The Checotah Event Center exploded on Thursday with cheers as the Eufaula Ironheads (10-8) rallied from behind to force overtime and eventually earned a tough 46-43 victory over their rival the Checotah Wildcats. Checotah led 18-15 at the half in a game that was fast and physical. Eufaula showed signs of that team that beat the No. 3 ranked Preston Pirates as they outscored Checotah in every period of the second half. Dusty Eby was the difference in the game as he hit a long three-pointer to give the Ironheads a 25-23 lead in the third period. Hudson Pollard of Checotah answered with a score of his own but Eby was left alone again and hit another threepointer. At the end of the third period the Wildcats had just a 2928 lead. Eby started off where he left and scored another three-pointer to start the fourth period. On the next play, Elijah Thomas of Checotah got his fourth foul but on the next scored to tie the game at 31.
It was score for score with Eufaula having a 37-36 lead when Pollard and Eufaula’s Draven Gragg battled for a rebound with Gragg throwing Pollard to the ground and officials calling the play a jump ball.
With only 24.54 seconds on the clock, the Wildcats had possession with Thomas getting the ball and was fouled by Maddox Bridges. Thomas made one of his two free throws to give Checotah a 38-36 lead. On the next play, Aum Patel fouled Eby and gave possession to Eufaula who put the ball in Ty Sparks’ hands and the fast point guard drove uncontested to the goal and scored to force overtime. With 3:01 on the clock, Patel hit a three-point bucket to make the game 4139 in favor of the Ironheads. On the next play, Tyler Orman fouled Eby who made both of his free throws. On the next play Orman drove to the paint and scored to make the game 43-41 with 1:20 in regulation. It was Eufaula’s ability to make free throws that was the factor in the game as Weston Brown fouled Sparks who went one-for-one at the line to make the game 4441. Pollard answered the call and scored after Landon Mills fouled him. The game stood at 44-43 with 23:48 seconds remaining when Sparks was fouled again and went to the free throw line and made both shots to extend the lead 46-43. Checotah had an opportunity to tie the game and put the ball in Brown’s hands who missed a long three-point shot and the visiting crowd erupted in jubilation as the Ironheads.
Eby and Sparks led Eufaula 11 points each. Bridges had five points and Keaton Parish and Landon Mills each had three points for the Ironheads.
Tyler Orman led Checotah with 13 points, Pollard nine, Brown eight and Elijah Thomas had 10 points for the Wildcats.
On Friday, Eufaula rolled the Beggs Golden Demons like bread dough 65-28 on homecoming night at the Perry Anderson Gymnasium in Eufaula. The Ironheads led 24-14 at the half with great shooting by Keaton Parish and Ty Sparks and tough in the paint scoring by Draven Gragg. It was Dusty Eby who again sparked the Ironheads in the second half with four three-point buckets plus a field goal as the Ironheads outscored Beggs 39-14 in the second half to win 65-28. Eby led all scorers with 14 points, Gragg and Ty Sparks seven points, Parish eight points and Bryce Casey had four points in the victory.
On Tuesday the Henryetta Knights hosted the Eufaula Ironheads and defeated the Ironheads 54-49. The Ironheads trailed 19-18 at the half but the aggressive shooting by the Knights was spot on and overcame the Ironheads pressure in the fourth period to get the win.
Team Stats Prior to Checotah Game
Maddox 15.4ppg, 2.1 reb, 1.9st Keaton 10.1ppg, 4.9r, 2.4 st Jentry 7.5 ppg, 2.8r, 2.9ast, 87.5 FT% Draven 5.5 ppg, 4.9r Landon 4.1ppg, 4.2r Jaxon 3.3r Dusty 75%FT Ty 2.5 ast, 1.7 ast
