In a game loaded with scoring runs, Caddo had the final flurry that proved decisive in a 42-37 win over Durant Saturday night to claim the Madill Winter Classic boys championship.
The Lions led 28-24 after their third period burst but the Bruins closed the frame with the final eight points fueled by senior Braden Tyson for a 32-28 edge entering the fourth stanza which they never relinquished.
Tyson garnered tournament Most Valuable Player honors with fellow Bruins Parker Beardon and Kale Brister named All Tournament as well as Durant’s Tashaun Williams.
Caddo was led by Tyson’s 13 points along with a 12-point effort from Beardon. Brister pumped in seven, Beck Willingham notched five and Rance Richardson rounded things out for the Bruins with two.
Williams, who scored eight in the opening half, finished with 14 points to top all scorers in the contest. Ryder Jones added seven, Kolton Mason had five, Carson Robinson scored four, Leon Stone tossed in three and Callaway Nabors ended with two.
Caddo
Following a tight first half in which Caddo led 11-10 after one quarter and 25-20 at intermission, the Bruins broke things open with a strong defensive third period to topple Class 4A Harding Prep, 5543, in the tournament opener.
Brister pumped in nine points and Willingham added four during a 13-4 spree from Caddo that pushed the advantage to double figures the rest of the way.
Tyson was the team’s offensive catalyst with 20 points as Brister and Willingham hit double digits with 13 and 11 respectively. Noah Bacon and Beardon tallied four each with Richardson pitching in one point.
The Bruins smashed Dickson, 5934, in the semifinals as they erupted early and never looked back. Caddo led 15-7 after one quarter, 30-11 at halftime and 47-19 through three periods.
Bacon paced three Caddo double figure contributors with 14 points as Beardon had 13 and Tyson checked in with 12. Brister and Jake McKay tossed in five each, Jet Richardson scored three, Rance Richardson, Keshawn Smith and Willingham all notched two and Dallas Williams ended with one.
Durant
It took a bit for the Lions to get rolling in an opening round 58-50 triumph over host Madill as they trailed 15-6 through one stanza.
Durant looked like it might have the offense in high gear with a 22-9 scoring splurge in the second frame but watched the Wildcats go back in front 41-37 a quarter later.
Williams kickstarted a big Lion scoring flurry in the final stanza however as he had seven of the team’s 21 points in the period.
Jones was the scoring leader with 14 points for Durant with Williams just behind at 13 for the night. Nabors contributed eight, Joseph Flores had seven, Mason scored six, Stone added five with Robinson’s four points rounding things out for the Lions.
Coach Aaron George’s squad met up with old rival Hugo in the semifinals for their lone match this season and Durant managed to prevail 45-42 in the nip-and-tuck affair.
The Lions held a slim 7-3 edge in a low-scoring opening quarter, pushed that margin to 20-12 at intermission and 34-27 after three quarters.
They had to hold off a late Buffalo charge however, as Flores’ two free throws with 6.2 seconds remaining helped ice the victory.
It was extremely balanced scoring for Durant with 10 points apiece coming from Williams, Jones and Nabors. Mason was just behind with nine and Flores ended with four points.
