End of the line for Purcell

Purcell put the 20-21 crazy season to bed last weekend in Lindsay with the Leopards nipping Purcell by a deuce, 36-34 and Davis getting revenge on the girls, 46-37.

Coach Roger Raper’s Dragons were nipped in double overtime at Kingston last Thursday despite 21 points from Mojo Browning but bounced back to post a 57-40 victory over Holdenville Friday with three players in double figures.

Browning nailed three treys in the Kingston game and was 4-4 at the charity stripe.

Jorge Munoz paced the Dragons with a dozen while Lincoln Eubank and Browning both chipped in 10 points.

Nate Willis led the scoring in the loss to Lindsay with 11 while Browning added 10.

“The Kingston game was a tough, physical ball game,” Raper said. “I was proud of how hard we battled.

“I could not be more proud of our team and the perseverance and resiliency they were able to show throughout the year,” Raper said.

“With three full weeks of the last six weeks being spent either in a seven day quarantine or seven day weather issues that kept all of us out of the gym, these guys never quit.

“They finished as the Canadian Valley Conference Champions, District Champions and battled in two tough road games in the Regional Tournament.

“Our seniors Mojo Browning, Misael Duque and Gammy Solis have had an incredible four years of high school basketball and I am very thankful for each of those guys.

“They have been a huge part of setting the standard and our culture as tough, competitive Dragon basketball players,” Raper concluded.

Purcell finished the season 14-9.

David Sikes’ Dragons finished the year at 14-9 sandwiching a 41-35 victory over Lindsay between a 45-43 loss to No. 5 Kingston at Kingston and a 46-37 loss to Davis at Lindsay.

It was Purcell’s fourth meeting with the Lady Wolves this year. The two teams split 2-2.

“This season is one to remember for sure,” Sikes said. “This team has fought every game extremely hard.

“We have been able to knock off four ranked teams and that was after turning our season around from a slow start.

“My seniors have shown tremendous leadership and my underclassmen have grown in so many ways,” Sikes said.

The coach was referring to Kayla Skinner, Emily Madden and Kora Keith.

“This has been the grittiest team I’ve coached and I’m thankful to have had that privilege,” Sikes concluded.

Keith, who finished with 13, knocked down a trio of buckets from downtown against Kingston and went 2-2 at the line. She was joined in double figures by Lauren Holmes and Skinner with 10 each.

Madden and Keith both had 10 in the victory over Lindsay while Madden led the scoring in the Davis game with 11.