Stigler starts Chectoah Classic, boys second round at Porum

Stigler's basketball teams start play in the Checotah Crossroads Classic, with the girls looking to compete with a few ranked teams for the crown and the boys team hoping to string a couple of wins together against sound Class 3A and 4A teams. Meanwhile, boys teams play second round games in the Porum Cross Telephone Tournament. Here is the full slate for today.

Stigler girls (11-2, ranked 15th in Class 3A) vs. Vian (7-4, ranked 19th in Class 3A) (Checotah Crossroads Classic) 7 p.m.*

Last game: Stigler 43, Sallisaw 29; Vian 50, Sallisaw Central 41.

Last meeting: Vian 57, Stigler 34 (Feb. 21, 2014)

Notes: Stigler met Vian in the 2014 district tournament. Now, Jeff Walker's Panthers have progressed greatly, standing as one of the premier defensive teams in Class 3A, allowing 35.9 points per game. Stigler has won three straight games while allowing 36 or fewer points. Vian, which lost three straight games before beating Sallisaw Central, averages 37.7 points per game while allowing 31.5 per game. The Wolverines have only scored more than 50 points once.

Stigler boys (2-10) vs. Hilldale (8-4) (CCC) 8:30 p.m.**

Last game: Sallisaw 51, Stigler 44; Catoosa 49, Hilldale 40.

Notes: Three of Hilldale's four losses have been against top-10 teams.

Keota boys (2-12) vs. Gore (0-10) (Porum Cross Telephone Tournament) 5:50 p.m.

Last game: Quinton 54, Keota 29; Porum 44, Gore 36.

Last meeting: Keota 62, Gore 39 (Jan. 18, 2016)

Notes: Keota scores 42.5 points per game and gives up 62.8 per game. The Lions scored 29 points the past two games after posting more than 50 in four of five contests. Gore averages 46.9 points per game and allows 68 per game. The Pirates have scored more than 50 points five times.

McCurtain (9-8) vs. Warner (8-5) (PCTT) 7:10 p.m.

Last game: McCurtain 61, Midway 52; Warner 82, Panola 19.

Last meeting: Warner 59, McCurtain 25 (Jan. 20, 2015)

Notes: The Bulldogs have won five straight games and the Eagles have won their last three contests. McCurtain averages 62.5 points per game, compared with 56.1 per game by the Eagles. McCurtain scores at a faster pace than Warner typically does. Warner and McCurtain met in the consolation semifinals of the Porum Cross Telephone tourney two years ago.

Porum (9-5) vs. Quinton (6-8) (PCTT) 8:30 p.m.

Last game: Porum 44, Gore 36; Quinton 54, Keota 29.

Last meeting: Quinton 49, Porum 29 (Jan. 23, 2016)

Notes: The Savages beat the Panthers in the third-place game last year. Now, Darrick Farriell's Porum squad, which has won five straight games, is hoping to overcome a solid defensive team to reach the finals of its home tourney. Porum scored 54 points per game while Quinton allows 45.6 per game. The Panthers have potent scorers, led by Mason Coulston at 20 points per game. Quinton is led by Tristan Etchison, who averages 14.8 points per game. The Panthers averted a pair of challenges from winless teams in its past two games and now meets a Quinton team that has experience in close games and has a 0.7 points per game margin of defeat.