The Gore Pirates ended the opening week of the 2025-26 high school basketball season at 2-0 after winning both Riverside Conference road games on opening week.
The Pirates defeated the host Gans Grizzlies 64-26 on Dec. 2 at Bryant “Big Country” Reeves Fieldhouse, then spoiled McCurtain’s basketball homecoming with a 68-28 rout of the host Bulldogs.
The Lady Pirates split their first two games of the season, winning in new coach Nicole Goodman’s debate as the Lady Pirates downed the Gans Lady Grizzlies 4923, but the Lady Pirates fell 46-36 to McCurtain.
In the boys’ win over Gans, the Pirates (20) broke a 4-all tie by ending the first period with a 10-2 run, capped by Cruz Ward’s basket with 1:02 remaining in the quarter, to put Gore ahead 14-6 after the first eight minutes.
The Pirates took control of the conference contest in the second quarter as they outscored the Grizzlies 22-8 to take a 36-14 halftime advantage. A 20-5 third quarter upped Gore’s lead to 56-19 going into the final period.
For the game, Gore put a trio of players into double figures, led by Eli Munson’s game-high 19 points, followed by Cain Cooper’s 16 points and Tate Brooksher’s 15 points. Keeton Rowe scored six points, followed by Benson Hunt with five points, Ward with two points and Logan Markou with a free throw.
In the boys’ victory over McCurtain, the Pirates put away the game early, outscoring the ’Dogs 15-2 in the first quarter. Gore upped its lead to 36-7 at halftime and took a 48-17 lead advantage into the final period.
For the game, Brooksher and Munson shared game-high honors with 15 points each, followed by Markou with nine points, Cooper with seven points, Hunt, Gabe Hefley and Cruze Duke with six points each and Rowe with four points.
In the girls’ win over Gans, the Lady Pirates (1-1), who trailed early 2-0, ended the first period on an 18-0 run to take an 18-2 lead after a quarter, which became a 26-7 halftime advantage and a 41-11 lead going into the fourth quarter.
For the game, Kennedy Williams scored a game-high 13 points and Rayleigh Moore added 10 points to lead Gore, followed by Emily Daily and River Shoemake with eight points each, Gracie Bruce with six points and Kylie “K.J.” McEver and Sophie O’Connor with two points.
In the girls’ loss to McCurtain, the Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 15-14 lead after a quarter, which became a 22-20 halftime advantage and a 36-27 lead after three periods.
In defeat, Moore led Gore with 15 points, followed by Daily and Bruce with five points each, Williams and Shoemake each with four points, O’Connor with two points and McEver with a free throw.
Due to the Weleetka Outlaws playing in the Class B, Division II state title game against Seiling last Thursday afternoon at the University of Central Oklahoma’s Chad Richison Stadium in Edmond, the home openers slated for Saturday afternoon against Weleetka at Gore Event Center were postponed.
They will be rescheduled at a later date.
