Roland Boys Basketball

MIAMI – Roland won its second straight Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) High School Tournament Gold Division title on Saturday night inside College Gymnasium as the Class 3A No. 2 Rangers defeated 2A No. 17 Nowata 55-45 in the championship game.

“We had a pretty good tournament,” Roland head coach Ed Lewis said. “I thought we played with some intensity, we hustled really hard and we played pretty good defense and were able to win three in a row up there.

“Plus it’s pretty hard. We’re spending the night and by that third game that night sometimes you get to worrying about whether you’re going to have enough legs and everything after laying around those motel rooms but I thought we did a really good job.”

In the opening period Roland outscored the Ironmen 18-7 as Xavier Robertson hit a pair of 3-pointers and Jaxon Wiggins also scored six points by making three 2-point baskets.

The Rangers added two points (10-8) to their advantage in the second frame and led 28-15 at the half.

Roland’s Marcus Murray totaled four points in the third quarter with a field goal and a couple of foul shots but Nowata sliced a point (11-10) off the deficit.

Behind the scoring of Wiggins (7 points), Murray (5) and Jackson Kemp and Darion Rougeux (3 each) the Rangers outscored the Ironmen 18-17 in the final eight minutes.

Wiggins was the game’s leading scorer with 17 points and also scoring for the Rangers were Murray, Kemp and Rougeux (9 each), Robertson (8) and Cole Davis (4).

The Rangers improved to 14-2 for the season and the Ironmen are 13-3.

Roland Boys 48, Wyandotte 33

(Semifinals)

The Rangers outscored Wyandotte 19-6 in the second period on Friday as Roland advanced to the tournament finals with the victory over the Bears.

Roland led 9-7 at the end of the opening quarter before taking a 28-13 halftime lead after outscoring the Bears by 13 points in the second. Xavier Robertson hit a pair of 3-pointers and totaled eight points in fourth.

Robertson was the game’s leading scorer with 18 points, Wiggins followed with 16 and Murray also reached double figures with 10. Cole Davis recorded four points for the Rangers.

the second stanza, Jaxon Wiggins scored six points and Marcus Murray made a 3 for the Rangers.

In each of the final two frames the Rangers outscored Wyandotte 11-10. Robertson led Roland’s scorers with seven points in the third and Wiggins registered six in the and 16 points, respectively. Murray hit four 3-pointers in the contest and Robertson made two 3’s.

Also scoring for Roland were Jackson Kemp (4 points), Darian Rougeux (3) and Cole Davis and Robert Robertson (2 each).

The Rangers travel to Checotah on Friday before hosting Idabel on Saturday and Poteau on Tuesday. The Checotah and Poteau girls’ games are slated to start at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday’s girls’ game against Idabel is scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

Roland Boys 68, Green Country 44

(First Round)

The Rangers started tournament play on Thursday night with a convincing win over the Green Country Defenders.

Roland led 21-7 at the end of the first quarter and 39-20 at the intermission before adding five points to its advantage in the second half.

The Rangers’ Jaxon Wiggins led all scorers with 22 points and Marcus Murray and Xavier Robertson also reached double figures with 19