Knights begin season with double-overtime thriller
The Henryetta varsity basketball program officially kicked off its 2023-2024 season this past Tuesday evening at home against the Hugo Buffaloes and Lady Buffaloes.
The season-opening battle with Hugo did not go in Henryetta’s favor, as both cage squads found themselves on the short end of 6-point outcomes.
The Lady Knights, who introduced new head coach Scott Belcher on Tuesday, began the season opener with a 50-44 setback to the visiting Lady Buffs, while the Knights fell in a double-overtime thriller to the visiting Buffaloes, who were a Class 3A state quarterfinalist last season, by a 74-68 margin.
The Henryetta squads will look to pick up their first wins of the 2023-2024 campaign this Tuesday with a trip to Eufaula for a showdown with the Eufaula Ironheads and Lady Ironheads. Tuesday’s road trip to McIntosh County is scheduled to begin with girls action at 6 p.m. followed by the boys contest at approximately 7:30 p.m.
In Tuesday’s girls season opener with Hugo, the Lady Knights struggled offensively in the opening frame, being outscored 19-2 in the quarter. The Henryetta squad came out of the second stanza with a narrow 8-6 advantage to trail by 15 at halftime, 25-10.
The Lady Knights caught fire offensively in the third period, torching the nets for 20 points in the frame. Hugo countered with 12 points in the quarter to make it a 7-point Hugo advantage, 37-30, with eight minutes remaining in regulation.
The Henryetta squad attempted to complete the second-half comeback in the final frame with a 14-point quarter. The visitors answered with 13 points in the stanza to hand the host Lady Knights the 50-44 setback.
McKayla Greenhaw was tops offensively for Henryetta in the season opener, finishing with a teambest 14 points. Graci Lollis also finished in double figures for the Lady Knights on Tuesday with a 10-point performance.
Other Henryetta scorers in the season-opening loss were Kassidy Lee with eight, Raychel Morrison five, Maddie Rock four, and Zoe Boatright three.
In Tuesday’s thrilling boys contest, the visitors came out of the opening frame with a narrow 12-9 advantage. The Knights took the high-scoring second period by a 24-16 margin to take a 33-28 lead into the intermission.
Hugo deadlocked the score at 39-39, heading into the final quarter of regulation, after outscoring the host Henryetta gentlemen 11-6 in the third stanza.
Both teams tallied 14 points in the fourth period to force a 4-minute overtime with the score knotted at 53-53.
The first overtime stanza saw both teams put up 11 points to send the contest to a second overtime with the score tied, 64-64.
Hugo took the second overtime frame by a 10-4 margin to hand the Knights the heartbreaking 7468 defeat.
Nick Hudson led the offensive attack for the host Henryetta squad with a 22-point performance. Skylar Greenhaw was next in the scoring column for the Knights with 21 points, followed by Talon Weaver with 14.
Other Henryetta scorers in the double-overtime thriller were Will Perez with four, Jacob Nail three, and Nathan Nail and Hunter Gobin two apiece.
— Girls Game
Hugo 50, Henryetta 44
Hugo: 19 – 6 – 12 – 13 (50) Henryetta: 2 – 8 – 20 – 14 (44) Henryetta Scoring: McKayla Greenhaw 14, Graci Lollis 10, Kassidy Lee 8, Raychel Morrison 5, Maddie Rock 4, Zoe Boatright 3. — Boys Game
Hugo 74, Henryetta 68 (2 OT)
Hugo: 12 – 16 – 11 – 14 – 11 – 10 (74) Henryetta: 9 – 24 – 6 – 14 – 11 – 4 (68) Henryetta Scoring: Nick Hudson 22, Skylar Greenhaw 21, Talon Weaver 14, Will Perez 4, Jacob Nail 3, Nathan Nail 2, Hunter Gobin 2.
