THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Skiatook High School Athletics

After winning the third quarter 22-4, the Skiatook Bulldogs came from behind to upset the Pryor Tigers (12-8, #13 in Class 5A) in the last home game of the season, 82-69. Starting a line-up of all seniors, Skiatook had a lot of experience on the floor. That experience helped them off to a white-hot shooting start. Reese Neil made a fifteen-footer from the baseline to open the game, then the 6’5”senior took a charge before finding Braiden Blackwell wide open for a deep three pointer on the next possession. Pryor rallied back, taking an 8-5 lead, but Neil scored again to bring the deficit back to one point. Blackwell hit another three from a different postal code as Skiatook worked its way to a narrow lead. Then Pryor went up by one, but Skiatook retook the lead on an assist from Neil to Jackson. The first ended with Skiatook up 16-15. Sawyer Seago hit D’mari Bell on a beautiful no-look pass to set up a layup that started the second. The Bulldogs kept the scores coming: Gavin Jackson found Eric Mitchell for a layup, and then Neil knocked down a three from the corner. But for every score the Bulldogs put up, Pryor managed to keep up—and keep ahead. The Tigers led 37-33 at the end of the half, but Reese Neil had 14 points for Skiatook, and Blackwell had 9, on 3-4 from deep. The third quarter was Skiatook’s best of the season. In an offensive explosion, Skiatook went on a 19-2 run to start the second half, led by three 3-pointers from Blackwell. The flurry of scores helped Skiatook grow a 52-39 lead before Pryor managed to finally score again, but the Bulldogs won the quarter 22-4, pushing the lead up 59-41. The majority of the fourth quarter—somehow—was more of the same. It was one of the best halves of basketball ever played in the Brooks Walton Activity Center. The Bulldogs couldn’t seem to make a mistake, and the Tigers couldn’t seem to make a basket. In the closing minutes, Pryor finally managed to get some baskets to drop and they nosed back into the game enough to make it look competitive. But on senior night, the senior-heavy Bulldogs showed just what heart and experience can do, defeating Pryor 82-69. Blackwell ended the game with 23, Neil had 18, and Jackson had 13 to lead Skiatook. The Skiatook Journal would like to say a special thank you to the seniors involved in making the Skiatook Basketball program what it is today.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Skiatook High School Athletics

THIRD QUARTER EXPLOSION PROPELS SKIATOOK IN 82-69 UPSET OF PRYOR

JESSE HAYNES

Tulsa World | 2/18/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: Amy Garner