Madill: three losses one win

Madill hosted the Tishomingo Indians on Tuesday, January 12, 2021. The Lady Wildcats kicked off the night with Senior Ximena Gomez being fouled and out one point on the board for Madill. The Lady Indians answered back with three points. Junior Braylee Schneider put up two more points, with Junior Joslyn Stumblingbear adding two more points. Tishomingo was fouled and out one point on the board to close out the first quarter.

Junior Jayden Weiberg popped a three pointer to start the second quarter. Stumblingbear followed with two points of her own. The Lady Indians were fouled and added two free throws, then Weiberg was fouled and added two free throws. Tishomingo was fouled again and put two more free throws on the board.

Sophomore Aubrie Cantrell swished a two-pointer and Schneider followed by adding another two points. The Lady Indians added two more free throws to trail Madill 16 to 10 at halftime.

Tishomingo came out on fire to start the second half of play, adding 10 points to their score; taking the lead 20 to 16. With 3:15 left in the quarter, Weiberg would collect two points. The Lady Indians answered with two points. Senior Mariana Mendez added two points, with Tishomingo swishing a three-pointer. Tishomingo led 25 to 20 after the third quarter.

Ximena Gomez started off the fourth quarter with two points. Stumblingbear followed suit with two points. The Lady Indians added seven points to take a 32 to 24 lead. Stumblingbear closed the score gap by making back-to-back two pointers, then Tishomingo responded with two points. Mendez collected two points, as the Lady Indians added two more points.

Ximena Gomez was fouled to add one free throw and Schneider added three points. The Lady Indians made two more points, followed by Ximena Gomez with two points. The Lady Wildcats dropped the game 38 to 36. Runyan said the game was so close, that the smallest thing would have completely altered the outcome.

“If you eliminate one thing, make one basket, the ball game is different,” Runyan said.

The Wildcats’ game against followed the girls’ game, but with a twist. Senior Miguel Duran was honored by the boys’ head coach, Brett Weiberg for reaching 1,000 career points. Weiberg presented him with a basketball and spoke fondly of Duran and his accomplishment.

“It is not easy to score 1000 career points and I am really proud ofMiguel,” Weiberg said. “He is a good kid and deserves the recognition. I love coaching him. He is so easy to coach and he is a great teammate.”

The Wildcats lit up on the board first with Junior Nick Northcutt hitting a twopointer. Duran returned with two points. The Indians then added eight points, taking the lead 8 to 4. Duran placed two back-to-back two-pointers. Tishomingo added one free throw, with Duran adding another two points.

Duran swished a threepointer to start the second quarter. However, the Indians added eleven unanswered points. Duran powered up with five points to add to the score, then the Indians added two more points. Junior Ezekiel Fuentes was nothing but net for a three-pointer, closing the gap — the Indians only led by one point at halftime; 2 to 21.

The Indians were quick on their feet to start the third quarter, adding two back-to-back two-pointers. Northcutt added a one-point free throw. Duran followed that up with a three-pointer. Tishomingo then returned two points. Sophomore RJ Morris swooshed a three-pointer. Tishomingo would close out the quarter with four more points.

The Wildcats struggled to keep the pace with the Indians in the fourth quarter. Tishomingo added a two-pointer, with Duran answering with two points. The Indians consecutively added five points. Duran hit nothing but net for a three pointer.

Tishomingo again had back-to-back five points. Duran added another three points. The Indians answered again with six consecutive points. Junior Javier Gomez shot for a three-pointer.

Even with all the fight that Madill put forward, they still lost 50 to 39. Weiberg said they need to go into future games with more discipiline.

“We did not execute against Tish zone very good,” Weiberg said. “We settled for way too many threes and unfortunately did not make very many. We have to be more disciplined against the zone.”

On Friday, January 15, Madill traveled to Sulphur to take on the Bulldogs. The Lady Bulldogs got three points on the board to start the game. Stumblingbear answered with a two pointer. Sulphur added two more points, followed by a three-pointer from Stumblingbear. The Lady Bulldogs popped a three-pointer. However, Schneider added two points, but then Sulphur added three points.

Stumblingbear shot for two points, increasing the gap to 9 to 11, with Sulphur leading. Sulphur then rebounded for two more points. Stumblingbear swished a three-pointer.

The Lady Bulldogs ignited the fire to increase the lead by adding eight points. Even though Schneider responded and added six points, Sulphur was too strong adding another ten points to take the lead 31 to 18 at halftime.

The Lady Wildcats regrouped at halftime, with Weiberg gaining two points. Sulphur snapped back adding three points. Ximena Gomez shot for two followed by a threepointer from Stumblingbear. Schneider hustled for two points. The Lady Bulldogs added two points. Ximena Gomez swished a three-pointer to close the lead gap a bit, they close the quarter with Madill trailing 30 to 36.

Sulphur proved to be too much for the Lady Wildcats in the fourth quarter, accumulating six points back-to-back. Then, Weiberg clapped back with four points, but then the Lady Bulldogs added another four points.

Senior Mariana Mendez shot for two. The Lady Wildcats lost the game, 36 to 46. Runyan said even though the girls lost, he was proud of their fight and determination.

“We got whipped on the board,” said Runyan. “Girls didn’t quit and fought back from 13 down to a two-point game with 4 minutes left. I was proud of them for fighting back.”

The Wildcats took to the court next with the Bulldogs getting five points on the board quickly. Junior Javier Gomez swooshed a three-pointer for the Wildcats. Sulphur added seven more points on the board, but Duran and Fuentes put two points on the scoreboard each. The Bulldogs closed the first quarter with two more points.

Gomez was fouled within minutes of the second quarter adding one free throw. The Bulldogs pounded the Wildcats with ten points. Trying to keep the momentum, Duran shot for two points, with Northcutt getting back-to-back two pointers. Sulphur then responded with four more points. Kendall Robertson added two points and Duran with one free throw shot. The Wildcats trailed at halftime, 28 to 17.

Sulphur swished a threepointer to start the third quarter. However, the Wildcats started a fire with Fuentes swishing his own three-pointer. Duran had two consecutive two pointers with one drawing a foul and added a free throw. Northcutt was then fouled and added a free throw.

Duran followed with back-to-back two pointers and Northcutt shot for two points. Sulphur swished a three pointer. Duran made a two pointer. Sulphur swished another three-pointer. Duran shot for two, drawing the gap closer, 37 to 36, heading into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter was a power battle with bactk-to-back two-pointers. Madill kept the heat on the Bulldogs with Duran jumping for two points. Then, the Bulldogs answered back with two points.

Sophomore YoYo Robles got two points. Sulphur responded with two more points. Morris swished a three pointer. Sulphur was fouled and added a free throw. Fuentes added two points. The Wildcats had the lead for a short time, because the Bulldogs shot a three pointer and sent the game into overtime. The score was 45 to 45.

With 4:00 on the clock in overtime, Morris swishes a three-pointer, to only have the Bulldogs swish a three-pointer. Tying the game again, 48 to 48, and sending it to a second overtime.

To start the second overtime, Duran droves to pop up with a three-pointer. Sulphur gets fouled and makes two free throws. Duran put up two more points. As time ticked down, Fuentes had back-to-back two pointers.

The Bulldogs added two more points, sealing the game for the Wildcats, 57 to 52. Weiberg said switching up things in the second half was what cinched the win.

“Against Sulphur, we played really hard in the second half and was able to get Sulphur out oftheir offensive rhythm by switching defenses,” Weiberg said. “We were down by 11 at half and I am proud that the boys kept fighting.”

The Wildcats are scheduled to participate in the Atoka Tournament January 21, 22 and 23.