The Okmulgee varsity basketball team earned a fourth-place finish at last weekendâs Preston Invitational Basketball Tournament.
The Okmulgee varsity basketball team earned a fourth-place finish at last weekend’s Preston Invitational Basketball Tournament.
The Bulldogs finished fourth at the annual 3-day event with a 58-48 loss to the Kiefer Trojans this past Saturday in the third-place game.
The Okmulgee cage squad found themselves in the third-place contest following a 72-45 setback to the Okay Mustangs Friday evening in the winner’s bracket semifinals.
The Bulldogs began tournament action last Thursday with a 70-58 victory over the Chandler Lions.
The Okmulgee gentlemen will return to the hardwood this Thursday at home against county rival Morris and will travel to Idabel for a meeting with the host Idabel Warriors.
In last Thursday’s opening-round showdown with Chandler, the Bulldogs came out of the first period with a 19-14 advantage, then went into the halftime break with a 37-30 lead after outscoring the Lions 18-16 in the second quarter.
A 13-12 margin for the Okmulgee squad in the third stanza increased their lead to eight, 50-42, heading into the final eight minutes of action, where the Bulldogs finished their 7058 victory with a 20-16 advantage.
Darin Miles led the way offensively for the Okmulgee gentlemen against Chandler with a team-best 14 points. Allen Thierry also reached double figures for the Bulldogs last Thursday with 10 points.
Other Okmulgee scorers in the opening-round win were Ma’khi Phillips, Malakhi Baccus, and Keith Talton eight each, Calip Harjo and Tre Swan seven apiece, Nolan Yates five, and Jaxsun Fulton three.
In last Friday’s semifinal meeting with Okay, the Bulldogs trailed 22-12 after one and 39-19 at halftime.
Okay extended its lead to 58-28 with a 19-9 advantage in the third quarter.
The Okmulgee gentlemen put up 17 points in the final stanza, while their opponents countered 14 points in the frame to hand the Bulldogs the 72-45 setback.
Jeremiah Harley led the way offensively for Okmulgee in the semifinal loss, finishing with a team-high 25 points.
The remaining scorers for the Bulldogs against Okay were Allen Thierry, Malakhi Baccus, and Joseph Robertson with four apiece, Ma’khi Phillips and Darin Miles three each, and Calip Harjo one.
In Saturday’s meeting with Kiefer, the Bulldogs were outscored 17-7 in the opening period. The Okmulgee squad edged their foes 13-12 in the second stanza to trail by nine, 29-20, at the halftime break.
Both teams tallied 14 points in the third quarter and Kiefer came out of the final frame with a narrow 15-14 margin to hand the Okmulgee gentlemen the 58-48 defeat and a fourthplace finish at the Preston Invitational Basketball Tournament.
Allen Thierry was the top scorer for the Bulldogs with a team-best 13 points. Keith Talton also finished in double figures for Okmulgee in the third-place contest with 12 points.
Other Bulldog scorers against Kiefer were Jeremiah Harley and Joseph Robertson with six each, Ma’khi Phillips five, Darin Miles four, and Tre Swan two.
--- Preston Invitational First Round
Okmulgee 70, Chandler 58
Okmulgee: 19 - 18 - 13 - 20 (70) Chandler: 14 - 16 - 12 - 16 (58) Okmulgee Scoring: Darin Miles 14, Allen Thierry 10, Malakhi Baccus 8, Ma’khi Phillips 8, Keith Talton 8, Calip Harjo 7, Tre Swan 7, Nolan Yates 5, Jaxsun Fulton 3.
--- Semifinals
Okay 72, Okmulgee 45
Okmulgee: 12 - 7 - 9 - 17 (45) Okay: 22 - 17 - 19 - 14 (72) Okmulgee Scoring: Jeremiah Harley 25, Allen Thierry 4, Malakhi Baccus 4, Joseph Robertson 4, Ma’khi Phillips 3, Darin Miles 3, Calip Harjo 1.
--- Third Place
Kiefer 58, Okmulgee 48
Kiefer: 17 - 12 - 14 - 15 (58) Okmulgee: 7 - 13 - 14 - 14 (48) Okmulgee Scoring: Allen Thierry 13, Keith Talton 12, Jeremiah Harley 6, Joseph Robertson 6, Ma’khi Phillips 5, Darin Miles 4, Tre Swan 2.
