The Roland High School basketball teams swept a pair of home NOAA Conference games from the Poteau squads on Dec. 16 at the Ranger Dome.
The Lady Rangers began the night with a 5836 win over the Lady Pirates, then the Runnin’ Rangers defeated the Pirates for the second time in a three-day span as they got a 75-43 victory.
On Dec. 15, the Runnin’ Rangers defeated Pocola 64-52 to win the 2025 Choctaw Nation Invitation Tournament, which took place on Chris Gillespie Court at Ray Henson Gymnasium.
Earlier that day, the Lady Rangers won the third-place game, beating host Talihina 46-28.
In the boys’ home win over Poteau, the Runnin’ Rangers (6-0 overall, 2-0 in NOAA Conference play) jumped out to a 25-13 lead after a period, which became a 4022 halftime advantage and a 67-41 lead after three quarters.
For the game, Roland put a quartet of players into double figures, led by Mason Kemp’s gamehigh 18 points, followed by Raidyn Knight’s 14 points, Damonte “Bubba” Owens’ 12 points and Kade Shook’s 10 points. Landon Fowler scored nine points, followed by Bryson Myers with five points, Nathan Cheek with three points, Tae Smith with two points and Paul Johnson and Austin Benham with a free throw apiece.
In the boys’ CNIT title game victory, the Runnin’ Rangers scored the game’s first 12 points and were never headed, although the Indians did cut their deficit briefly to single digits in the first half.
For the game, Owens, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, scored a game-high 27 points to lead Roland, followed by Knight with 15 points, Kemp with 10 points, Fowler with six points, Shook with four points and Cason Perryman with two points. Like Owens, Kemp and Shook were named to the all-tournament team.
In the girls’ win over Poteau, the Lady Rangers (4-2, 2-0) put away the game early, jumping out to a 21-5 lead after the opening quarter.
For the game, Ryanne Nelke scored a game-high 27 points to lead Roland, followed by Lillian Cole with 15 points, Halle Freeman with nine points, Molly Carver with four points and Adriana Moya with three points.
In the girls CNIT third-place game victory, the Lady Rangers jumped out to an 11-6 lead after a quarter en route to a 24-16 halftime advantage and a 34-18 lead going into the final period.
For the game, Freeman led Roland with a game-high 20 points, followed by Nelke with 16 points, Cole with nine points and Carver with a free throw.
Nelke and Freeman were named to the alltournament team.
The Roland teams were slated to finish the 2025 portion of their season last Friday night with road games at Ozark, Ark., but Roland boys coach Eddie Lewis said those games were canceled.
The Roland Runnin’ Rangers won’t return to action until they meet Big Tyme Prep Academy from Texas at 1 p.m. Jan. 4 in Fayetteville, Ark.
The Lady Rangers will be idle until playing in the 2026 Sequoyah County Tournament, which will be Jan. 8-10 at Muldrow’s Roger Sharp Activity Center.
