Tigers fall to Vanoss in area consolation finals
For the second time in the last three seasons, all that stood between the Central Tigers basketball team and a trip to state was one victory. Just as in 2024, the Tigers came up short.
The Tigers lost 63-58 to the fourth-ranked Vanoss Wolves in the Class 2A Area Tournament consolation finals last Saturday night at Knight Center on the campus of Henryetta High School.
The Tigers reached the consolation title game by beating Summit Christian 65-50 in Thursday afternoon’s consolation quarterfinals, then knocked off Preston 55-43 in Friday afternoon’s consolation semifinals.
The Tigers ended the season at 18-11. The season also ended for the Central Lady Tigers as they lost 60-48 to the 10th-ranked Kansas Lady Comets, who lost 58-49 in overtime to the Hartshorne Lady Miners in Saturday night’s area consolation finals, in Thursday afternoon’s consolation quarterfinals to end their season at 16-12.
SATURDAY’S GAME
BOYS AREA CONSOLATION FINALS
VANOSS 63, CENTRAL 58
The Tigers and the Wolves had seven lead changes and a tie during the opening period, in which a buzzerbeater by Noah Golish gave Vanoss a 12-11 lead going into the second period.
After falling behind 19-13 on another basket by Golish with 5:49 left before halftime, the Tigers went on a 7-0 run, capped by Noah Buzzard’s basket with 4:24 remaining in the first half, to give Central a 20-19 lead.
However, the Wolves responded with an 8-0 run, all scored by Quenton Jackson, to give Vanoss a 27-20 lead with 2:56 left in the first half.
The Tigers responded in kind as they ended the first half with a 7-3 run, capped by Buzzard’s basket with 35 seconds left, to cut the Vanoss lead to 3027 at halftime.
The Wolves never lost their lead in the second half, but the Tigers made them sweat it out.
Back-to-back baskets by Josh Brunk and Buzzard cut Central’s deficit to 3231 with 5:23 left in the third quarter.
After a conventional three-point play by Golish gave Vanoss a 38-31 lead with 3:43 remaining in the period, the Tigers cut their deficit to two points as backto- back three-point plays by Buzzard and Brunk in the final 60 seconds of the period cut the Vanoss lead to 43-42 going into the fourth quarter.
After Vanoss had a five-point lead twice in the final period, with the last time at 49-44 after a basket by Kanon Bradley with 6:06 left to play, the Tigers went on a 4-0 run as back-to-back baskets by Jake Woods Central’s deficit to 49-48 with exactly four minutes remaining.
After Vanoss got its lead back up to six points, with the last time coming at 58-52 on a free throw by Bradley with 1:01 left to play, the Tigers saw them cut their deficit to two points at 59-57 on a basket by Woods with 36 seconds remaining. However, that was as close as the Tigers got.
“They (the Wolves) are a very good ball team,” Central Tigers coach Caleb Cawhorn said. “I don’t have one negative thing to say about my ball club. They have nothing to be ashamed of or hang their heads about. I think they’re a statecaliber team. They left it all on the floor. They gave me everything — they gave me everything every night. Through all the adversity they’ve been through this year, being on the road all year long, I couldn’t be more proud of a group of guys. They worked their tails off day in, day out for me. I don’t have anything negative to say about them.”
In defeat, Buzzard shared game-high honors with 24 points to lead Central, followed by Brunk with 14 points, Aiden Cawhorn with eight points, Woods with six points, Gavin Randolph with four points and Cale Stewart with two points.
FRIDAY’S GAME
BOYS AREA CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
CENTRAL 55, PRESTON 43
The Tigers broke a 24-all halftime score by outscoring the Preston Pirates 31-19 in the second half to get the victory.
For the game, Noah Buzzard scored a game-high 23 points to lead Central, followed by Josh Brunk with 17 points, Gavin Randolph with nine points, Aiden Cawhorn with three points, Woods with two points and Paitton Merrill with a free throw.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
BOYS AREA CONSOLATION QUARTERFINALS
CENTRAL 65, SUMMIT CHRISTIAN 50
In the boys’ area consolation quarterfinals, the Tigers jumped out to a 13-7 lead after a quarter, which became a 29-22 halftime advantage and a 37-27 lead going into the final period.
The Tigers put a quartet of players into double figures, led by Gavin Randolph’s game-high 16 points, followed by Payitton Merrill, Josh Brunk and Noah Buzzard with 13 apiece. Aiden Cawhorn scored nine points, while Brycen Chandler-Eisman added a free throw.
GIRLS
KANSAS 60, CENTRAL 48
In the girls’ area consolation quarterfinals loss to No. 10 Kansas, the Lady Comets rallied from a 17-11 first-quarter deficit by outscoring the Lady Tigers 49-31 over the final three quarters to get the come-from-behind victory.
Cambree Bair led Central with a game-high 25 points, followed by Sara Williams with 16 points, Paris Campbell with four points and Cheyenne Busch with three points.
