Central Tigers stun top seed Roland Runnin’ Rangers in SCC semifinals
Muldrow teams, host Lady Rangers also make county finals
There will be a new boys county basketball champion, thanks to the Central Tigers.
The fourth-seeded Tigers stunned the top-seeded and defending county champion Roland Runnin’ Rangers 64-61 in the 2025 Sequoyah County Classic championship semifinals Wednesday night at the Ranger Dome to make it to Saturday night’s championship game.
All other top-seeded teams advanced to the finals on Wednesday as the host and top-seeded Roland Lady Rangers handled the Stigler Lady Panthers 60-34 to set up a rematch of last season’s county finals with archrival Muldrow.
The Lady Bulldogs, seeded second, defeated the thirdseeded Central Lady Tigers 37-25.
The second-seeded Muldrow Bulldogs reached the county finals once again after getting past the Stigler Panthers 55-43.
Wednesday also saw the consolation semifinals take place at Gore Event Center as it was a sweep by the sub-host Lady Pirates and Pirates over the Gans squads. The Lady Pirates tamed the Lady Grizzlies 5512, while the Pirates made the Grizzlies walk the plank to the tune of a 78-31 victory to set up an all Gore-Vian match-up for Saturday’s consolation finals.
Due to Thursday’s snowstorm, the Sequoyah County Classic took Thursday night and tonight off and will resume with all six trophy games Saturday at the Ranger Dome.
The consolation title games will be at 11 a.m. (girls) and 12:30 p.m. (boys) Saturday with the Gore teams facing Vian’s squads.
The third-place games will follow as the Lady Tigers will meet the Lady Panthers at 2 p.m., followed by the host Runnin’ Rangers facing the Panthers at 3:30 p.m.
After the third-place games, the crowd will be asked to exit the Ranger Dome and then reenter for the title games, which will be a rematch of last year’s thrilling championship contest between the Lady Bulldogs and the Lady Rangers, who upset the Lady Bulldogs to win the county title last year, at 6 p.m., followed by the upstart Tigers facing the ’Dogs at 7:30 p.m.
Each title game is a rematch from earlier this season. Roland’s girls got the best of Muldrow with a 39-31 win Dec. 17 at the Ranger Dome, while the Muldrow boys won 6048 over Central on Dec. 10 at Fields, Amarie Duran and Emmalee Short with three points each and Emma Matlock, Briley Likens and Chloee Clark with two points apiece.
In defeat, Sophie Pulice led Gans with six points, followed by Madi Pilkington, Skylyn Bird and Aaliyah Taylor with three points each and Brighton Dorsey, MaKinzie Kimble and Addy Bibbs with two points apiece.
AT GORE
BOYS
CENTRAL 47, VIAN 42
The Tigers (5-3) led pretty much the whole way, taking a 16-10 lead after a quarter, a 28-21 halftime advantage and a 43-29 lead after three periods.
The Wolverines (3-4) tried to rally as they outscored the Tigers 13-4 in the fourth quarter but came up short.
For the game, Josh Brunk scored 16 points and Hardy Buzzard added 13 points to lead Central, followed by Braxin Goodson with eight points, Gavin Randolph and Aidan Sainer with four points each and Paitton Merrill with two points.
In defeat, Masyn Wright scored a game-high 23 points to lead Vian, followed by Joe O’Neal with six points, Cash Trammel with five points, Trace Sanders with three points, Jeremiah Marshall and Jacob Brannick with two points each and Cash Collins with a free throw.
GIRLS
STIGLER 57, VIAN 24
With the game tied at 6-all with 2:49 left in the first quarter, the Lady Panthers (7-1) outscored the Lady Wolverines 8-2 the rest of the period to take a 14-8 lead into the second quarter.
A basket by Vian’s Avery Wright to open the second period cut the Stigler lead to 14-10 with 7:44 left in the first half. It ended up being as close as the Lady Wolverines (2-5) would get.
Stigler ended the first half on a 17-9 run to take a 31-19 halftime lead. After the Lady Panthers outscored the Lady Wolverines 11-5 in the third quarter to take a 42-24 lead into the final period, Stigler blanked Vian 15-0 in the fourth quarter. In defeat, Wright led Vian with eight points, followed by Halli Russell with four points and Rebel Simon, Kala Gibbins, LaKoeta Cheater, Jaiden Soap, Rayleigh Terrill and Blazi Dieter with two points apiece.
