MANNFORD — It ended the way high school seasons always do for every team except one — a shot, a collective breath, a flick of the wrist as the buzzer sounded for the final time.
Seminole 56, Mannford 54. And just like that, the Pirates’ season was over.
“We were eliminated this week with a loss to Seminole 56-54 on Thursday,” head coach Alex Moore said. “Our guys fought hard this game. We dug ourselves an early hole but we did not get down on ourselves and fought our way back into the game. It just ultimately was not enough. Seminole hit an incredibly tough shot at the buzzer to win it. Our guys played hard enough to win, it just was not enough on this night.”
That’s the truth of February basketball in Oklahoma. You can play well enough to win. You can fight. You can claw. You can defend until your shoes are on fire. And sometimes one last-minute, lucky bucket erases it all.
The fight
Max Moore didn’t go quietly. He dropped 15 points, ripped down 9 rebounds, and swiped 3 steals like a man refusing to let his senior season drift off without notice.
Brayden Genzer added 9.
Logan Bynum poured in 8 and ran the floor like a field general, dishing 4 assists to go with 2 steals and 2 blocks.
Landon Owens chipped in 7. JJ Hindsman scored 6 — and took another charge, because that’s what JJ does.
Ben Shasteen had 6. Cooper Ausbern added 3. Hindsman’s charge at the end of the season was poetic. He finished averaging one charge per game. That’s not flashy. It doesn’t make highlight reels. It doesn’t show up on recruiting graphics. But it wins respect in locker rooms.
Mannford got in trouble early. The kind of trouble that makes you glance at the scoreboard and swallow hard. But this group didn’t fold. They defended. They ran. They cut the lead possession by possession until the gym could feel the swing.
And then Seminole hit a shot that will live in their lore forever — and haunt Mannford for a while.
The record doesn’t tell it
The Pirates finish 11-13 overall. Those numbers don’t really sparkle. But for a first year head coach and a group that bought in, the numbers tell a story of growth, resilience, and a team that didn’t fracture when things got dicey.
Two Pirates were named All-Conference: Max Moore and Logan Bynum.
“We finished the year 11-13 and 8-6 in the Tulsa 7 Conference. Max Moore and Logan Bynum were named All-Conference this year, honors they were both very deserving of,” Moore said.
Deserving is the right word. Not gifted. Not lucky. Earned.
The seniors
This is where it stings.
“I just want to say something about our seniors,” Moore said.
First up: Iven Thomas. He came from Germany. New country. New system. New everything.
“He is an incredible teammate. He always had a smile on his face and during the ups and downs of the season, that can be an important asset. His positive attitude and great support of our team is something our younger guys can learn much from. Our team is better for him having joined and I know he will do great things in life.”
Sometimes culture matters more than points. Sometimes the steady smile in December is what carries you through February.
Then there’s Max Moore and Cooper Ausbern.
“It is hard to mention one without talking about the other,” Moore said. “These two are incredible leaders and teammates. I have had the privilege of coaching these two since they were 7th graders and I have enjoyed every second of it. Not only will their skills need to be replaced next season, but so will their leadership.”
That’s something you don’t reload overnight, but Coach Moore will have it figured out by next winter.
“They do not care about getting credit, as long as the team wins they are happy and if the team does not win, they do not blame others. They hold themselves to the highest standard and that is a testament to their character and the families they come from. These two will excel in life and our program will miss them. They have set a great example for others to follow.”
In Mannford, that matters. This isn’t just about box scores. It’s about the boys who grew into men wearing Pirate jerseys.
There will be moments, weeks from now, when players and fans think about that final shot.
But there should also be this — Max Moore attacking the glass. Bynum threading a pass.
Hindsman taking a hard charge. The 2025-26 Pirates were a team that refused to sag when they were down.
They took out rivalries like Cleveland, Cushing and Bristow, and when things got close, they always went out swinging.