Lady Lions reach area tournament for first time since 2012

Durant girls reached the area tournament for the first time since 2012 while the boys bowed out in Class 5A regional action last week in the Tulsa area.

The Lady Lions rebounded from a regional opening 67-49 loss to Booker T. Washington with a 47-42 win against Tulsa East Central and 34-33 decision over Holland Hall to avenge a pair of earlier losses this season.

Now 11-15 on the season, the Lady Lions face Booker T. Washington again at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in an area elimination game at Sand Springs.

Durant boys, meanwhile, suffered a 60-28 setback to powerful Collinsville and dropped a 66-58 verdict to Tulsa East Central to wrap up the season with a 6-19 record.

Girls

An 18-6 second quarter flurry provided the difference in the loss to Booker T Washington as Durant was never quite able to recover.

Emma Green had a big outing with four three pointers on the way to a season-high 14 points. Iyana Wilson and Abrianna Freeman both hit double figures with 10 as Maya Dodson scored nine and Ella Sorrels tossed in six.

Dodson scorched the nets for five treys and pumped in a game-high 20 points against East Central, but it took a massive fourth quarter rally for the Lady Lions.

Down 31-30 heading to the final frame, Durant got seven points from Freeman in a pivotal 17-9 burst for the victory. She finished with 12 points.

Sorrels contributed eight, Wilson tallied four and Green had three.

It was a similar story facing elimination against Holland Hall but Durant posted another final quarter comeback, outscoring the Tulsa school 10-4 in the frame, as Freeman notched six points and Wilson pumped in four.

Freeman finished with a team-best 10 points with Dodson adding nine on three treys before leaving with an injury. Wilson posted seven, Kennedy Lafevers and Sorrels both scored three with Green and Emeri Morse ending with two points.

Boys

Two massive scoring explosions by Collinsville in the first and fourth periods broke things wide open in the regional opening loss for the Lions.

Durant trailed 17-3 after one quarter, 30-13 at the half and 38-21 through three stanzas.

Jaylon Saxon canned three treys and posted a team-leading 12 points. Tashawn Williams poured in five, Carson Robinson had four, Braylen Lyday scored three with Callaway Nabors, Kolton Mason and Nate Rudolf tossing in two apiece.

The Lions looked in good shape of staving off elimination against East Central, battling to a 13-13 deadlock through one quarter and used a massive second quarter, fueled by seven Ryder Jones points, to claim a 32-21 edge at intermission.

It was a complete reversal in the third period however as the Cardinals went on a 22-9 run to carry a two-point lead into the fourth.

Both teams put together strong offensive showings in the fourth stanza as Jones tallied another nine points but it wasn’t enough to rally Durant.

Jones tallied a season-best 25 points to lead the Lions’ offensive charge.

Saxon wrapped up with 13, Mason had eight, Robinson scored six with Nabors notching four and Lyday two.

Durant Lady Lions defeated Holland Hall 34-33 for the regional consolation tournament title earning them a berth in an area tournament.