Poteau tumbles in Round 2

Poteau’s teams took double-digit second-round losses at Wister on Tuesday in the LeFlore County Basketball Tournament. Heavener girls advance to semifinals

In both of their meetings this year, the Heavener Lady Wolves pressurized the Poteau Lady Pirates by slapping a fullcourt press on them. Poteau had trouble breathing, much less breaking the press. Heavener won this game 49-38 and advanced to the semifinals. Poteau dropped to the fifth-place semifinals.

Even though Lady Wolf Milaya Ridley only put 11 points on the board for the entire game, she was at the point of Heavener’s press, forcing the Lady Pirates into numerous turnovers.

Heavener’s second quarter was where it gained separation, only allowing Poteau to score four points in the quarter.

Morgan Smith and Lexy Chick were the leading scorers for the Lady Wolves in the first half as they scored 10 and seven points, respectively.

Heavener led Poteau 31-14 at halftime.

Poteau came out in the second half and won both quarters 10-9 and 14-10, but the first-half shortfall was just too deep.

Garner helped Poteau inch closer to the Lady Wolves as she scored nine points in the final stanza. She finished the game with 17 points.

Scoring: Heavener: Smith 12, McKinley Alexander 9, Chick 7, Carly Watkins 3, Riddley 11, May 6.

Poteau: Garner 18, Parker Patterson 5, Annika Dill 4, Annie Baker 6, Brooke Hattabaugh 3, Chyanne Brickell 3.

Spiro boys advance to semifinals

Again, the Spiro Bulldogs were let out, and they destroyed the Poteau Pirates by the score of 5741. Spiro will play in the semifinals, while the Pirates slipped into the fifth place semifinals.

Spiro only had a 16-9 lead after the first, but the die was cast. Spiro gobbled up every rebound in sight and its defense made it difficult for the Pirates to find an uncontested shot.

Braxton Peterson started the game with 11 points in the first quarter alone, and he finished the night with 20 points. Gamble kept the Pirates in range as he scored nine points in the second quarter.

Spiro got even scoring from the entire roster as the Bulldogs held a halftime lead of 35-23.

Spiro manage to extend their second half lead as the won 57-41.

Scoring: Poteau: Dax Collins 9, Gamble 18, Jace Hall 2, Connor Whitworth 5, Dean Odom 4, Champ Downs 3.

Spiro: Kane Hendricks 8, Ethan Robbins 9, Zander Riggs 2, Jared Huff 8, Peterson 20, Brycen Graham 5.