KHS girls still lurking at area
Three down.
Two to go.
Kingfisher’s girls basketball team won its third elimination game in four days Thursday and sits just two victories shy of a berth in the Class 4A state tournament.
The Lady Jackets eliminated Cleveland 45-34 in an area consolation quarterfinal game at Stride Bank Center in Enid.
The victory put the Lady Jackets into Friday’s consolation semifinal (after press time) against Bethany.
They needed that win and another on Saturday to move into the state tournament for the first time since 2009.
After suffering a loss to Woodward in last Saturday’s regional opener, Kingfisher first staved off elimination with wins over John Marshall and Mannford in the regional.
Against Mannford, the Lady Jackets didn’t allow more than seven points in a quarter until the fourth during a 50-26 victory.
The Lady Pirates managed 10 points in the fourth, but KHS put 19 on the board.
Allison Green scored 14 points to lead the way. Ray Garner added 11 points and seven rebounds.
Peyton Walker added eight points and five assists while Addy Matthews also scored eight as Kingfisher claimed the regional consolation title.
That sent Kingfisher into Thursday’s area matchup against Cleveland, a team it beat 47-32 in Cleveland in December.
This time around, Kingfisher held the Lady Tigers scoreless for the first half of the first quarter before Regan Coffey banked in a 3-pointer.
The Lady Jackets were up 10-3 before Cleveland tied it up early in the second quarter.
Then Kingfisher responded with a 15-0 run to take command.
Matthews, Garner and Kina Frost scored four points each during the run.
Garner ended her night with 18 points.
Frost scored 10 and Matthews nine.
Green scored eight points.
Kingfisher was 14 of 16 from the free throw line.
Bethany advanced to the consolation semifinal with Thursday afternoon’s 77-38 victory against Clinton.
KHS defeated Bethany 60-49 on Valentine’s Day at the Paycom Center in the final game of the regular season.
The Lady Jackets won this week’s games without starting junior guard Emily Myers, who tore her ACL in last weekend’s loss to Woodward.