Okarche shuts down Vici to reach Class A semifinal
OKARCHE vs. VICI — OKARCHE PLAYERS, from left, Rachel McDowell, Marlo Hunt, Raegan Robinson and Jalie Rother run to celebrate with teammates after the final horn sounded on their quarterfinal win Thursday over Vici. [KT&FP Staff Photo]
When the ball left Rachel McDowell’s fingertips, Kelli Jennings turned and slapped her chair in disbelief.
Then she heard the crowd roar… and all was well.
McDowell’s trey with 3:12 to play completed a four-point trip down the floor in what turned out to be a 44-38 victory for Okarche against No. 5 Vici in a Class A state quarterfinal at Southern Nazarene University’s Sawyer Center.
McDowell scored a game-high 20 points, including all four on that fateful possession that gave the Lady Warriors a 38-30 lead.
“I’ve told them all season that shooters shoot and that’s what she did,” Jennings said of her senior forward.
Jennings perhaps forgot her words of wisdom momentarily as Okarche was trying to maintain a lead it held for much of the game.
“I tell her to trust the ball in her hands and she did,” Jennings said.
“That was a big one.”
Fourth-ranked Okarche’s lead was still seven points with 1:06 left after McDowell knocked down a pair of free throws.
But Vici answered with five quick points - two free shots and a 3-pointer, all by Morgan Johnson.
The trey got Vici within 40-38 with 42.5 seconds left, but Vici didn’t score again.
The Lady Indians turned it over on their next possession and Jade Hazelbaker missed two free throws with 13.2 seconds left.
Okarche was able to chew 12 seconds off the clock before Vici fouled Raegan Robinson, who calmly sank her free throws for the final margin.
It was Vici who led early, but a quick 5-0 run by Okarche to start the second gave the Lady Warriors a lead they wouldn’t lose.
Marlo Hunt hit two treys and scored eight points as Okarche outscored Vici 13-6 for a 23-18 halftime lead.
Madison Owens opened the second half with a 3-pointer and made another with 3:00 to go in the quarter, the latter pushing her team’s lead back to five points.
Vici was within three late in the third, but Hunt nailed a triple with seven seconds to extend the Lady Warriors’ advantage once again.
In the fourth, Okarche did its best to get the ball inside to McDowell, much like it did in the first half.
She answered with nine points in the final quarter.
Hunt ended her night with 11.
Vici (25-4) got 12 points from Jadyn Watkins.
The win puts Okarche (27-3) into Friday night’s semifinal (after press time) against No. 1 Hydro-Eakly. The Lady Bobcats (29-1) shrugged o ff a slow start and a halftime deficit to defeat No. 7 Kiowa 66-37 on Thursday.