MANNFORD — Some weeks test you. For the Mannford Pirate boys basketball team, last week was one of those. The Pirates went 2-1, beating Sperry and Cleveland with a stumble at Bristow in between. The Pirates now sit at n-io overall and 8-6 in conference play — they are seasoned, scarred up and dangerous as an injured panther.
Tuesday: Surviving Sperry
At Sperry, it wasn’t pretty. Mannford opened sharp, then drifted. The offense stalled. The whistles didn’t.
Both teams combined for 53 free-throw attempts — a number that ages coaches.
“We got off to a good start but then hit a lull,” head coach Alex Moore said. “As a whole we did not defend as well as we expect ourselves to. But at the end of the day, we made enough plays to win the game. There are no bad wins.”
The playmaker late was Max Moore. Max was cooler than a February Keystone crappie, scoring 16 total, including eight in the fourth quarter to close out the final frame. Logan Bynum was everywhere — eight points, 11 rebounds and five steals. Max added six boards. JJ Hindsman matched Max with four steals of his own, and Landon Owens swiped three. Cooper Ausbern added nine points. Hindsman and Bynum each scored eight. Owens chipped in five. Brayden Genzer added four.
It wasn’t flawless, but it was enough. Final score: 50-44.
Thursday: Bristow beat down
Bristow didn’t look dangerous on paper. They were in person.
In this Pirate vs Pirate battle, Mannford held the Bristow Purple Pirates to one point in the first quarter — one — but they couldn’t close the door.
Turnovers mounted. Bristow ran. The lead flipped.
Final score: 52-39. “We got off to a good start, holding Bristow to one point in the first quarter, but we did not take care of the ball well enough to win,” Moore said. “Bristow is athletic and, despite their record, still has quite a bit of talent. Hopefully, we learn a lot from this game.”
Logan Bynum led with 15 points. Max Moore added 10. JJ Hindsman had eight. Cooper Ausbern finished with four and Genzer added two.
The stat that won’t show up in scoring columns?
Hindsman took three charges. Three. You’d have thought the Bristow guys would learn not to drive on this guy.
“JJ really has a knack for it and is a selfless team player,” Moore said. “His willingness to take charges exemplifies that.”
Some guys chase points. Hindsman chases contact.
Friday: Statement at Cleveland
The recovery came quickly - and it came in a rival’s house Just up the lake at Cleveland, Mannford turned defense into identity. The Pirates gave up 28 points in the first half.
Then they gave up one. One point in the third quarter — not a typo. “This was a true team effort,” Moore said. “Our defense was much better in the second half than the first. We gave up 28 in the first but only allowed one in the third quarter and that won us the game.”
JJ Hindsman led with 12 points and drilled three 3-pointers — a growing weapon in his game. Bynum added 10, including a late layup and a corner three with just over a minute remaining to seal it.
Max Moore finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and six assists — and did it while adjusting roles on the fly.
“Due to foul trouble, Max, who typically plays in the post, spent a large chunk of the second half running the point,” Moore said. “He excelled at it. That was another example of his versatility.”
Cooper Ausbern scored seven and grabbed eight rebounds. Landon Owens added six points and six boards. Jackson Spess scored three. Genzer chipped in two.
Max Moore and Ausbern combined for 16 of Mannford’s 26 second-half points.
Hindsman added four steals and took two more charges — absorbing contact again.
Mannford closed it 49-41. The Pirates are 11-10. They’re 8-6 in conference. They’ve been punched. They’ve responded.
“We have great kids who never get too high or too low on themselves,” Moore said. “That was a big factor in winning this game.”
Next up: Verdigris at home Tuesday, followed by Tulsa Central at home Saturday for districts.