Alva Review-Courier -

The Alva Goldbugs seemed to match up well with the Crooked Oak Ruf-Neks for the regional championship game at Perry Saturday. That proved to be true right up to the end when the game went into overtime. But the Goldbugs couldn't get the ball to fall through in the extra minutes. Strong Alva defense sent the Ruf-Neks to the foul line, but they only missed two of those shots, winning by ten unanswered points, 66-56.

The Goldbugs fall to 22-4 for the year while Crooked Oak is 23-2. The Goldbugs will continue on to the area consolation bracket to take on Chandler. Tipoff is 3 p.m. in Enid.

First Half

Goldbug Kyler Penco scored first with a basket and a free throw. Two baskets by Crooked Oak switched the lead, but Alva added five points with a Jaxon Jones free throw, two charity points from Weston Tucker and a Tucker basket. The Ruf-Neks managed one free throw before Daylon Malone stole the ball and went in for the layup. After a couple of Crooked Oak free throws, Malone had another basket followed by one from Aiden Ruiz off an offensive rebound. Penco went to the rim and scored to give the Goldbugs a 16-7 lead. The last two baskets of the quarter belonedg to the Ruf-Neks, and Alva led 16-11 at the end of the quarter.

Penco and Malone opened the second quarter with baskets. Daevion Hill hit a basket for Crooked Oak, but Alva's Lantz Mathers answered with two points. Malone added a couple of free throws, and Alva led 24-13. Before the quarter ended, the Ruf-Neks added two baskets, a trey and a free throw, but Malone also hit a three-pointer for Alva. Penco added two free throws, and Alva led 29-21 at halftime.

Second Half

A fired up Crooked Oak added 18 points in the third quarter, while Alva was held to 11. Elijah Garcia, who didn't score in the first half, hit two three-pointers and a basket for the Ruf-Neks. Tymier Adkins-Freeman added seven points, including a trey. Hill contributed three points. Meanwhile, Alva had six points from treys by Malone and Penco. Their remaining five points came from the free throw line. At the end of the third quarter, the Golbugs led by only one point, 40-39.

Scoring was closer in the final period with Alva making 16 points and Crooked Oak 17, leading to the tie. The Goldbugs retained a narrow lead until baskets by Freeman tied the score at 52. Penco sank a basket to regain the Alva lead, but Hill tied the score with 40 seconds to go. Mathers gave the Goldbugs a two point lead, but Freeman again tied the score with 11 seconds left. A last second scoring attempt by Ruiz failed, and the teams were tied at 56.

Overtime

Desiree Morehead

Goldbug Weston Tucker (22) goes down the center lane for the shot and is fouled by Crooked Oaks' Kedric Vick (5).

Freeman dominated the overtime, opening with a basket. He was fouled and made one of two attempts. Penco's shot was in and out of the hoop. Malone fouled out, and Freeman was at the charity stripe again. He made both of those shots. Rory Moss scored for the Ruf-Neks. Ruiz tried for a basket, but it didn't fall through. Garcia hit one of two free throws, and Freeman finished out the game with a couple of free throws. Alva was held scoreless in the extra minutes, and Crooked Oak won 66-56.

Wrap-Up

Malone and Penco led the Goldbugs in scoring with 18 points each. Tucker followed with seven. Mathers and Ruiz each had six, and Jones finished with one.

For Crooked Oak, Adkins-Freeman finished with 24 points with seven of those coming in overtime. Hill had 19 and Garcia 12. Moss scored six points with Jalen McDonald adding three and Kedric Vick two.