The Durant Lady Lions clinched second place in the District 5A-4 standings during a busy late-season homestand last week while notching a pair of victories.
Coach Aaron George’s boys also claimed a pair of home triumphs as well sandwiched between a pair of road losses that opened and closed the week’s action.
The Lions will be on the road next week for Class 5A regional action at a site to be announced later this week while the Lady Lions are scheduled to host a regional once again.
Girls
The Lady Lions survived a tough battle with Claremore to start the week’s action, 46-41, as a late push put it away.
Iyana Wilson canned a pair of free throws with 30 seconds left as part of her six fourth quarter points in fueling the triumph. Wilson was the catalyst with 16 points as Ella Sorrels contributed 14 and Abrianna Freeman notched seven.
Sorrels took control early in the Lady Lion 44-25 win facing Pryor, pumping in a game-high 17 points but Wilson connected for eight late in the game to tally 13 for the contest. Emma Green tossed in six with four more from Freeman.
Things didn’t go as well for Durant in a 30-28 loss to Tahlequah that eliminated them from district title contention.
The Lady Lions managed just five points in each of the first two stanzas and then seven in the third, but only trailed 18-17 going to the fourth in the low-scoring slugfest. They couldn’t quite get over the hump in the final frame despite each team notching double figures for the first time.
Sorrels pitched in nine, Wilson scored eight with six from Free- man. Green also contributed three points with a pair by Avery Blackburn.
Boys
Tashaun Williams poured in a monster 31 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t quite enough for the Lions in a 68-64 loss to Claremore that started the week.
Each team notched 14 points in the first stanza and the Zebras held a 37-36 lead at intermission. It was tied at 42 going to the final frame but Claremore had too much in the end, pumping in 26 points as a team.
Joseph Flores and Leon Stone each posted double figures with 11 apiece and Tyson Thompson finished with seven.
Facing another huge fourth quarter from an opponent the following night, Durant watched Pryor erupt for 31 points in the final frame but the Lions held on for the 75-68 verdict.
The Lions were up 21-18 through one period, 40-27 at halftime and 56-37 at the end of three quarters.
Williams had another strong outing with 21 points as Stone contributed 13. Brayden King scored eight as Boston Browder tossed in seven.
Durant scored back-to-back wins with a 54-46 decision over Tahlequah on Friday, virtually leading from start to finish. It was a 16-9 cushion through one period before the Tigers narrowed the gap to 27-25 at halftime. The Lions responded with a big third stanza to carry a 44-33 cushion into the final frame.
Thompson fueled the scoring in that one with 13 points as Williams added 10 along with seven apiece by Browder and Stone.
The Lions never got untracked in a 72-58 loss at McAlester to close the week, falling behind 24-10 at the end of one quarter and were forced to play catch up the rest of the game.
Williams led the scoring with 16 with Thompson sinking five treys to notch 15 points. Stone and Kenyon Johnson pitched in eight apiece, King scored five, Flores had four and Malachi Valliere tossed in three.
