Seminoles defeat number three Bergman 83-65

SCEOLA - Osceola earned its biggest victory of the 2023-2024 season Friday as the Seminoles defeated the number three team in Class 3A, the Bergman Panthers, by a score of 83-65.

Osceola got big nights from senior Richard High (27 points) and junior Jeriyan Long (25 points and nine rebounds) as they led for all but about 25 seconds of game time.

Ponder paces Panthers - Bergman big man Kaden Ponder hoists a shot contested by Osceola’s Richard High and Jeriyan Long. Ponder scored 22 points to lead Bergman. (Photos by Kadan Newson)

Osceola took a 3-0 lead early on a conventional three-point play by MJ Washington. Bergman then tied it on a three by Kaden Ponder. High’s wing three gave Osceola a 6-3 advantage. Ponder answered with a bucket to make it 6-5 Osceola.

Osceola’s Long made it 8-5 with a short jumper in the lane. AJ Brown would give Osceola a 11-5 lead with a long three from the left wing which drew a Panthers time out. Osceola would add to its lead when High hit a shot in the lane to make it 13-5 Seminoles. Bergman would go on a 7-0 capped by a Dylan Friend to make it 13-12. Long would give Osceola a 15-12 advantage with a tough shot in the lane. The Seminoles led 17-14 after one period.

Ponders lay up early in the second quarter made it 17-16 Osceola. Osceola’s Keenan Jackson’s layup would make it 19-16 Seminoles. High’s coast to coast layup followed by High’s long three-pointer gave the Seminoles a 24-16 advantage and drew another Bergman timeout with 5:43 to play in the half.

Bell drives to the bucket - Osceola guard Tyler Bell beats Bergman center Kaden Ponder to the basket. Bell scored 13 points for the Seminoles in their 18-point win over the Panthers Friday at Seminole Arena. (Photos by Kadan Newson)

Osceola would keep the pressure on as Long converted back to back baskets to give the Seminoles a 28-16 lead. A pair of Tyler Bell free throws gave Osceola a 30-16 lead with 3:48 to play in the half.

Bergman would stop the Osceola run with a pair of free throws by Friend with 3:36 to play in the half to make it 30-18. Bergman would outscore Osceola 8-7 over the next three minutes before High’s long three -pointer made it 40-26 Seminoles at the half.

Osceola started slow in the third quarter as Bergman outscored the Seminoles 8-2 over the first three minutes to get within eight points at 42-34. A High free throw made it 43-34 with 4:51 to play in the quarter. Bergman made it 43-36 on a layup by Sawyer Schubert.

High for two - Osceola senior Richard High lays in two of his game-high 27 points in the Seminoles win over the third ranked Bergman Panthers.

Osceola would lose the services of sophomore Washington who was injured with 3:05 to play in the quarter on a drive in the lane. Washington would not return to the game. Friend would get the Panthers within five on a layup which made it 43-38. Osceola’s High would answer with a long three to make it 46-38 and then a three from the top of the key would make it 49-38. A Friend layup and a High layup would make it 51-40. A Long layup and a Bergman bucket would make it 53-42. The Panthers would get a conventional three-point play at the buzzer, by Schubert, to make it 53-45 Seminoles after three quarters.

Osceola would take a 10 point lead with 6:16 to play on a free throw by Bell (60-50). A High free throw would give the Seminoles a 61-60 advantage with 5:56 to play. A Schubert dunk would cut the Osceola lead to 61-52. A spin move under the bucket by the Seminoles Long would make it 63-52. A Panthers steal and layup by the Panthers Friend would make it 63-54 with 4:54 to play.

An and-1 by Schubert with 4:24 remaining would trim the Seminoles lead to 63-57. Jacobs short jumper with 4:05 to play made it 65-57 Seminoles. A pair of Jackson free throws made it 67-57. A Panthers layup and a Long layup made it 69-59 with just under three minutes remaining.

A Seminole fast break bucket by High would make it 71-59 with 2:15 to play. Osceola would close with a 12-6 run to claim the non-conference upset win.

Tyler Bell added 13 points for the Seminoles (8-11). Jacobs had six points, Jackson had five points, while Washington had four points and AJ Brown had three points.

All of Bergman’s points were scored by their starters. Ponder led the Panthers with 22 points. Friend added 20 points and Sawyer Schubert added 15 points.

The Seminoles shot 43% from the field and grabbed 38 rebounds against the taller Panthers. Osceola dished out 19 assists and picked up 10 steals in the contest.

“I am proud of my kids. We played such a hard non-conference schedule for nights like this,” said second year Osceola head coach Bryanth Basemore. “Our kids have not wavered from day one. They know what we are trying to accomplish. Things are falling into place at the right time.”

Osceola, winners of five in a row, hosted Piggott Tuesday and travel to Rivercrest Friday.