Indians pull away from Atoka to keep season alive

ANADARKO - When his team looked to be losing control of the game, Comanche coach Anthony Bowie did not take a timeout to settle down his team. He trusted them to right the ship on their own.

His plan worked as the Indians scored seven straight points to break a 29-29 tie in the third quarter on their way to a 60-44 win over Atoka in a regional consolation game on Thursday afternoon.

“I feel like all the trials we’ve been through this season,” Bowie said. “We’ve had some highs and a lot of lows and I just felt like I didn’t want to call a timeout. I knew they were tough enough. At this point, whatever comes at them, they can battle through it. That’s a credit to these guys because they’ve seen everything at this point of the year. We’ve played some of the top teams in our class - we’ve played Marlow, played Washington and played Bridge Creek, so there’s nothing these kids haven’t seen.”

The momentum-shifting sequence started and ended with senior Colby Shannon who scored all seven of the Indians’ points during the run.

The game was tight throughout the first quarter with two lead changes and four ties that ended with the teams knotted at 13-13 heading into the second quarter. 

Atoka retook the lead with the first basket of the second quarter, but it would be their last lead of the game. Comanche would score nine straight points with four different players contributing which gave the Indians the lead back. They would go on to take a 29-23 halftime lead.

After Shannon put the Indians up for good in the third, they would go on to take a 41-33 lead into the final quarter.

It would be more than Shannon who contributed to the win. Jiovanni Demry and Easton Bowen also finished in double figures with other players contributing as well.

Comanche would put the game away in the fourth, opening with 12-3 run that would be too much for Atoka to overcome.

The Indians live to fight another day as they now take on Kingston in today’s (Friday) consolation semifinal against 19th-ranked Kingston, who lost to Marlow on Thursday night. Tip-off is at 2:30 p.m. in Lone Grove.

Scoring

Comanche (6-18): Easton Bowen, 16; Colby Shannon, 15; Jiovanni Demry, 12; Brycen Lassley, 8; Cooper Epperson, 5; Payton Jones, 2; Kruz Lile, 2 

Atoka (1-23): Willie Jackson, 12; Blake Wilkins, 10; Prince Coleman, 7; L. Faver, 7; Shir Cyandhi, 4;  O. Camp, 2; Malachi Brooks, 2;