Michael Pineda
LAWTON — Lawton MacArthur did not have to wait long to gain a measure of revenge.
One week after falling to Duncan, the Highlanders returned the favor, defeating the Demons 66-57 on their home court. The Demons stayed within four points throughout the early part of the fourth quarter but the Highlanders ability to hit key 3-pointers and get the ball to a wide-open Darian Graham proved to be the difference.
Graham had a career-night with 23 points, the majority off of penetration, leaving the freshman wide-open under the basket. Jared Griffin scored 18 points to lead the Demons, which dropped to 9-7 on the season.
“I thought we did a lot of things right and a break here and a break there and it is a different ballgame,” Davison said. “The score was not indicative of the game. I was pleased. We went to a tough gym with a great fanbase and played well.”
Duncan took an early lead yet found itself playing with a deficit most of the night as the Lawton Mac half-court trap took its toll in the first half, forcing 17 turnovers. The advantage was offset by foul trouble as the Highlanders had three starters sitting on the bench at the end of the first half with three fouls.
“We dominated the rim all night long, there was no doubt about it,” Duncan coach Mikel Davison said. “We were a little soft coming through the trap at times but that is because we are young. We are going to be able to deal with it a lot better the more experienced that we get.”
The rhythm of the game was set in the second quarter as Lawton Mac ran out to a 30-21 lead but could not put Duncan away. The Demons ended the quarter on a 5-0 run highlighted by a Domonique Petties 3-pointer to make the score 30-26 going into the half.
The Highlanders put up a 6-0 run :30 into the third quarter to force a Duncan timeout. Lawton Mac led by 42-32 following a thunderous dunk by Jonah Antoine, who finished with four points in the game but once again failed to put the Demons away. Foul trouble once again reared its head as three starters were tagged with four fouls in the quarter.
Duncan fought back and made it a four-point game on three occasions in the final frame. Lawton Mac attempted to set a record for 3-point futility in the first meeting between the two teams, shooting 2-of-30 from beyond the arc. The Highlanders were sharper in the rematch.
Lawton Mac hit six 3-pointers in the win, including two in the fourth quarter that allowed it to stretch the lead from four points twice. In the end, it was a four-point run by Graham that allowed the Highlanders some breathing room as they took a 60-52 lead following a 3-pointer by Daniel McCoy.
“There were about three shots that we didn’t come out and contest,” Davison said. “We thought that we were safe and we weren’t. It just killed us. We would get some momentum and they would hit a shot.”
Graham’s job became easier when Dylan Dismuke was whistled for a fifth foul and the freshman scored 11 of his 23 points in the final frame to lead the Highlanders to the win.
“I thought we did a lot of things right and a break here and a break there and it is a different ballgame,” Davison said. “The score was not indicative of the game. I was pleased. We w
Quinton Paras overcame foul trouble to finish with 13 points and Dee Robinson scored 15 points before fouling out on a technical foul. Domonique Petties scored 10 points and McCoy finished with nine.
— Michael Pineda is the sports editor for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 143, or via e-mail at m.pineda@duncanbanner.com.
