BOYS BASKETBALL: Buffs take down Tigers, advance to Noble consolation finals
Jan. 6—The Buffs refused to be denied.
McAlester faced off against Norman JV in the consolation semifinals at the Dental Lodge Classic in Noble on Friday, where the Buffs took a 58-50 win over the Tigers.
Cole Allen drained a triple to open the game for the Buffs, but the Tigers answered with four-straight points to take the lead. McAlester responded with foul shots from Lewis Woodmore and Brayden Bumphus, plus a bucket from Eli Chatman to propel the Buffs back out front.
Allen later added another three and Garrett Pickett added in a foul shot, but the Tigers rattled off a 5-0 run to cut the McAlester lead down to two points. But Woodmore and Jake Forehand scored off fast-break opportunities for the Buffs to give McAlester a 16-10 lead after the first quarter.
Norman nabbed the first score of the second period, but Allen punched right back with a bucket of his own for the Buffs. Allen later got an emphatic two-handed slam off another fast-break opportunity, but would be called for a technical foul — with the Tigers sinking both free throws to trim the lead once again.
The Tigers used the momentum swing to set off a scoring run, cutting the lead down to just one point with just less than four minutes left in the half as a timeout was called. The two teams traded buckets down the stretch, but McAlester pulled away late — using a 5-2 run by Bumphus in the final minute to put the Buffs ahead 35-27 at the half.
Malachi Wrice got McAlester moving to start the second half, with Allen adding in a eurostep score to propel the Buffs offensively. The Tigers responded with a 6-2 run to cut the lead down to 49-43 after the third quarter.
Allen drilled back-to-back threes to open up the fourth, powering McAlester back out in front by double digits. Forehand next sank an elbow jumper and Eli Chatman added in a bucket as the Buffs hit another offensive stride.
Norman found an offensive rhythm of its own as the Tigers rattled off an 11-2 run to cut the lead down to seven points with just under three minutes to play in the game.
But the Buffs locked things down defensively with Allen, Forehand, and DaVantrae McKendrick adding in free throws to seal away the victory for the Buffs.
Allen led the way for McAlester with a season-high 28 points, followed by Chatman and Bumphus with seven points each, Woodmore and Forehand with six points each, Wrice with two points, and McKendrick with a free throw.
McAlester moves into the consolation finals with the win, and will advance to play Bridge Creek. Tipoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Contact Derek Hatridge at dhatridge@mcalesternews.com.
