VELMA — Twice had the Bray-Doyle Donkeys held a late lead over the Velma-Alma Comets this season. And twice the Comets ended up on the winning side of the scoreboard.
Friday night looked to be the same story, but a different ending was written as the Donkeys held off a furious Comet comeback to win 55-52 and move within one game of a conference championship.
The Lady Donkeys also knocked off Velma-Alma in the girls game, 44-29. Bray-Doyle overcame an ice cold first quarter and shook off the rust of not playing in over a week to score 29 second half points to put the Lady Comets away.
Kendra Balthrop provided a spark off the bench in the early going for the Lady Donkeys. Bray-Doyle scored five points in the first quarter, but Balthrop rallied the troops with seven points in the first half.
The Lady Donkeys took a 15-10 lead at the break. Beka Gates and Sarah Justus got Bray-Doyle rolling in the second half. Gates hit three 3-pointers and Justus scored 13 of her 17 points in the half to lead the Lady Donkeys to victory.
“Kendra was a real spark for us in the first half,” Lady Donkey coach Jaicee Powers said. “Defensively, we played well all game but couldn’t convert our shots into points. The girls kept playing hard and they all started getting a little more confident. I was really proud of how they played hard the whole game.”
Gates finished with 11 points and Balthrop added nine for the Lady Donkeys who improved to 14-6. Velma-Alma was led by Kaitlin Anderson with nine points. The Lady Comets fell to 10-9.
The Bray-Doyle boys seemed to have the game in hand when Josh Turner put back a missed Corbin Byford 3-pointer to give the Donkeys a 51-38 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
The Comets’ intensity picked up and a barrage of turnovers meant easy baskets for Velma-Alma. Freshman Dallen Mercer took a steal to the hoop and dished it off to Frank Johnson for the lay-up. Mercer stole another pass and finished the play himself. Dillon Dennis grabbed another Donkey turnover and passed to Mercer underneath the basket. Mercer’s lay-up brought the score to 55-50 with :38 to go.
“Our guys have got to learn how to handle the pressure,” Donkey coach Darian Dickson said.
Logan Mayes missed the front end of a one-and-one and Mercer hit a jump shot on the other end to bring the Comets within three.
Hayden Dickson threw away a pass with 7.3 seconds remaining and the Comets had one shot to send the game to overtime.
However, Mayes tipped a pass away and the Donkeys prevailed to move to a winner take all conference championship game with Healdton Monday night.
“This win gives us confidence and we understand that we can do what we want to do even after having not played in a while,” said Dickson. “Now that we got the win, we can’t be complacent. We have to have the same drive and the same motivation going forward.”
Bray-Doyle moved to 16-4 with the win. Byford led the Donkeys with 28 points. Velma-Alma dropped to 15-4 and out of the conference championship race. Mercer scored 18 points to lead the Comets. Trenten Files added 14 and Johnson had 11.
- Ben Whitehead is a sports writer for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 255-5354, Ext. 165, or via e-mail at ben.whitehead@duncanbanner.com.
Sports
Donkeys hold off Velma-Alma rally for win
Bray-doyle basketball programs pick up sweep
- Sports
-
-
Playoff hoops start tonight
Tonight the real season begins for area Class A basketball teams.
-
Demons going after dual state title
For many years, Duncan High School has been known for its proud wrestling tradition. On Saturday the Demons will have a chance to add to that growing tradition as they take part in the Class 5A Dual State Championships, which will be held at Yukon High School starting on Saturday at noon.
-
Area teams set for big week
A few thoughts on area sports while trying to make sense of Oklahoma’s high school basketball playoffs, the most confusing postseason in all of sports.
-
Senior night for Duncan
There will be a sense of pride plus plenty of emotion Friday night at Duncan Gymnasium.
At 6:30 p.m. the No. 13 Duncan Lady Demons (15-7) will take to the floor against Ardmore (1-18) on Senior Night. Seniors Ashley Gonzalez, Hannah Allen, Dani Jo St. Clair, Britton and Brooklyn Scott along with D’Shala Culberson and Jamesia Milton will be honored during the contest. -
Indians prepare for dual state
With the second weekend in February comes the first part of the busiest three weeks on the high school wrestling schedule, Dual State.
The Comanche Indians will be making the three hour drive to Cushing, looking to advance past the semi-finals, something which has eluded them the past two years thanks to Perry. -
Carletti-Silva inks with Army
Though his feelings were strong, Jim Holloway tried not to have too much influence on the decision.
Duncan’s head football coach didn’t want to push his senior quarterback into leaning one way or another. -
Demons rout Altus
After a tough loss on the road last Friday night against Lawton MacArthur, it seemed the Duncan Demons needed a boost to get themselves going for the last week of the season. DHS had its sights set on using the Altus Bulldogs as the tool for their motivation Tuesday night at Duncan Gymnasium.
-
Lady Outlaws smother Rush Springs, 38-28
It wasn’t one of Marlow’s best offensive performances of the season. Luckily it was one of the Lady Outlaws best defensive showings.
For only the third time this season, Marlow held an opponent to fewer than 30 points and the Lady Outlaws topped the visiting Rush Springs Lady Redskins, 38-28. -
Culberson, DHS hold off Lady Bulldogs
There is a saying, “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” For the Duncan Lady Demons, a rematch against Altus at Duncan Gymnasium on a chilly evening seemed like the perfect motivation to help DHS avoid a two-game losing streak Tuesday night.
-
Duncan hosts Altus tonight
ometimes it’s not how hard you fall, it’s how fast you get back up.
After a tough overtime loss Friday night at Lawton MacArthur, the No. 14 Duncan Lady Demons (14-7) will look to rebound this evening against the No. 11 Altus Lady Bulldogs (12-6) with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. from Duncan Gymnasium. - More Sports Headlines
-
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Expert: Removing LA School's Staff 'Appropriate'
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
