To say that Roger Sharp Activity Center was a jumpin’ last Friday night for the annual Muldrow basketball games against archrival Roland was an understatement, and the fans were treated to two barnburners.
The Lady Bulldogs got their first win over the Lady Rangers since a 39-37 overtime win on Feb. 2, 2024, at home as Muldrow beat Roland 38-32 to prevent the Lady Rangers from winning the NOAA Conference girls championship outright. Instead, the Roland girls ended up sharing the conference title with Sallisaw, which routed Checotah last Friday night.
The boys’ game was for the conference boys championship outright. The Runnin’ Rangers held off a late charge by the Bulldogs for a 62-60 win to capture the boys conference title.
On Feb. 10, the Muldrow teams swept a pair of conference home games from Poteau as the Lady Bulldogs beat the Lady Pirates 49-26, followed by the ’Dogs downing the Pirates 6350.
In the girls’ win over Roland, the Lady Bulldogs (13-8 overall, 7-3 in NOAA Conference play) jumped to an 8-0 lead, thanks to the game-starting run being capped by Kilah Ellingberg’s basket with 3:39 left in the first quarter. Muldrow took a 13-3 lead after a period, but the Lady Rangers cut their deficit to 23-16 at halftime.
The Muldrow lead got to as high as 11 points as a pair of free throws by Kayla Ellingberg with 2:28 left in the third quarter put the Lady Bulldogs ahead 29-18. The Lady Bulldogs took a 31-21 lead into the final period.
The Lady Rangers would not go away. A basket by Halle Freeman with 1:54 left to play pulled Roland to within a point of Muldrow at 33-32, but they got no closer.
However, the Lady Bulldogs scored the final five points of the game.
For the game, Muldrow put a trio of players into double figures, led by Kilah Ellingberg’s game-high 12 points, while Hardin and Kayla Ellingberg each added 10 points. Jaydin Dean and Gracie Prewett with two points apiece.
In the boys’ loss to Roland, back-to-back baskets by Roland’s Damonte “Bubba” Owens and Mason Kemp put the Runnin’ Rangers ahead 60-51 with 2:58 left in the game.
The Bulldogs (14-7, 8-2), who knocked off the Runnin’ Rangers 55-54 on Jan. 31 at the Ranger Dome, clawed their way back as they went on a 7-2 run, capped by a basket by Teaguen Collins with 39 seconds remaining to play, to cut Roland’s lead to 62-60.
With four seconds left to play, a jump ball was called — with the possession arrow favoring the ‘Dogs.
Collins got the inbounds pass and drove to the basket, but his short-range jumper missed the mark.
Teammate D.J. Massey got the rebound and shot a second shortrange jumper, but, just like Collins’ attempt, just missed the mark as it bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded.
The ’Dogs led 12-6 after a period, but the Runnin’ Rangers used a 22-8 second period to take a 28-20 halftime lead, which became a 48-40 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
In defeat, Muldrow put a quartet of players into double figures, led by Parker Sevenstar’s 19 points, followed by Collins with 15 points and Jesse Kilinc and Massey with 10 points apiece. Jermauree Palmer scored four points, while DeShawn Willson added two points.
Prior to the game, Sevenstar was honored for reaching 1,000 points in his prep career.
In the girls’ victory over Poteau, the Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 14-4 lead after a quarter en route to a 29-16 halftime advantage and a 37-18 lead going into the final period.
For the game, Hardin scored a game-high 16 points and Kilah Ellingberg added 10 points to lead Muldrow, followed by Emma Fields and Kayla Ellingberg with eight points apiece, Tae Williams with three points and Leni Cox and Aliyah Duran with two points apiece.
In the boys’ win over Poteau, after falling behind 12-8 after a quarter, the Bulldogs outscored the Pirates 55-38 over the final three periods to get the come-frombehind win.
For the game, Massey led the ’Dogs with a game-high 20 points, followed by Collins with 17 points, Kilinc with 13 points, Sevenstar with six points, Willson with five points and Avos Denny and Jack Pyeatt with a free throw apiece.
