BASKETBALL: Inola claims decisive sweep of Rogers County rival Sequoyah

Dec. 22—INOLA — After every Longhorn basketball event at the Inola Indoor Sports Arena, the postgame atmosphere is amplified by the familiar tune of "My Town" by Montgomery Gentry reverberating through the PA speakers.

The song's lyrics encapsulate the essence of Inola's small-town spirit, embodying the pride, unity and sense of community that resonates deeply within the town's fabric.

Well, the Longhorns certainly defended their town Tuesday night as they claimed a decisive sweep of Rogers County rival Sequoyah.

The evening commenced with the Class 4A No. 13 Lady Longhorns orchestrating a 71-32 triumph over Sequoyah, and following suit, the No. 17 Inola boys delivered an electrifying performance, claiming a 78-65 victory against the No. 11 Eagles.

With these victories, both Inola squads improved to commendable 4-2 records, setting a positive tone for the upcoming games in the new year. On the other side, the Lady Eagles now stand at 1-6, while the Sequoyah boys experienced their first defeat, concluding the night with a 6-1 record.

Both schools concluded their basketball engagements for 2023, setting the stage for an eagerly anticipated return in the first week of 2024.

BOYS — INOLA 78, SEQUOYAH 65

Aidan Clark, already on an impressive trajectory in the first half, truly seized control in the third quarter.

His exceptional display transformed the game, leaving the Sequoyah defense struggling to contain his scoring onslaught. Notching 15 of his 27 points in the third period alone, the 6-foot-6 sophomore forward's dominance led Inola to establish a commanding lead, ultimately securing the win.

"You gotta remember, he's a 16-year-old sophomore; his best days are still ahead of him," Inola coach Clyde Barkley said. "He's a great team player. All of my kids are like that, and that makes me happy. All my guys are getting better every game, and especially him."

His versatile scoring repertoire — spanning layups, three-point plays and precision 3-pointers — was instrumental in steering the Longhorns toward victory.

Alongside his scoring prowess, Clark secured a double-double and solidified his impact on both ends of the court by pulling down a total of 16 rebounds.

"I just started taking it at them, to be honest," said Clark, who made three 3-pointers. "I started taking shots I usually take, and everything was falling. I saw the first one go in, so I just kept shooting."

The Eagles' Judah Gibson attempted to match the intensity, showcasing his scoring ability with a game-high 33 points, primarily fueled by six successful 3-pointers.

However, despite valiant efforts from Sequoyah's key players like Gibson, Eestyn Prater, Luke Wood and Tristan Gibson, Inola's collective firepower and shooting performance — especially from Jackson Welch's six three-pointers — proved insurmountable.

Right from the opening moments, Welch set the tone for Inola's dominance by draining a 3-pointer that sparked an early 8-0 lead.

As the game reached its climax, it was fitting that Welch once again stepped up.

The Eagles attempted a late surge with an 8-0 run, and though the result was already well in hand, it was Welch who silenced their momentum. He drained another 3-pointer, halting Sequoyah's run and sealing the victory for the Longhorns with the final points of the game.

Trevor Groff also played a significant role, reaching double figures with 11 points and three rebounds, and Caden Thompson, though falling just short of double-digit scoring due to an untimely traveling violation on a 3-point shot that would've elevated him to that level, showcased his skillset by contributing nine points and securing five boards.

Moreover, Jaxon Marlin's impact, including his key 3-pointer that tied the game at 31 during an intense second-quarter back-and-forth, demonstrated the depth of talent within the Inola roster.

"I'm just proud of my team; it was a great team effort," Barkley said. "We had guys step up and come off the bench ... everybody did something good."

The game was a showcase of 3-point shooting, with the teams combining for a total of 11 triples by halftime.

The exchange of long-range shots during the second quarter, featuring seven-consecutive 3-pointers between the teams, highlighted the spectacle of precision shooting on display.

The first of those seven 3s came from Wood and gave the Eagles a 25-17 lead, and the final deep shot came courtesy of Inola's Marlin, tying the game at 31.

The only points not scored from beyond the arc during that stretch was a pair of free throws from Longhorn sophomore Travis Weast.

Inola's scoring proficiency also led to it dominating on the boards, limiting Sequoyah's rebounding opportunities. As a result, the Longhorns outrebounded the Eagles 32-16 overall and 10-4 on the offensive glass.

Judah Gibson emerged as a formidable force on the court for Sequoyah, with the 6-2 junior guard proving to be a driving force for the Eagles throughout the game.

In the first quarter alone, Judah Gibson showcased his offensive firepower by contributing 13 points and steering the Eagles to a 21-15 lead. His ability to create scoring opportunities and capitalize on open looks made him a constant threat, setting the tone for Sequoyah's early advantage.

Continuing his impressive performance into the second quarter, Judah Gibson added six more points, including two crucial 3-pointers. His scoring spree helped Sequoyah build two eight-point leads, only to see Inola close the half with a 14-4 run to take a 37-35 edge.

Although Judah Gibson's offensive output experienced a lull during the pivotal third quarter, during which the Longhorns outscored the Eagles 29-13, he returned to form in the final period with 12 points — including two additional 3-pointers — in an attempt to mount a comeback.

However, the damage inflicted in the third quarter proved too substantial to overcome.

Prater went on to finish with 11 points and three rebounds, and Wood managed 11 points as well alongside two boards while Tristan Gibson added 10 and four.

"That third quarter wasn't very good for us," Sequoyah coach Tim Bart said. "It was two pretty good offensive teams, we just went through a little drought right there. Kyler Moore had six 3s Friday night at Miami, and he doesn't score tonight. Eestyn really took over in that third quarter and tried to carry us through that stretch. We scored enough to win, but we have to do better on the defensive end. We're still scoring, but offense isn't the problem. We gotta play defense."

GIRLS — INOLA 71, SEQUOYAH 32

The Lady Longhorns asserted their authority from the opening whistle, setting an unstoppable tempo led by the trio of Addison Mootry, Miller Weast and Brynna Wiginton.

The first quarter witnessed an extraordinary display of offensive prowess from the three, who orchestrated a complete scoring barrage and accounted for all 25 of Inola's points in that period. Mootry spearheaded the charge with 10 points, complemented by Weast's eight and Wiginton's seven, setting a commanding tone right from the start.

The second quarter mirrored the first, with the trio extending their offensive dominance to contribute 17 of the Lady Longhorns' 27 points, propelling the team to an emphatic 52-13 halftime lead. The commanding advantage established in the first half allowed the starters to take a well-deserved rest in the second half, confident in their team's substantial lead.

Despite reduced playing time in the latter half, Wiginton closed with 15 points, while Weast's six additional second-quarter points elevated her total to 14. Mootry, adding two more points to her tally in the second period, rounded out her contributions with a solid 12 points.

The team's depth and versatility were on full display, as Alexis Wheeler joined the scoring onslaught in the second quarter, notching all eight of her points — including two 3-pointers — during that period.

Makiah Barnett stepped up in the second half, taking charge of the scoring duties and delivering an 11-point performance, highlighted by three successful 3-pointers. Eight of her points came in the latter half.

Although Inola scored only 19 points in the second half with the starters resting, the outcome was never in doubt, given the substantial lead secured in the first two quarters.

For Sequoyah, Matison Kruis led the charge with 15 points, displaying resilience by contributing 10 points in the second half. Cylie Bronson added 11 points, seven of which were secured in the latter half in an effort to narrow the gap against Inola's dominant performance.