War Eagles fall to Lufkin

OAK RIDGE NORTH, Texas – KeKe Coutee and the talented Lufkin Panthers boys’ basketball team put a damper on Oak Ridge's Senior Night, pulling away in the fourth quarter in a game that was closer than the final score of 69-56 would lead you to believe.

Coutee went off for 30 points raining in shots from everywhere but the Gatorade jar at the far end of the Lufkin bench, carrying the Panthers, now 4-7 in District 14-5A play, and keeping their playoff hopes alive.

Coutee wasn't the only Panther doing damage in Oak Ridge's gym as Davis Robinson hit double figures with 14 points on the night...not the least of which was four huge free throws late in the final quarter.

Oak Ridge, 5-6 in district play, could have clinched a playoffs spot with a win on Friday but can still make the playoffs with a victory at The Woodlands on Tuesday or a Lufkin loss at home to Conroe.

Late in the first quarter, Oak Ridge senior Tanner Doyel hit two freebies after a red hot Trumaine Jefferson had put up seven points to put the War Eagles up 11-8.

The War Eagles hung tough in the second stanza as Josh Caldwell and Jefferson combined for 14 points but Lufkin's Coutee banged home seven more in piggybacking his team to the locker room for a 31-27 halftime lead.

To start the second half, Coutee and Robinson rang up 10 straight points before Oak Ridge could get on the board on a Jefferson jumper from 10 feet out. The War Eagles stayed within 12 for the rest of the third quarter as Coutee and Robinson traded 3's with Doyel and Caldwell and Lufkin was up 50-38 after three quarters of play.

Lufkin's Jamarcus Horace and DJ Gibson contributed six points each as Jadarrien Bennett added four to round out Panthers scoring. Lufkin hit 10 3's on the night.

Caldwell, Jefferson and Doyel had 21, 20 and 11 points in order as Cameron Prejean scored the first and last two points of the game on dunks as just four War Eagles could find the bottom of the net on the evening.