Oklahoma High School Basketball Team Gives Up Championship Trophy After Scoreboard Error

The Academy of Classical Christian Studies Lady Griffins returned the trophy after discovering they had actually lost the game.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 9:06pm

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A bold, colorful silkscreen-style illustration featuring a basketball icon repeated in a grid pattern, capturing the essence of the story's themes of sportsmanship and character development.The Academy of Classical Christian Studies basketball team's decision to return their hard-won championship trophy exemplifies the power of sportsmanship and character-driven education.Oklahoma City Today

The Academy of Classical Christian Studies Lady Griffins basketball team clinched their first-ever district championship in 2024 with a 44-43 victory over Apache High School. However, their head coach, Brendan King, later reviewed the game footage and discovered a scoreboard error - the Lady Griffins had actually lost the game. Despite being able to legally keep the trophy, the team unanimously agreed to return it to the rightful winners, Apache High School.

Why it matters

This story highlights the power of true sportsmanship and integrity, especially among young athletes. The Lady Griffins' decision to do the right thing, even when it meant giving up their hard-earned championship, is a testament to the values instilled at their classical Christian school and the importance of prioritizing character over personal gain.

The details

After the game, Coach Brendan King reviewed the footage and discovered a scoreboard error - his team had actually lost 43-44. He then gathered the players, who unanimously agreed to return the trophy, even though they could have legally kept it. 'There was never like, Oh, but we can still keep the trophy,' said then-senior Maya Beasley. 'Because why would we do that?'

  • The Lady Griffins clinched their first district championship in 2024.
  • Coach King reviewed the game footage after the victory.
  • The team met on a Sunday evening to discuss the situation.

The players

Brendan King

The head coach of the Academy of Classical Christian Studies Lady Griffins basketball team.

Maya Beasley

A then-senior player on the Lady Griffins team.

Amy Merriweather

The head coach of the Apache High School basketball team.

Nathan Carr

The headmaster of the Academy of Classical Christian Studies.

Casey Shutt

A parent of a student at the Academy of Classical Christian Studies.

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What they’re saying

“As soon as I walked out of the locker room, my stomach was turning in knots. And I said, 'I need to know if we won the game or not.'”

— Brendan King, Head Coach

“There was never like, Oh, but we can still keep the trophy. Because why would we do that?”

— Maya Beasley, Then-Senior Player

“It didn't benefit us in the way that we would have been able to continue. But it did benefit us in showing the world that this was really the good thing to do—the thing that glorifies God the most.”

— Bindi Paradee, Senior Player

“It gives them a higher target in life. Virtue is something the school speaks of quite a bit.”

— Casey Shutt, Parent

“Parents know what they're calling is, and their duty to their children. And they see classical Christian education as one of the most effective partnerships, giving their children memory, helping them be practiced in virtue, and baptizing their imagination into something good, true, beautiful and eternal.”

— Nathan Carr, Headmaster

What’s next

The Academy of Classical Christian Studies plans to continue instilling values of integrity and sportsmanship in its student-athletes.

The takeaway

This story demonstrates the power of classical Christian education to cultivate strong character and moral integrity in young people. The Lady Griffins' selfless decision to return their championship trophy, despite being able to legally keep it, is a shining example of how sports can be a platform for teaching important life lessons.