The Madill high school basketball teams opened their season on Tuesday, December 1, when they traveled to Antlers to play the Bearcats. Both Madill teams have faced covid-19 challenges, the girls’ head coach, Shawn Runyan said.
“We were going good, then quarantine hit some, positive test got some others. It kind of killed our momentum, but we will get it back going.”
The Lady ‘Cats found momentum in the first half of play when junior Jayden Weiberg hit three 3-pointers with a little more than two minutes shaved off the clock. Then, the Lady ‘Cats defense allowed the Bearcats to score a 3-pointer. Madill’s offense proved too strong for the Bearcats when junior Joslyn Stumblingbear hit a three-pointer followed by junior Braylee Schneider adding two points.
The lady Bearcats brought pressure to Madill, scoring 11 more points. Juniors Abbie Lambertsen and Stumblingbear each added two points, with Schneider getting two points, a foul, and one free throw. The Lady ‘Cats went into halftime leading 21 to 14.
Runyan said he wants to win but wants his girls to stay healthy.
“Looking for a 15-win season,” he said. “Five better than last year. In reality, [I] just hope we can stay healthy and have a complete season.”
Senior Ximena Gomez got the second half started with a three pointer. Junior Alyssa Cantrell followed with two points. Lambertsen would draw a foul and make two free throws. The Lady ‘Cats allowed Antlers to put 12 points on the board in the third quarter.
The last quarter, Madill fought for the win with Weiberg adding two more 3-pointers, and a free throw shot. Madill made a foul at the three-point line, allowing the Bearcats to accumulate six points. Madill’s offense came with force with Schneider having two 2-point shots. Ximena would follow with two points, and Stumblingbear added two more points and a foul for one free throw. The Lady ‘Cats beat Antlers 44 to 32.
The boys’ game was more like a tennis match than a basketball game with senior Miguel Duran popping a two pointer, and Antlers adding two back-to-back 2-pointers. Junior Nick Northcutt would add two points, and then the Bearcats answered with two points.
Duran scored a two pointer with the Antlers scoring a three-pointer. Northcutt added another 2 points with Antlers gaining two points, a foul, and a free throw. Duran finished the first half with another five points, which included swishing a three pointer. The Bearcats finished with eight points, while junior Kendall Robertson made two 3-pointers back-to-back, and junior Ezekiel Fuentes scored two points. Madill had a one-point lead, 21 to 20, going to halftime.
Boys’ head coach Brett Weiberg said some of the players are inexperienced, but that will soon change.
“We are returning two starters from last year and our young players are getting better by the week.”
The tennis match-type game continued in the second half with Northcutt drawing a foul and scoring a free throw.
For a little while, both teams bounced back and forth with two-pointers. First, Antlers scored four more points. Then the two-point trade off began. Duran made two points, with Antlers running to score two more points, then Duran ran the court with two points, followed by Northcutt going for two points.
The Bearcats scored 15 more points. Duran finished the play with four more points. Senior Mason Coles, Junior Javier Gomez, and Robertson had two points each. Fuentes finished with five more points. The Wildcats dropped the game 47 to 43.
On Friday, December 4, the basketball teams traveled to Tishomingo to play the Indians. Junior Jayden Weiberg went for a three-point shot, missed shot, but was fouled. She put the first three points on the scoreboard.
The Lady Indians scored two points. Weiberg sunk a three pointer. But Tishomingo’s offense exploded, scoring ten more points.
Tishomingo went and scored nine more points, with senior Cielo Gomez hiting two points andWeiberg popping a threepointer. Lambertsen drew a foul while scoring two points. She made one free throw. Jimena and Stumblingbear each had two points. The Ladycats trailed at halftime 18 to 21.
Senior Mariana Mendez pooped a two pointer to start the second half, with Tishomingo following with their own two points. Weiberg tied the game at 23 all when she swooshed a three-pointer. Lambertsen and Cielo would have two points each. The Ladycats started a rally cry but the Lady Indians were too tough, scoring 15 points.
Madill fought adding a foul free throw from Lambertsen, senior Ana Veras and Weiberg with each making three pointers. With 2:40 left in the game, Weiberg shot two 3-pointers. Schneider added two points, and Cielo drew a foul after making two points and then added a free throw. The Lady Indians scored eight more points. Even though Lambertsen added two points to end the game, they Lady ‘Cats still lost 45 to 46.
The boys’ game started with Duran collecting two points. Tishomingo answered back with five points, including a foul with free throw shot. Fuentes added seven points followed by Gomez with a 3-pointer. The Indians put another 11 points on the board, while Duran added another seven points and sophomore YoYo Robles scored two points.
With each team fighting to keep the lead, the possible victor bounced back and forth. Duran shot a 3-pointer, and then the Indians garnered six points back-to-back. Fuentes added four more points. Tishomingo added another eight points. Robertson scored two points, got a foul, then made a free throw. The Wildcats led 32 to 30 at halftime.
The second half would prove to be a tough fight for each team. Tish got points on the board first with two. Duran got a total of seven points, with two 3-pointers and a foul. The Indians collected another five points, and then Fuentes and Senior Gael Salinas each scored two points.
Tishomingo punched two 3-pointers, with Northcutt finishing the quarter with three points. The Madill defense could not protect the ball, allowing the Indians to tack on 14 more points. However, the Wildcats fought relentlessly when Fuentes and Northcutt each scored two points. Duran then scored four points, tying the game 55 all, sending the game in to overtime.
Weiberg said he knew where they were lacking, and how to fix it.
“We turned the ball over too much against Tishomingo. We need to take care of the ball.”
Overtime proved the Indians were too much for the Wildcats. Tishomingo came out fighting and scored nine points, leaving the Wildcats with just six points - Fuentes had five points and Coles had one point. Wildcats lost the game 66 to 62.
Madill basketball teams will host the Kingston Redskins on Tuesday, December 8.