Bulldogs return to Colcord for second week of summer league

COLCORD, Okla. — The Decatur Bulldog senior boys’ basketball team returned to Colcord, Okla., for the second week of the Colcord High School summer basketball league. Since the Warriors from Oaks, Okla., were unable to attend this week’s session, the Bulldogs and Hornets played the same contest as last week, a series of eight-minute scrimmage periods, six in all.

Because of a scheduling conflict with the new gym at Colcord High School, the scrimmages were moved to the old gym near the middle school.

Built in 1955, the old gym is much smaller than Decatur’s Peterson Gym, with only three feet clearance between the bleacher faces and the sideline and six feet on either end. But this gym has two unique design features that, in its heyday, were used in buildings where space was a premium.

Built under the bleacher walkway on either side of the gym were two sets of dugout benches. Each dugout was 70 inches high and was 40 inches wide. They were recessed around 40 inches below the edge of the court. This affords the coaches and players a unique court level view of the action during the game. This, along with its beautiful oak walls, gave this 62-year-old structure an interesting and unique personality.

The Bulldogs’ offensive efforts were led by Taylor Haisman with two three-pointers and several inside shots (individual points were not recorded). Levi Newman, Ryan Ross and Garry Woods led Decatur’s defensive effort in both rebounds and blocks. Other Bulldogs turning in impressive performances on both offense and defense included Alex Lee, Kelvin Moreno, Jose Rubi and Tafari James.

The Bulldogs will return to Colcord June 20 for the third week of the Colcord High School Summer Basketball League. They will be joined by the Oaks Warriors. First game is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in the new gym at Colcord High School.

Scrimmage Scores 1. Colcord 11, Decatur 8 2. Decatur 16, Colcord 8 3. Colcord 10, Decatur 4 4. Decatur 10, Colcord 6 5. Decatur 13, Colcord 8 6. Colcord 13, Decatur 12

Photo by Mike Eckels With a block by teammate Levi Newman (right), Decatur’s Tafari James (30) slipped around a Colcord player while driving down the court toward the Bulldogs’ basket. Decatur traveled to Colcord June 13 to play in the second week of the Colcord High...

Photo by Mike Eckels Taylor Haisman (Decatur 3) goes for a layup during the June 13 Bulldog-Hornet scrimmage in the old gym at Colcord High School in Colcord, Okla.

Photo by Mike Eckels Decatur’s Levi Newman (right) and a Colcord player fought for control of a loose ball as Newman’s teammate, Alex Lee (5, left), moved in to assist during the second week of the Colcord High School summer basketball league scrimmage between the Bulldogs...