GIRLS BASKETBALL: McAlester falls to Jenks in final day of Tahlequah Tournament
Dec. 10—TAHLEQUAH — The Lady Buffs battled to the end.
McAlester battled against Jenks on the final day of the Tahlequah Invitational Tournament on Saturday, where the Lady Buffs fell 82-29 in the third place game to the Lady Trojans.
The Lady Trojans struck first, exploding out of the gate with an 18-0 run to take the lead. But Katie Allen knocked down a triple to get the Lady Buffs going, followed later by a Jayda Holiman three.
Holiman next drove the lane for two more points, and Jada Ponce added in a bucket on the way to a 26-10 Jenks lead heading into the second quarter.
Ponce got the first six points of the next period for McAlester with Bailey Marshall later adding in a bucket as the Lady Buffs started trimming down the deficit. But the Lady Trojans answered with a scoring run of their own to take a 43-18 lead at the half.
On the other side of the locker room break, Jenks again jumped out with a scoring run. McAlester would nab points from Ponce, Allen, and Ti'Heiress Davis, but it'd be the Lady Trojans taking a 63-22 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The Lady Buffs fought until the final buzzer, but it'd be the Lady Trojans taking the win.
Ponce led the way for the Lady Buffs with 12 points, followed by Allen with seven points, and Holiman with five points.
Next up for McAlester, the Lady Buffs will return to Bob Brumley Gymnasium on Tuesday as they play host to Shawnee, followed by a home tilt with Bishop Kelly on Friday.
Contact Derek Hatridge at dhatridge@mcalesternews.com.
