The game amounted to no more than an exhibition, but the two teams exhibited the competitiveness that is always a part of any meeting between the Mustangs and the Bears. West Orange-Stark trailed early and then late before getting a dramatic shot to take the victory 54-53 over cross town rival Little Cypress-Mauriceville at Winnie on Wednesday in the first round of the East Chambers Basketball Tournament.
Down by two with just 13 seconds left the Mustangs put the ball in the hands of Cory Skinner. From the left corner Skinner launched a high arching shot that just kissed the glass before tickling the twine for a sensational three-pointer to put West Orange-Stark up by one.
The Bears called time out with just under six seconds to try to pull off more dramatics. After the inbounds Katon Brown moved the ball into the forecourt. His 15-foot jump shot banked off the backboard, but did not even hit the rim as the buzzer sounded.
Brown had made one of two free throws just prior to Skinner’s game winning shot. LC-M’s leading scorer was fouled going for a loose ball after the Mustangs missed two close-in shots that would have put them in front.
West Orange-Stark opened the scoring only to fall behind 8-2 as Brown hit two buckets and Braden Bridges nailed the first of his four three-point baskets. The Bears led by four points after one quarter as Bridges added another three pointer in the final two minutes.
Playing without at least five varsity players who are coming off the state champion Mustangs’ football team Coach Tramaine Hancock got some supreme efforts from other players. B’Jan Arvie came up from the junior varsity to be the game’s leading scorer with 16 points for WO-S including 10 in the first half. The Mustangs’ Terron Brown also saw action and responded with 5 points all in the first half.
The Mustangs outscored the Bears 28 to 18 in the second and third quarters to open a six point advantage going into the final period. Katon Brown scored the first four points of the quarter to cut the lead to two. Cole Frost put LC-M on top 43-41 with a three-pointer with 4:43 to go in the fourth.
The lead was extended to six when Bridges hit his fourth three of the game. Skinner answered with his second from beyond the arch bucket to keep the Mustangs close. Bretlin White tied the game 48-48 when he drove the left side of the lane for a beautiful layup with just over 2:30 showing on the clock. Katon Brown scored with two minutes remaining to give LC-M a 50-48 advantage heading towards the climatic end.
Joining Arvie in double figures was Skinner with 15 points which featured all three of the Mustangs’ three point baskets. The game may have been won at the free throw line for West Orange-Stark as the Mustangs shot 15 of 25 from the charity stripe compared to just 10 of 23 for the Bears.
Two Bears scored in double figures. Katon Brown finished with 15 points and Bridges tallied 12 all on three-point shots.
The East Chambers Basketball Tournament continues through Friday at East Chambers High School and Junior High School gyms. A schedule of the games can be found here on the KOGT.com webpage.
WO-S 13 13 15 13- 54
LC-M 17 8 10 18- 53
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