Buffs fall in battle to Will Rogers

Feb. 6—TULSA — The Buffs never gave up the fight.

McAlester traveled to Tulsa to face Will Rogers Tuesday night at Daniel Webster High School, where the Buffs fought to the finish but fell 63-52.

Defensive efforts set the tone to begin the game, with the Ropers breaking the ice after a scoreless few opening minutes. Brandon Smith answered with a baseline floater for the Buffs, and later adding in a hard-earned driving score.

Will Rogers tried to create some space, but the Buffs swung things back their way once again with points from Davien Pouncil and DaVantrae McKendrick on the way to a narrow 9-8 deficit after the opening quarter.

The Buffs got points from Isaiah Hishaw and Pouncil to start the second quarter, but the Ropers answered with a 12-0 run to create some distance. McAlester fought back, using contested made jumpers from McKendrick on the way to a 30-16 Will Rogers lead at the break.

De'Veion Bickham and Smith got back-to-back scores to get McAlester going in the second half. The Ropers rattled off a 4-0 run in response, but points from McKendrick helped the Buffs keep pace.

Bickham lost a shoe but earned two the next trip down the floor, with Alex Dooney next using a pump fake score and McKendrick threading the needle to continue to cut into the deficit. Pouncil later nabbed a free throw, and McKendrick and Smith later used back-to-back triples to cut the lead to seven heading into the fourth period.

Smith scored to start the final quarter, with Rogers scoring a 6-0 run to answer. The Buffs responded with points from Smith, Bickham, and Dooney to once again slice into the deficit. Back-and-forth they battled down the stretch, but it'd be the Ropers holding on for the win.

Smith led the Buffs with 19 points, followed by McKendrick with 18 points, Bickham and Pouncil with five points each, Dooney with three points, and Hishaw with two points.

Next up for McAlester, the Buffs will host Holland Hall Friday at the McAlester Activity Center.