Muldrow took control at the end of the first half and went on to post a 59-47 win over the Indians in a non-conference match-up at the Muldrow Activity Center.
The Bulldogs used an 8-2 run to close the second quarter and took a 29-19 lead to the locker room after Hunter Trammell sank a 15-foot jumper as the buzzer sounded.
Muldrow led by as many as 19 in the second half while improving to 3-5 on the season. Head coach Randy Martin credited the win to tighter defense than the Bulldogs played in their early season loss at Pocola.
"We gave them fewer open shots than last time," said Martin. "We played a zone against them the first time and this time we stayed in our man-to-man defense the whole time."
The Bulldogs held Pocola to 29.3 percent shooting (17-of-58) and held an edge in rebounding, but Martin was far from pleased with his team's overall performance.
"I thought we played pretty sloppy. We had way too many turnovers and we need to play with more intensity," said Martin.
Jamey Day came off the Muldrow bench to hit nine free throws in the first half. He added eight points in the third quarter, including a pair of three-point baskets that stretched the Bulldogs' lead to 45-29 late in the period.
Day, a junior forward, finished with a game-high 19 points to go along with eight rebounds.
"To be honest, I screwed up on the starting line-up-Jamey should have been in there," said Martin. "He stepped up for us and did a good job of getting to the free throw line and of hitting some shots for us."
Day was joined in double figures by senior Alex Marshall, who finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The senior helped Muldrow fight off a fourth-quarter rally by the visitors when he scored three-straight baskets to put the Bulldogs up 53-36 after Pocola had crept to with 11.
Donathan Caudill added eight points for Muldrow, Andrew Kalua seven, Trammell six, Jake Peterson five and Tyler Hill one.
Pocola was led by Randy Ragland with 13.
POCOLA 60, MULDROW 50 (G)
Like the Muldrow boys, the Pocola girls avenged an early season loss on Thursday night.
Pocola took the lead early in the second quarter and never trailed again while handing Muldrow just its second loss of the season.
The Lady Indians, who reached the Class 2A state quarterfinals a year ago, got 16 points apiece from seniors Lasea Been and Lauren Hutchens while moving to 5-3 overall.
Junior Sarah Martin paced Muldrow with 21 points, including four baskets from three-point range. She hit two frre throws to pull the Lady Bulldogs within 35-33 midway through the third quarter and Muldrow was still within two after a Teal Cormier basket late in the period.
However, Pocola stretched its lead to nine points with about four minutes left in the game and was able to hold off the Lady Bulldogs for the win.
Muldrow slipped to 6-2 with the setback. Amber Roberts scored 12 points to join Martin in double figures. Brandie Holt added eight, Cormier four, Raegan Sparkman two, Jena Goodson two and Terra Earls one for the Lady Bulldogs.
