Published: February 04, 2009 01:51 pm      

Byford, Donks add to Eagles’ travel woes

Bray-DOYLE — Establishing himself as the next member of the family to terrorize area basketball teams, Corbin Byford scored 31 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, as Bray-Doyle tagged Waurika, 59-47, in the nightcap of a Monday doubleheader.

Byford’s sister, Megan, was a four-year standout at B-D, before going on to become a starting center at Oklahoma State University. Older brother, Chris, was one of the area’s top pivots for four seasons, before moving on to Western Oklahoma Junior College.

Monday night, 6-5 freshman Corbin Byford proved bloodlines run deep, when he dominated the interior and propelled the Donkeys to a 12-point win, in a game that wasn’t really close after the first nine minutes.

Byford combined with 6-3 senior Ethan Cummings for a one-two inside punch the Eagles couldn’t match, especially when 6-2 pivot Levi Henderson got in foul trouble just 3-1/2 minutes into the game. Waurika’s roster was already depleted, after Matt Wilkerson left the program and Steven Driggers was unavailable. With Henderson out, Byford and Cummings were able to feast inside.

Byford had a double-double by halftime, with 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Cummings scored 8 of his 10 points in the first two quarters. And the pair sparked a decisive run in the second quarter, when the Eagles were threatening to get back in the game.

Bray-Doyle led by as much as 15-6 in the first quarter, before an 18-footer from Brady Clark and a follow-up from Paul Brown drew the Eagles to 15-10 at the initial pause.

Clark, who had all of his 11 points in the first half, opened the second period with a 3-pointer from the wing that chopped B-D’s lead to 15-13 — then Byford and Cummings took control. The pair combined for 12 points in a 14-0 run that catapulted the Donks to a 29-13 advantage.

B-D was cruising, 36-19, by halftime, and in the second half, point guard Sean Hall was the only Eagle who could provide consistent scoring, as the senior dropped in 16 of his career-high 22 points.

The Eagles, who got a career-high 9 rebounds from Brown, trailed by as many as 20 points, before they were able to outscore the Donks’ backups 13-6 in the fourth quarter.