Madill places third in the Madill Winter Classic

Madill hosted the 22nd annual Madill Winter Classic on December 10 through December 12, 2020. Bink Stafford, athletic director for Madill public schools said he was glad the tournament was able to take place.

“We were glad to be able to host the Madill Winter Classic again this year,” Stafford said. “It takes our administration, faculty, coaches, student athletes, and our community to pull off an event like this. The tournament is good for our basketball teams to experience.”

The Ladycats played the Marietta Indians to open the tournament. Junior Jayden Weiberg swished a threepointer to start the first quarter. With 6:44 remaining in the quarter, the Indians scored two points. Senior Ximena Gomez got a layup for two points. Weiberg shot to add another two points. Senior Mariana Mendez was fouled and added two free throw points. Junior Joslyn Stumblingbear made a run for two points. Weiberg was fouled and was able to hit both free throws. Marietta got another two points to close the first quarter with the Ladycats leading 13 to 4.

The second quarter started with a fury when Weiberg and Stumblingbear got two backto-back two-pointers. Then, the Lady Indians added two more points. With five minutes to go in the first half, Weiberg hit nothing but net for a threepointer, the Ladycats led 20 to 6. With only 49 seconds ticked off the clock, Weiberg switched another three-pointer. Marietta answered back with a three-pointer. Junior Abbie Lambertsen was fouled for a one-point free throw shot. Madill led 23 to 10 at halftime.

The Lady Cats were on fire to start the second half with Ximena Gomez making a three-point shot. Weiberg fouled for the Lady Indians to add a one-point free throw shot. With 6:36 left in the third quarter, Ximena Gomez scored two points. Marietta added two more points. Stumblingbear drove for two points, with the Lady Indians driving for two points. Lambertsen drew afoul for two shots, making both. Senior Beth Coleman got fouled and hit a one-point free throw. With Lady Cats leading 33 to 15 with 3:35 left in the quarter, the Lady Indians scored two points and drew a two-point free throw shot.

Marietta attempted to decrease the gap when a three pointer was added to the board, but then Wieberg replied by adding two points. Then Lady Indians added two points. Junior Braylee Schneider had a two-pointer. Lambertsen fouled and Marietta added two free throw shots, with the Lady Cats leading 38 to 25. Even though the Lady Indians swished a three-pointer, it would not be enough. Ximena Gomez added another two points to win the game 40 to 29.

Coach Shawn Runyan said even though they won the game, they cannot afford to sit on their laurels.

“We played better,” Runyan said. “[We] took care of the ball better and hit our free throws. Still need to take care of the ball better.”

The Madill boys were obviously a part of the Madill Winter Classic tournament and got the action started with Duran hitting a three pointer. Marietta fouled Northcutt and he added a free throw shot. Fuentes then struck a two-pointer. The Indians would strike back with a three-pointer. Fuentes answered that with a layup. Northcutt drew a foul with a free throw shot. With 3:40 to go in the first quarter, the Indians added another two points. Duran swooshed a twopointer. Senior Mason Coles fouled letting the Indians make a free throw shot. Duran made a two-pointer, with the Indians passing for a three-point shot. Northcutt hit two points to close the quarter 15 to 9, the Wildcats

Sophomore YoYo Robles and Duran had back-to-back two-point shots. Marietta made a three-pointer, but Northcutt added another four points, and then the Indians would add two points. Duran ran up court for two points. Marietta made a break to score for three points. Madill went to halftime leading 25 to 17.

With the Wildcats wanting to keep the lead, Duran sunk two points to start the third quarter. The Indians shot for two. With 6:10 in the quarter, Fuentes made three points. Marietta added four more points with back-to-back two-pointers. Junior Kendall Robertson hustled to add eight points, including two threepointers. Gomez and Duran each had two points with 3:48 to go. The Indians ran for two points. Northcutt and Morris added two points each. Senior Gael Salinas fouled and Marietta made two free-throw shots. The quarter ended with Madill leading 46 to 27.

Coles started the fourth quarter with six points, and the Indians were able to rack up seven points. Junior Hayden Harper was fouled for a onepoint free throw shot. Robles and Coles added two more points each.Even though Madill fouled the Indians allowing a two-point free throw, it was not enough with the Wildcats winning 57 to 36.

Coach Weiberg said he was pleased with the outcome of the game.

“I thought the boys played hard Thursday night,” Weiberg said. “We moved the ball better and had more touches inside.”

Friday night’s contest for both Madill teams was against the Blanchard Lions. The girls played first. Runyan voiced his concern over the girls going up against Blanchard.

“Blanchard is a good team, and we didn’t come ready to said

Weiberg put two points on the score board, with the Lady Lions answering with four points. Weiberg would get a layup to tie the game four to four. With 4:23 to go, Blanchard added back-to-back two-pointers. Ximena Gomez fouled allowing two more points for the Lions. The Lady Cats struggled with turnovers and rebounds, and the Lions capitalized on the mistakes with four more points. Sophomore Aubrie Cantrell was fouled and added a free throw shot. Weiberg fouled with Blanchard adding a one-point free throw. The Lions led at the end of the first quarter 15 to five.

The Wildcats tried to lessen the gap, but the Lions had two back-to-back three pointers to bring the score to 21 to 5. Lambertsen made two free throws after drawing a foul. Weiberg would spring for a two-point shot, then the Lions made a run for a two-point shot. Schneider added two points, and Weiberg fouled allowing the Lions to score two free throws. With 3:38 left in the half, Weiberg got a two-point shot, but the Lions were quick to add a threepointer. Less than a minute later, and the Lions already leading 28 to 13, Weiberg would add another two points. The Lions continued to be on fire popping a two-pointer, followed by successional three pointers. The Wildcats had straight fouls where the Lions added five points. The Lions led at halftime 38 to 15.

The Lady Cats would try to regroup, but within the first two minutes of the third quarter the Lions put eight more points on the board. The Lions fouled Mendez and she added one-point free throw. Senior Beth Coleman fouled and the Lions went to the line for two points. Mendez made a two-point shot with the Lions punching another two points. With 2:40 left in the quarter, Senior Alyssa Cantrell fouled and the Lions made a one-point free throw. Ximena Gomez was fouled and added another point for Madill. The Lions got a twopoint shot and drew the foul from Senior Ana Veras, adding a free throw point. Senior Cielo Gomez scored a two-point shot with 48 seconds to go. Junior Lydia Landgraffouled and the Lions added two points, keeping them in the lead 57 to 21.

The fourth quarter was no easier for the Lady Cats. Blanchard fouled Ximena Gomez and she added one point to the board. Stumblingbear was next to be fouled and she added a one-point free throw shot. The Lions rallied with five points, leading 62 to 23. Aubrie Cantrell added two points, and then Blanchard made two more points. Coleman made the last three points of the game with the Lady Cats losing 70 to 28.

The Madill boys got their game against Blanchard started when the Lions ran for two points, and Duran popped a three-pointer. Fuentes added four points, and Duran added two more points. With 4:17 left in the first quarter the Wildcats led 9 to two. The Lions added two points, then Coles plunged a three-pointer. The Lions quickly added another four points. Robles fouled with Blanchard adding two points from the free throw line. With three seconds to go in the first quarter, Duran swooshed a three-pointer to end the quarter with Madill leading 15 to 10.

Blanchard got the second quarter going by adding six points quickly. Fuentes would sink a two-point shot, but Northcutt fouled and the Lions would tie the game 17 all. Fuentes punched another three points, only having the Lions to score six back-to-back points. The game entered halftime with Blanchard leading 23 to 20.

Weiberg said he was taking note of where the Wildcats could improve upon.

“I thought Blanchard did a good job mixing their defenses,” he said. “Our interior defense and rotations need to get better. I thought we showed improvement in quite a few areas.”

Northcutt started the fourth quarter with two points. Fuentes followed with a three-point shot. The Lions added two more points. Junior Javier Gomez sunk a three pointer. The Lions kept the Wildcats on their toes by adding six more points, leading 31 to 28. Madill overturned the lead when Northcutt sunk two points and got fouled then sunk a one-point shot, and then Duran added two points. However, the Lions called back with a two pointer. The Wildcats took the lead with a shot by Duran, but Blanchard would return for two points and a foul one-point shot, taking the lead back, 36 to 35.

Northcutt fouled and drew three points from the Lions. The Lions turned around and fouled Northcutt where he made a one-point free throw. Blanchard added a two-point jump shot, then fouled Northcutt again for another onepoint free throw. Robertson closed the gap with a two-point shot, with the Lions leading 41 to 39. Another five points for the Lions shortly after. Fuentes shot for two points and was fouled, adding a one-point free throw. Blanchard put the heat to Madill scoring four more points leading 50 to 42. Duran was fouled and made two free throws. Fuentes would then be fouled and added one point. The Lions responded with four more points, ultimately winning the game 54 to 45.

Saturday night had both Madill teams fighting for third place against the Sulphur Bulldogs. The Lady Wildcats started out with a foul which began a seesaw of fouls. Ximena Gomez fouled and sent the Lady Bulldogs to the free throw line for one point. Sulphur then fouled Mendez for two points with 6:50 in the game. Schneider then fouled for a Sulphur two-point free throw. Weiberg sunk a threepointer to lead the game five to three. The Lady Bulldogs shot for two with Schneider answering back with two points. With 2:35 left in the first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs made four more points; leading 9 to 7. Ximena Gomez toed the game with a two-point shot. Aubrie Cantrell hit nothing but net for a three-pointer giving Madill the lead, 12 to nine. Sulphur then popped a three-pointer, but Weiberg would throw a three-point swisher, followed by Lambertsen popping a twopoint shot. This put the Lady Cats in the lead 17 to 12.

The second quarter started with Weiberg making a twopoint shot. The Lady Bulldogs got a two-point jump shot with 6:00 to play. Weiberg fouled back-to-back, adding three points for Sulphur. The Lady Bulldogs added two more jump shots to close the gap 21 to 19. Aubrie Cantrell fouled sending another point for Sulphur. Stumblingbear got two points off the glass and Mendez hustled to add two more points. Sulphur scored four more points leaving the Bulldogs only trailing by one point at halftime, 24 to 25.

The third quarter started with Weiberg sinking two points. Stumblingbear turned around and added two more points. Weiberg drew a foul for two points. Sulphur fouled Stumblingbear for a one-point free throw. Sulphur put seven more points on the board, but Landgraf added two points. Sulphur added another two points, with Weiberg collecting another two points. Madill kept the lead 36 to 33 going into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter was an intense match up with Sulphur fouling Alyssa Cantrell for a two-point free throw. Senior Ana Veras fouled sending the Lady Bulldogs to the line for one point. With 5:57 in the game, Sulphur added four points back-to-back. However, Stumblingbear rallied with three points. Schneider was fouled for two free throw points. The Lady Bulldogs pulled ahead of Madill by adding seven points in quick succession. Weiberg got fouled to add another two points, tying the game 45 to 45. Mendez fouled for a Sulphur 46 to 45 lead. Schneider placed three more points on the board, followed by two points from Weiberg. With 44 seconds left in the game, Schneider fouls out, adding three more points for Sulphur. Stumblingbear was fouled for two-point free throw. With seconds to play and Madill leading 52 to 49, Sulphur hit a two pointer, coming within one point behind the Lady Cats. With the clock ticking, Weiberg is fouled and hit a one free throw. This sealed the game with Madill winning 53 to 51.

Runyan said even though they won there is still room for improvement.

“We need to take care of the ball better,” said Runyan.

Just like clockwork, it was time for the boys to face off with Sulphur. The Wildcats got started with the Bulldogs putting the first two points on the board. Fuentes and Northcutt would both had two points to take the lead four to two. Sulphur quickly added four more points. With 46 seconds in the quarter, Northcutt made a two-pointer.

Madill started to pull away from the Bulldogs as Fuentes added two points, followed by a three pointer. Then, the Bulldogs scored another two points. Northcutt drew the foul for a one-point free throw keeping Madill in the lead 12 to 8. The Wildcats took control of the game when Duran had back-to-back shots collecting seven points. With 50 seconds remaining, Fuentes made a two-point basket. At the buzzer, Coles sunk a three pointer. Madill went to halftime leading, 24 to 8.

The Wildcats kept the fire going in the third quarter with Duran sinking a two-point jump shot. Northcutt returned with his two points off the glass. Duran was fouled twice in a row and added four points with 3:37 left in the quarter. Northcutt fouled and gave the Bulldogs two points from the free throw line. Then, nothing but net, Duran sunk a threepointer. Sulphur managed to add two more points. At the buzzer signaling the end of the third quarter, Duran hit a two-point jump shot, with Madill leading 37 to 12.

Rounding out the fourth quarter, Madill’s Northcutt, Coles, and Morris each scored two points. Even though the Bulldogs added eight points in the fourth quarter, it was not enough to claim the win. Madill won 43 to 20. Weiberg said he was extremely proud of how the boys played.

“I thought our kids played hard,” he said. “We only turned the ball over six times tonight and that is what we are going to have to do in order to stay in games and win games. I thought Ezekiel really controlled the game tonight. I am very proud of how Miguel is playing. Nick rebounds at a high level and he is getting better daily. I am proud of Mason Coles and I look forward to seeing him continue to develop.”