MIDWEST CITY -- Hoping that the third time would prove to be a charm didn’t work out for the Ponca City Wildcats varsity basketball team as it lost an 81-72 decision to the Midwest City Bombers Tuesday night.

It was the third game between the two teams and after Tuesday’s game, Midwest City won all three. The Bombers topped Ponca City 83-62 Jan. 13 in Ponca City and won 70-62 in a tournament at Deer Creek on Jan. 21 before Tuesday’s victory.

The Wildcats led by a point 20-19 at the end of the first quarter, but Midwest City was the leader, 41-37 at the half. The third quarter went back and forth, but at the end Midwest City was in the lead 62-55.

As has been typical of Coach Ivan McFarlin’s Ponca City teams, the Wildcats kept fighting and outscored the Bombers 20-10 during a stretch of the fourth quarter to pull within three, 75-72 with 1:30 left in the game. But the home team scored six points in the final portion of the game to pull out the 81-72 win.

Tay Moore led the Wildcats in scoring with 20 points. Also finishing in double figures was Mason Meador with 17 and Luke Hollis with 12.

Ponca City finished the regular season with a 4-19 record. The Wildcats will have the daunting task of playing Class 6A’s No. 2 ranked East Region team, Putnam City North in the Regional Tournament Feb. 24 at Putnam City North. North has defeated Ponca City 59-37 and 89-46 earlier in the season.

MIDWEST CITY 81, PONCA CITY 72 Ponca City 20 17 18 17 -- 72 Midwest City 19 22 21 19 -- 81 Ponca City -- Tay Moore, 20; Mason Meador, 17; Luke Hollis, 12; Carter Anderson, 9; Kooper Rich, 8; Elijah Kriesel, 6.