A Classic comeback for KHS
Lady Jackets shrug off slow start to win Woodward tournament
Allison Green scored 17 points in the championship and was named the trounament MVP.
RALLY TIME - Kingfisher girls basketball player, from left, Mya Dewberry Hope Stafford, Addy Matthews and Avery Davis celebrate a Kingfisher bucket early in the fourth quarter of the team’s win over Woodward last Saturday.
On-court adversity had yet to visit the Kingfisher girls basketball team through five games.
It did in No. 6.
But the Lady Jackets answered the call, dominated the second half and brought home the Compass Athletics Winter Basketball Classic championship.
KHS collected the trophy with Saturday’s 40-26 victory against Woodward on the Lady Boomers’ home court.
The win came despite trailing 14-8 at halftime.
“I’m just proud they didn’t quit,” coach Gerrett Spears said. “They could have just given up when the shots weren’t falling in the first half.”
The Lady Jackets were just 2 of 17 (11.8 percent) shooting in the first half, including no field goals in a two-point second quarter.
Fortunately for Kingfisher, Woodward’s shooting wasn’t much better...and Kingfisher’s only got better.
The Lady Jackets stormed to a 16-5 run in the third quarter to take the lead and only extended it in the fourth.
KHS was 14 of 23 (60.9 percent) in the second half.
Meanwhile, the Lady Jackets’ defense never let up.
“We didn’t let our firsthalf shooting dictate our defense or effort in the second half,” Spears said.
Kingfisher held Woodward to 23 percent shooting overall and forced 19 turnovers.
Junior Allison Green led the team with 17 points.
She added six rebounds and three steals and was named the tournament MVP.
Emily Myers and Ally Stephenson were named to the all-tournament team for KHS.
Stephenson scored 11 points in the championship.
Myers scored three points, but also had nine rebounds and three assists.
Thessaly Pfeifer, who scored 30 points in Woodward’s semifinal win against Guthrie, led the Lady Boomers with six points.
KHS also did a stellar job limiting a big offensive threat in its 61-33 semifinal win over Altus.
The Lady Bulldogs’ Lakysia Johnson scored 34 points in her team’s quarterfinal win against Guymon and was averaging 30 a contest.
She scored 17 against the Lady Jackets, but did it on 5 of 26 shooting.
Her team was never in it. KHS led 14-7 after a quarter and pushed the advantage to 19 points by halftime.
Green scored 19 points.
Myers added 18 and Stephenson scored 14 points.
KHS was 6-0 after Saturday’s win.
The Lady Jackets remained ranked ninth in the most recent Class 4A poll.