The Roland Rangers improved to a 24-1 record after defeating the Eufaula Ironheads 68-43 in the opening round of the Class 3A State Quarterfinals Tournament Friday at the OG&E Coliseum in Oklahoma City.
It was the first time since 2021 the Ironheads made the tournament. They were defeated by Community Christian 53-32 at that time.
Eufaula came out battling early and kept the game close through the first half, trailing 24-12 after the opening quarter and 32-22 at halftime. But Roland caught fire at the start, outscoring the Ironheads 24-8 in the third quarter to seize control of the contest. The Ironheads struggled rebounding on both ends of the court. Roland’s Damonte Owens was on target with his shot selection as he finished with 23 points. A sore spot for Eufaula was Raidyn Knight and his perimeter shooting. Knight hit four threepointers to propel the Rangers over Eufaula.
Eufaula finished the game with a 12-13 edge in the fourth quarter to finish the season with courage.
The Ironheads showed plenty of fight early in the game. Eufaula scored 12 points in the first quarter, followed by 10 in the second, staying within striking distance of the Rangers with scores by Gabe Callison, Keaton Parish and R’Reon Morrow. Roland did a great job of taking the Ironheads out of their perimeter game, which had been the Ironheads’ bread and butter all season. The length advantage for Roland was overwhelming for the Ironheads as they took away shooting lanes and forced bad shots. Ty Sparks and Jentry James led the way defensively for Eufaula.
Eufaula continued to compete throughout the second half, scoring eight points in the third quarter and 13 in the fourth, but Roland’s offensive surge proved too much to overcome.
Morrow led the Ironheads with 14 points, including four field goals and several key baskets that helped keep Eufaula within reach during stretches of the game.
Other contributors for Eufaula included:
• Caleb Bowles – 6 points
• Payden Lanham – 5 points
• James Jentru – 3 points
• Logan Pruitt – 2 points
• D.L. Noriega – 2 points • Keaton Parish – 2 points • Vandeka Fields – 2 points • Gabe Callison – 2 points
Rangers powered by balanced attack Roland received strong production from several players, including Cason Pruitt and Daimon Owens, who helped ignite the decisive third-quarter run.
The Rangers finished with 24 points in the first quarter, eight in the second, 24 in the third and 12 in the fourth, finishing with 68 total points.
Season to remember Despite the loss, the Ironheads capped off an impressive season that included a 28-5 record and a trip to the Class 3A state tournament, a milestone achievement for the program.
Under the leadership of head coach Grant Callison, Eufaula battled through a tough playoff path to reach the state quarterfinals and represented the community well on the state stage.
While the season came to an end in Oklahoma City, the Ironheads’ run to state will be remembered as one of the program’s highlights, showcasing determination, teamwork and the pride of Eufaula basketball.
