Another heartbreak

The Kingfisher boys basketball team has tasted defeat’s worst kind of agony in two straight games.

The Jackets were defeated 61-59 by Woodward on Wednesday night in the third-place game of the Buckle of the Wheatbelt Invitational at the APB.

The Boomers’ Grayson Roach, who had just entered the game moments earlier, scored on a putback under the basket as time expired to give the visitors the dramatic win.

It was the second straight game for KHS to experience such a defeat.

They lost the semifinals in the same fashion as Perkins- Tryon’s Tyce Slusser scored on a driving bucket with 3.8 seconds left to allow the Demons to beat KHS 59-57.

That happened Thursday, Jan. 22, but the tournament couldn’t be concluded until Wednesday due to the snow storm that blanketed most of the state over the weekend.

When it did resume, Woodward appeared ready as it jumped on KHS 11-2 to start the game.

The Jackets were without leading scorer Hayes White, who suffered a concussion during the first quarter of the loss to Perkins-Tryon.

White was still feeling the effects of the injury Wednesday and his return to the Jacket lineup was still unknown.

Cash Laird picked up much of the scoring slack early as he led Kingfisher’s comeback.

Laird scored 11 first-quarter points and tied the game at 15-15 with a three-point play with just seconds left in the first quarter.

The lead didn’t stick as Woodward quickly got it down the court to Kadon Gaines, who dunked it just before the buzzer. All three of Gaines’ first-quarter field goals were slams.

In the second quarter, it was Michael Easley taking on the scoring load.

Easley made two 3-pointers and scored 10 in the quarter.

His bucket at the 1:45 mark put Kingfisher up 33-26.

Again, Woodward finished strong and cut its deficit to 33-30 by halftime.

It was a four-point KHS lead entering the fourth, but Woodward went on top 53-51 with 5:07 to play on a pair of Gaines free throws.

Kingfisher played catchup much of the rest of the game.

Collin Farrar, who got his first career start, scored 6 points in the fourth, including a free throw with 2:12 left to tie it up at 57-all.

Gaines’ steal and layup 45 seconds later gave the Boomers the lead again, but Jackson Willbanks knotted the score at 59-59 with a bucket with 1:05 remaining.

The visitors then turned the ball over with 45 seconds to play, giving the Jackets the potential for a last shot.

Laird tried to make that happen as he drove and shot over the 6-foot-7 Gaines in the paint.

His shot with 11 seconds remaining missed, but Laird was able to grab the rebound. He was then stripped by Jake Graf on his putback attempt and the Boomers were on the run.

Graf eventually fed it to Cole Reid, who attempted a 3-pointer from the corner.

The shot fell off the front of the rim where Roach stood untouched to make the game winner.

It was Roach’s only basket of the game.

Gaines scored 23 to lead Woodward. He had 8 in the fourth quarter as Woodward outscored KHS 19-13.

Gaines also had 9 rebounds and 3 steals.

Laird led four Jackets in double figures as he ended his night with 16 points and also had a team-high 7 rebounds.

Easley had all 13 of his points in the first half.

Farrar and Willbanks poured in 11 points apiece as KHS dropped to 12-5 on the season.

Kingfisher also got 6 points and a team-leading 4 assists from senior guard Crostin Martin.