Sallisaw cagers split at Checotah in 4A matchup

Sallisaw hit the road Tuesday for basketball games at Checotah, and came away with a 56-42 win for the Lady Diamonds, the boys came out on the losing end of their 62-52 score.

Sallisaw 56, Checotah 42

The Lady Diamonds jumped out to an early lead early and never looked back, earning a decisive win on the road against the Lady Wildcats. The victory was a result of the Lady Diamonds’ strong offensive performance, as well as their ability to capitalize on defensive rebounds.

Sallisaw (8-3) outscoring their opponents 13-9 in the first quarter, with Addyson Gream leading the way with six points. The Lady Diamonds padded their lead in the second stanza, outscoring the Lady Wildcats 13-8 for a 26-17 score at the half.

The Lady Wildcats (2-7) made adjustments for the third period, keeping up with the Lady Diamonds, with each team scoring 12 points for a 38-29 count going into the fourth frame. The Lady Wildcats received no relief in the final quarter, however, as the Lady Diamonds outscored their hosts 18-15 to round out the 56-42 verdict.

Gream led the charge for the Lady Diamonds, scoring 16 points, while Ellie Martin and Molly Carver contributed 13 and seven points, respectively. Ruby Folkner was the top scorer for the Lady Wildcats, posting 10 points on the night.

The Lady Diamonds are at home tonight to take on 15th-ranked Roland at 6:30 p.m.

SALLISAW 13 13 12 18 – 56

CHECOTAH 9 8 12 13 – 42

SALLISAW – Addyson Gream 16, Ellie Martin 13, Molly Carver 7, Madison Bolin 7, Kayli Macon 4, Emma Martin 3, Hannah Palmer 3, Allison Grimm 2.

Checotah 62, Sallisaw 52

Checotah proved too good at converting defensive turnovers into points and outrunning Sallisaw on fastbreaks, as the Black Diamonds’ slow start created a deficit that was too deep for the visitors to crawl out of.

The Wildcats took an 8-5 lead by the end of the first quarter, but the Checotah offense took off in the second stanza, with the Wildcats scoring 23 points to Sallisaw’s 10. By halftime, the hosts had more than doubled up the Black Diamonds with a 31-15 lead.

Sallisaw’s Jackson Obregon took charge in the second half, scoring 16 of Sallisaw’s 21 points in the third period. With some help from Sallisaw’s defense, the Black Diamonds were able to cut into Checotah’s lead, narrowing the score to 45-36 by the end of the quarter.

But Checotah’s lead was too much for Sallisaw to overcome, as the Wildcats outscored the visitors 17-16 in the fourth frame. The 10-point loss reflected the Black Diamonds’ struggles on offense and defense in the first half.

Obregon led Sallisaw with 23 points, while Sim Kilpatrick and Cooper Cox added seven points each. Elijah Thomas was the top scorer for Checotah with 20 points, followed by Maddox Bridges with 10 points on the night.

The Black Diamonds host No. 5-ranked Roland tonight. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

SALLISAW 5 10 21 16 – 52

CHECOTAH 8 23 14 17 – 62

SALLISAW – Jackson Obregon 23, Sim Kilpatrick 7, Cooper Cox 7, Broderick Cameron 5, Parker Jackson 4, Cooper Jackson 3, Braxton Lamb 3.