Comanche boys hold on for win over Velma-Alma

The Comanche Indians started out hot and then survived a late charge by Velma-Alma, ranked No. 9 in Class A, to advance to the finals of the Stephens County Tournament on Thursday with a 44-40 win.

The Indians did everything right in the early going, jumping out to a 10-1 lead in the opening quarter before taking a 14-7 lead into the second.

The second quarter was more of the same with Comanche scoring the first 11 points of the quarter to build a 23-7 lead behind the hot hand of Dillon Ellis, who scored six of his game-high 19 points in the stretch.

Comanche would go on to take a 27-10 halftime lead and they would need every point of that lead in the second half.

In the third quarter, a basket by Dillon Ellis with 3:33 to go pushed the Indians lead to 20 points at 35-15. The Comets, though, got a spark and closed out the quarter on an 8-1 run to cut the lead to 36-23 heading into the fourth quarter.

Velma-Alma continued to chip away at Comanche’s lead in the fourth quarter, scoring the first eight points to cut the lead to 36-31 with 2:25 left in the game. Dillon Ellis, though, hit two big jumpers on the Indians next two trips down the floor to push the lead to 40-31 with 1:35 left.

Comanche would struggle from the free-throw line down the stretch, starting off 1-for-6 from the line, allowing the Comets to stay close. With 19 seconds left, Jeremy Crisp hit 1-of-2 free throws to push the lead to 42-37 and then after an unsuccessful trip down the floor by the Comets, Dillon Ellis put the game away with two free throws with seven seconds left to give Comanche a seven-point advantage.

Velma-Alma’s Tyler Stewart closed out the game with a three-pointer at the buzzer to make the final, 44-40.

Comanche, the No. 3 seed, will meet top seed Marlow in the Saturday night final. The Outlaws won their semifinal over Wayne, 89-37.

Scoring

Comanche (7-5): Dillon Ellis, 19; Mason Kulbeth, 7; Landon Ellis, 6; Xander Dodd, 4; Myles Ellis, 3; Jeremy Crisp, 3; Cason Morris, 2

Velma-Alma (11-3): Tyler Stewart, 19; Crue Garrett, 11; Cameron Wiggins, 5; Tristan Wainscott, 4; Langston Walker, 1