Cool with no chance for Storm
Jacket seniors shine in regular season finale
KINGFISHER’S Braden Eaton works his way around an OKC Storm defender. Eaton got the start Thursday and scored two points for the Jackets on Senior Night. [Photo by Chris Simon/ www.simon-sports-photos.smugmug.com]
The OKC Storm made some offensive noise in the early going against Kingfi sher.
The Yellowjackets’ defense made sure the Storm dissipated over time.
KHS wrapped up its regular season Thursday with a 55-35 win over the home-school team on Senior Night.
The visitors made a pair of early 3-pointers, led for a big portion of the first quarter and scored 13 points in the game’s first eight minutes.
It didn’t last. Kingfisher’s trademark defense clamped down and ultimately held the Storm to 37 percent shooting and forced 16 turnovers.
Meanwhile, the Jacket offense was solid throughout.
They led by three after that first quarter and pushed it to 34-22 by halftime.
Kaden Kitchens and Xavier Ridenour combined for all of Kingfisher’s 18 second-quarter points.
The defense got even better in the second half as the Storm had just two points for 11 game minutes as the Jackets piled it on.
Kitchens led the Jackets with 16 points.
Ridenour scored 15 and had a team-high six assists.
Like Ridenour, Drake Friesenburiedthree3-pointers for his nine points.
Jud Birdwell scored six points, Jax Sternberger scored four and Cash Slezickey added three.
Braden Eaton and Maddox Mecklenburg got the start, but both took a seat after the tipoff.
Mecklenburg tore his ACL earlier this season, though he does hope to return for the playoffs.
Eaton returned to the game in the fourth quarter and knocked down a floater in the lane to ignite the Kingfisher crowd.
The Jackets got their 20th win of the season and enter the playoffs with a 20-3 mark.
They’ll host a regional winner’s bracket game on Thursday against the winner of this weekend’s district between Bridge Creek and John Marshall.