achilles strain he led us back the National Tournament again, then last year we lost a heart breaker in the Sweet 16 leading by 10 going into the last 5 minutes. This season DJ led OKWU back to the NAIA Championship Game for the first time since 2009. He did so despite having to defy impossible odds all season.
Champions! That is who We ARE! It is WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, and that is WHO WE ARE in our LORD THE MOST HIGH GOD. These Anointed Eagles boldly, courageously and daringly declared the Name of Jesus to a Nation and demonstrated how to overcome impossible odd through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Forever, and I mean Eternally, these young men will reign as Champions in Heaven with our Savior Jesus Christ. Champions they are, just like their King!