Porum looks to get past Okay, more area Class A-B regional hoops
Porum hosts Okay for its regional opener, with the girls team seeking the 20-win mark for the second time in the past three years and the boys team hoping to finally measure up to the high-flying Mustangs. Each Class A and B team in the area starts regional play today. Kinta's boys plays in the Class B Area IV winners bracket in Henryetta. Kinta's girls is also in Henryetta playing in the Class B Area IV consolation bracket. Keota plays in the Class A Area II consolation bracket in Okemah. McCurtain starts play in the Class B Area IV consolation bracket at the sub-site in Moyers. Here's a look at all of the matchups.
Porum vs. Okay
Girls: Panthers (19-4, ranked 20th in Class A) vs. Mustangs (17-9) 6:30 p.m.
Last game: Porum 46, Gans 28; Okay 44, Oaks Mission 34.
Last meeting: Porum 55, Okay 36 (Feb. 3, 2017)
Notes: Porum beat Okay both times in the regular-season, with a total margin of victory of 34 points. A win pits Porum against the winner between sixth-ranked Glencoe and Cameron on Feb. 18. A loss sends Porum to the consolation bracket against the Strother-Keota winner on Feb. 17.
Boys: Panthers (13-10) vs. Mustangs (24-2, ranked second in Class A) 8 p.m.
Last game: Porum 63, Gans 54; Okay 94, Oaks Mission 55.
Last meeting: Okay 78, Porum 52 (Feb. 3, 2017)
Notes: Porum lost both regular-season games against Okay. Porum scores 55.7 points per game and allows the same amount. Mason Coulston leads the team with 19.6 points per game, including 50 in the past two games. The Mustangs are a tremendous scoring team, scoring 74.1 points per game. They have scored at least 83 points eight times. Okay's average margin of victory is 27.8 points. If Porum can pull off a win against Okay, it plays the Glencoe-Arkoma winner in the Feb. 18 regional final. A loss sends the Panthers to the consolation bracket to play the Strother-Keota winner on Feb. 17.
McCurtain boys (11-16) vs. Caney (6-19) 3 p.m.
Last game: Moyers 58, McCurtain 55; Battiest 56, Caney 43.
Notes: McCurtain scores 61 points per game while Caney averages 37.4 per game. With a win, the Bulldogs would likely play Indianola on Feb. 17.
McCurtain girls (6-19) vs. Battiest (9-16) 1:30 p.m.
Last game: Moyers 42, McCurtain 39; Caney 53, Battiest 52.
Notes: Brylea Cooper scored 14 points for the Bulldogs in the district final loss to Moyers. If the Bulldogs win, they play the Whitesboro-Sasakwa loser on Feb. 17 in Henryetta.
Kinta girls (7-17) vs. Milburn (3-17) 1:30 p.m.
Last game: Whitesboro 29, Kinta 24; Sasakwa 48, Milburn 19.
Notes: Kinta coach Jim Jenson said the team must shoot more after not managing enough attempts in the Feb. 11 district loss to Whitesboro. With a win, Kinta would play the loser between Moyers and Caney.
Kinta boys (20-6, ranked No. 1 in Class B) vs. Indianola (15-8) 8 p.m.
Last game: Kinta 58, Whitesboro 40; Indianola 67, Sasakwa 64.
Notes: Kinta averages 57.4 points per game while allowing 40.5 per game. In the district game against Whitesboro, Mark Lovelace had his second 20-point game of the season. Indianola scores 62.5 points per game and gives up 57.4 per game. The Warriors have not beaten a winning team. In their only game against a ranked team, they lost 65-18 to 17th-ranked Kiowa. With a win, the Eagles would play the winner between 17th-ranked Moyers and Battiest in the Feb. 18 regional final.
Keota vs. Strother
Girls: Lions (10-12) vs. Yellow Jackets (17-9) 1:30 p.m.
Last game: Panama 80, Keota 62; Glencoe 90, Strother 57.
Notes: Keota scores 36.4 points per game while Strother scores 55.7 per game.
Boys: Lions (5-17) vs. Yellow Jackets (17-8) 3 p.m.
Last game: Cameron 61, Keota 37; Glencoe 78, Strother 71.
Notes: Keota scores 47.6 points per game, with a bump in the last seven games in which it has scored 57.1 per game. Cash Long has scored 15.5 points per the last four games for Keota. Strother averages 52.6 points per game, including 61.6 per the last five games.