Boys’ late comeback lifts Straughn to sweep over Opp

Two cross-county rivals battled on the hardwood as Straughn delivered a rout in the girls’ game and posted a comeback win in the boys’ game for a home sweep of Opp on Friday, Jan. 17.

Lady Tigers 40, Lady Bobcats 16
Straughn (14-5, 6-0 4A Area 4) opened the game on a 14-0 tear and moved a step closer to the regular season area title with a 40-16 win over Opp (7-10, 1-4) in the varsity girls’ game.

Presley Bates scored the first five points including a three-pointer. Blakeley Smith then sank a three for an 8-0 lead with 5:11 to go in the opening period. Hannah Poston followed a pair of free throws by Smith who had six in the first. Bates added her third basket and finished with seven points in the frame. Khristiya Justice put the Lady Bobcats on the board with their only bucket. Sophie Geohagan went one-for-two from the foul line as the Lady Tigers took a 16-2 lead at the end of one.

The home offense cooled off slightly in the second period. Saniyah Hines opened the scoring for Opp with a basket, and Taylor Adams hit a three-pointer and a free throw that closed the margin to 17-8. Bates found the hoop with 3:01 left that started a six-point swing. Poston and Annlee Wise had back-to-back baskets and gave Straughn a 23-8 lead at halftime.

Straughn picked up where it left off with the first 12 points of the third period. Rylee Sanders started the scoring spree with a bucket followed by two free throws from Bates. Poston added another bucket before Smith nailed a three-pointer. Poston capped the run with a foul shot and took the score to 35-8. Adams went one-for-three at the line before Hines delivered a three for Opp. Smith also answered with a deep three, while Poston continued to spark with two more baskets. Justice made a basket before the frame came to a close, but the score stood at 44-14 at the end of three.

Dionna Stoudemire made the only bucket for the Lady Bobcats in the final period as a running clock was put into effect. The Lady Tigers emptied their bench but were unable to score.

Smith was the top scorer with 12 points for Straughn. Bates and Poston followed with 11 each. Adams and Hines both collected five points for Opp as Justice finished the game with four.

Straughn 40, Opp 36
The Tigers (11-14, 4-2 4A Area 4) erased a nine-point deficit in the second half and stunned the Bobcats (9-11, 1-4) with a late rally for a 40-36 win in the varsity boys’ game.

Clark Gay scored the first bucket before DJ Hines and Alan Jones had consecutive baskets for a 4-2 margin. Charlie Jordan converted a three-point play and put Straughn in front 5-4 until Conner Powers and Hines swung momentum back the other way with baskets. Clark Jordan trimmed the deficit back to 8-7, but Opp maintained a 10-8 lead at the end of the first period.

Hines started the second period with four points. Zane Martin had five in the frame and hit a three-pointer for a 19-12 lead. Gay then made two free throws and had four points. Joseph Driver made a three that drew Straughn within 21-18, but Brandyn Washington hit a three at the buzzer for a 24-18 lead at the break.

Damirian Thompson and Jones each had threes after halftime, while Kolton Cauley and Jordan had a pair of buckets. The Bobcats increased their lead to eight at 30-22. Noah Fowler knocked down a three, and Ace Carter found the hoop as the Tigers trimmed the gap to 30-27 at the end of the third period.

Thompson opened the final period with a one-for-two showing at the line. Fowler drained his second three-pointer, and Saxby Radford followed suit as Straughn reclaimed the lead at 33-31 with 5:15 left in the game. Jordan showed his force with back-to-back buckets in heavy traffic for a 37-31 margin. Hines brought Opp within 37-34 on a three with 2:49 left. Jeshurun Crittenden made two clutch free throws late and cut the score to 38-36 with less than a minute remaining. Gay iced the game with a free throw with a few seconds left and completed the home comeback.

Jordan led the Tigers with 10 points, while Gay and Fowler posted seven points apiece. Hines paced the Bobcats at 11 points as Crittenden notched six.

Both schools will continue their area schedules as the regular season hits the penultimate week. Opp will travel to New Brockton on Thursday, Jan. 23. Straughn stays at home and welcomes New Brockton on Friday, Jan. 24.