Purcell’s boys and girls basketball seasons both came to a close in the Area Tournament at Seminole.

The  boys advanced to the consolation regional semifinals by knocking off Muldrow, 60-45 in the first round but the Dragons came up short in a 58-38 setback at the hands of Crossing Christian on Friday afternoon.

In the Crossings contest, Purcell fell behind 16-2 at the end of the first period and could not climb out of the hole.

They did manage to cut the lead to 11 at one point in the second half before Crossings went on another run.

“We didn’t have the start we wanted,” head coach Matt Lohn confirmed.

“Crossings has a good squad who has been to state the last three or four years straight.

“They are known for their first quarter haymaker. We took it on the chin and never fully recovered.

“I take the blame, as there were some things I could have changed about our approach. But I felt we had been on a roll doing what we do, so I went with it,” he said.

Lohn’s Dragons finished the season with a 22-9 record.

“They were always up to the challenge and they trusted our game plan.

“There is not much more a coach can ask for. And after all, look at what they were able to accomplish. We were 22-9 with an unblemished conference record (12-0), took hardware home in all three of our in-season tournaments, qualified for area and ended up having five of our losses come at the hands of four state qualifiers and the 2A state runner-up. That’s a season to hang your hat on and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Drew Blair was the scoring leader for Purcell in the Area leading the squad with 18 points in the victory over Muldrow and knocking down 15 points in the season finale.

Maddox Ward and Kyeston Martin were also both in double digits against Muldrow with 13 and 10 respectively.

“We had good energy in practice during the week,” Lohn said. “I could see these kids were locked-in and ready to go earn their keep.

“We all knew this matchup presented some challenges due to their size and athleticism. I thought my guys executed our game plan extremely well, holding their 6’8” center to six points (all in the first) and cleaning up the defensive glass consistently,” the coach said.

Lohn’s club scratched their way to a two point halftime advantage.

Purcell had a goal to hold the Bulldogs under 50 points since they were 1-4 when scoring less than 50.

“We came out of halftime ready to level up and midway through the third we made a run using our defensive pressure. This was the turning point in the game,” Lohn confirmed.

“We were able to push our lead up to 20 at one point, but give credit to Muldrow for sticking with it and cutting our lead back to 12. My guys dug in and maintained a double-digit lead through the final horn, and we met our goal, holding them to 45 points in the win.

“Area is a big deal, and it was impressive to see our team identity on full display for such a big win.

“These kids have built their success upon an unwavering level of effort, especially on defense, and it has provided them with the ability to compete with anyone, anywhere, at anytime. It’s been a lot of fun to coach too,” he said.

Coach Toney Cooper’s Dragons built a 34-28 point lead going into halftime but quickly saw that lead melt down to two in the third period when Ft. Gibson out-scored the Dragons 11-7.

Lyric Harding’s baker’s dozen led the Dragons in scoring. Halle Buchanan was also in double figures with 10 points.

“In our matchup against Ft. Gibson, we experienced a competitive game right from the tip-off. Our players rose to the occasion, finishing the first quarter with a three-point lead.

“As we entered the third quarter, we continued to score early, but Ft. Gibson capitalized on our turnovers and managed to close the quarter strong.

“Lyric Harding had a good game on both ends of the floor, leading all scorers with 13 points, while Halle Buchanan contributed with 10. Our seniors, Lili Del Toro and Kaylin Vazquez, showcased their leadership by each adding 9 points. Ali Brady also had a solid performance with 8 points, and Taygan Winters stepped up with some crucial shots,” Cooper said.

“I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s efforts. This season has been truly memorable. Our kids peaked at just the right moment and rode the wave of success as long as they could. Our seniors have been exemplary leaders, leaving behind a positive legacy in our program. The growth shown by our younger players this season sets a promising foundation for the future, and I’m excited to see them take this program to new heights,” Cooper concluded.

The girls finished the season at 14-17.