LJWorld.com

Nothing was going Wacy Weeks' way Saturday night.

Weeks was playing his last home game for Haskell Indian Nations University, and the team's leading scorer shot just 3-of-9 in the first half while his team appeared on its way to a blowout loss.

Haskell coach Jamie Morrison said Weeks and his teammates were too emotionally charged-up on Senior Night. Weeks got the message at halftime, settled down and found his shooting touch.

His 22 points in the second half and overtime led Haskell to a 97-90 victory over Newman.

"I think the basket kind of got big for him," Morrison said.

That seemed to be the case as Weeks rarely missed in the second half. It all started about three minutes into the half when Weeks hit a fall-away baseline jumper just inside the three-point line as the shot clock expired. The shot brought the Fightin' Indians to within seven points, 46-39, for the first time since they trailed 9-2 with 16:51 left in the first half.

"I had to get them up going somehow and I figured a buzzer beater like that might just do the trick," Weeks said.

Weeks' shot came in the middle of a 19-6 run for the Fightin' Indians that got them within one point of the lead. They took the lead for the first time when junior Joe Sanders made a 12-foot bank shot with 8:30 left in the second half.

Haskell (7-20) has made a habit of playing from behind lately. In five of the team's last six victories, Haskell has trailed by double digits in the second half. So when the Fightin' Indians trailed by as many as 15 against the Jets, Morrison said he never panicked.

"That's a dangerous life to lead, but I knew we were capable of it," he said.

With the victory, Haskell now enjoys a three-game winning streak.

"I don't know the last time Haskell had a winning streak was," Weeks said.

Newman 73,

Haskell women 63

Haskell women's coach Phil Homeratha wanted to do the right thing on Senior Day.

"You want to play everybody on Senior Day, and we're in a situation where we're not really that deep talent-wise and against a team like Newman you can't do that," he said.

Homeratha's inclusive rotation cost his team in the end in the Fightin' Indians' 10-point loss.

He played three of his seldom-used senior post players in the first half. Newman used a four-guard lineup, which created several matchup problems and helped Newman's Kaycee McGill score 15 first-half points to forge a 43-28 lead at halftime.

"Normally, I would have went with four guards and one post, and that's how we got down," Homeratha said.

He went mostly with his regulars in the second half, and they made it a game. Haskell used a 2-2-1 full-court press that forced Newman into 15 second-half turnovers. Haskell senior Margaret Stevens' jump shot with 11:32 remaining cut Newman's lead to two points, 52-50. But the Fightin' Indians would never get any closer.

Haskell had four players score in double figures. Senior guard Amber Tecumseh led the way with 11 points. Stevens, Shanda Murdoch and Kortney Smith each chipped in 10. Smith also had eight assists.