Jackets win defensive battle with Lions
KINGFISHER’S JAX Sternberger drives the line during firsthalf action Tuesday against Blanchard. [Photo by Hayden Green/KHS Photography]
Blanchard didn’t make it easy for Kingfisher to score.
The Jackets made it even tougher for the Lions.
KHS extended its home win streak to 75 games Tuesday with a 39-23 victory at the APB.
The Jackets shot just 33 percent in the game, but held Blanchard to a paltry 25.
The visitors connected on just six field goals all night.
They got none in the second quarter as the Jackets used an 8-1 run to take a 22-8 halftime lead.
Xavier Ridenour had the early hot hand.
He made two early 3-pointers and scored eight points as KHS jumped on top 14-4.
Carson Cooksey’s 3-pointer trimmed it to 14-7 by the end of the quarter, but Blanchard didn’t knock down another field goal until almost the midway point of the third period.
By then, the Jackets had built a 16-point lead that was never threatened.
After Ridenour’s hot start, KHS was just 1 of 17 from 3-point range the rest of the game.
The Jackets didn’t record a field goal in the fourth quarter, but made 8 of 11 free throws.
Ridenour made all four of his attempts and scored a game-high 13 points.
Caden Kitchens scored 12 and had nine rebounds.
The Jackets out-rebounded their guests 28-14.
Jud Birdwell and Ridenour each pulled down six boards.
Jax Sternberger added six points for the Jackets as they improved to 10-2 with their fifth straight win.
Blanchard, which KHS has defeated in the quarterfinals of the last two Class 4A state tournaments, dropped to 5-6.
The Lions were led by Cole Milam’s nine points.