The clock ran out on the Okmulgee Bulldogs varsity basketball team’s bid for a state tournament appearance for the first time since 2017 last Thursday evening in Ada.
Narrow area tourney loss brings campaign to a close
The clock ran out on the Okmulgee Bulldogs varsity basketball team’s bid for a state tournament appearance for the first time since 2017 last Thursday evening in Ada.
The Bulldogs, who survived three-straight elimination games in the Class 3A, Area II, regional tournament, had their season come to a close with a heartbreaking 50-49 loss to the Hugo Buffaloes in the consolation quarterfinals of the Class 3A, Area II tournament at the Kerr Center, on the campus of East Central University.
The Okmulgee cage squad finishes the 20222023 campaign with a 15-9 record, which included a fourth-place finish at the Preston Invitational and a consolation championship at the 2023 Muscogee Nation Invitational.
Prior to last Thursday’s showdown with Hugo, the Bulldogs avoided elimination at the regional tournament in Prague and Kellyville with wins over Little Axe (66-49), Kellyville (73-60), and Holdenville (68-58), respectively to keep their season alive for one more week.
In last Thursday’s season-ending loss to Hugo, the Bulldogs came out of the opening frame with a slim 13-12 advantage. Hugo knotted the score, 24-24, at halftime after escaping the second period with a 12-11 margin.
The Buffaloes took a 38-33 lead into the final eight minutes of regulation following a 14-9 advantage in the third quarter. The Okmulgee squad tallied 16 points in the final stanza, but were denied a fourth-straight ‘must win’ victory, as Hugo countered with 12 points in the frame to hand the Bulldogs the 50-49 defeat.
Okmulgee was led offensively by Jaxsun Fulton with a team-high 18 points. Darin Miles (13) and Tre Swan (10) also found themselves in double figures for the Bulldogs in the loss.
Keith Talton and Allen Thierry rounded out the Okmulgee scoring against Hugo with six and two points, respectively.
--- Class 3A Area Tournament Consolation Quarterfinals Hugo 50, Okmulgee 49
Hugo: 12 - 12 - 14 - 12 (50) Okmulgee: 13 - 11 - 9 - 16 (49) Okmulgee Scoring: Jaxsun Fulton 18, Darin Miles 13, Tre Swan 10, Keith Talton 6, Allen Thierry 2.
