The Okmulgee varsity basketball program welcomed in the New Year Monday evening at historic Brock Memorial Gymnasium.

The first foe of 2023 was the Hornets and Lady Hornets of Hilldale High School.

Monday’s showdown was the second game in the home-and-home series between the two schools with the host Okmulgee squads looking to begin the second half of their regular- season schedule on a winning note and avoid a season sweep to their opponents from Muskogee County, as Hilldale took the first meeting on December 1 by margins of 78-23 and 48-39, respectively.

The visiting Lady Hornets took the opening contest Monday by a 48-34 margin, while the host Okmulgee Bulldogs evened the season series in the nightcap with a hard-fought 53-44 victory.

The Okmulgee cage squads will return to action Friday evening with a trip to Hugo for a showdown with the Hugo Buffaloes and Lady Buffaloes. Friday’s road game will begin with girls action at 6:30 p.m., followed by the boys game at approximately 8 p.m.

In Monday’s girls game, the Lady Bulldogs trailed 10-5 after the first eight minutes of action, then matched the visitors 9-9 in the second stanza to go to the halftime break trailing by five, 19-14.

Hilldale opened the third quarter with a 12-0 run to increase the deficit to 17 points, 31-14, while the Okmulgee ladies closed the period with a 9-4 run to send the contest to the final eight minutes of regulation with the Lady Bulldogs in a 12-point deficit, 35-23.

The Lady Bulldogs attempted to overcome the double-digit deficit in the final frame, but were edged 13-11 in the quarter to suffer the 48-34 setback.

Jaidya Gatewood led the way offensively for Okmulgee in the loss, finishing with a team-high 17 points. Mariya Tecumseh was next for the Lady Bulldogs on Monday with eight points, followed by Cora Love with six and Tori James two.

In the boys showdown on Monday, the Bulldogs led by a narrow 12-11 margin after the first eight minutes of action with Nolan Yates putting the Okmulgee gentlemen in front with a 3-point basket in the final seconds of the frame.

The Okmulgee squad took the second stanza 16-12 to take a 5-point advantage into the intermission, 28-23.

The Bulldogs pushed their lead to double digits, 45-35, heading into the final frame after coming out of the third period with a 17-12 margin.

Hilldale attempted to overtake the host Okmulgee squad in the final stanza, but managed just a 1-point advantage, 9-8, to award the host Bulldogs the 53-44 decision.

Three Okmulgee players reached double figures in the home win, led by Allen Thierry with a team-high 13 points.

Yates and Jeremiah Harley were next in scoring for the Bulldogs with 10 points apiece.

Other Okmulgee scorers in the 9-point win were Darin Miles and Malakhi Baccus with seven each, Tre Swan four, and Keith Talton two.

--- Girls Game

Hilldale 48, Okmulgee 34

Hilldale: 10 - 9 - 16 - 13 (48) Okmulgee: 5 - 9 - 9 - 11 (34) Okmulgee Scoring: Jaidya Gatewood 17, Mariya Tecumseh 8, Cora Love 6, Tori James 3.

--- Boys Game

Okmulgee 53, Hilldale 44

Hilldale: 11 - 12 - 12 - 9 (44) Okmulgee: 12 - 16 - 17 - 8 (53) Okmulgee Scoring: Allen Thierry 13, Jeremiah Harley 10, Nolan Yates 10, Darin Miles 7, Malakhi Baccus 7, Tre Swan 4, Keith Talton 2.