KHS going Elk hunting
Wilfong shot sinks Oologah; Lady Jackets aim for ‘redemption’ against Elk City
KINGFISHER YELLOWJACKETS vs OOLOGA-TALALA MUSTANGS — KHS SENIOR Melody Wilfong (23) puts up what proved to be the game-winning shot Thursday when the Lady Jackets knocked off Oologah 39-37 in Stillwater. After the win,
KINGFISHER YELLOWJACKETS vs OOLOGA-TALALA MUSTANGS — KHS head coach Gerrett Spears threw his arms up as players and coaches celebrate behind him
For two weeks now, the loss to Elk City has been eating at coach Gerrett Spears and the Kingfisher girls basketball team.
They get a chance to do something about it Friday.
Melody Wilfong’s baseline jumper with 21 seconds left gave Kingfisher its first lead of the game Thursday against Oologah-Talala in their Class 4A area consolation quarterfinal at Stillwater.
The lead stuck. KHS got two defensive stops sandwiched around a missed free throw in those final seconds to outlast the Lady Mustangs 39-37 and advance to the consolation semifinal.
The Lady Jackets were set to play Elk City on Friday afternoon (after press time) for the right to advance to Saturday’s consolation championship.
It was Elk City who upset the Lady Jackets in a district game on Feb. 21 and sent them into the consolation bracket.
“We’d be excited to play anyone tomorrow,” said KHS coach Gerrett Spears after the Thursday victory. “But we are glad we get a chance to redeem ourselves.”
Since the Elk City loss, KHS has rattled off four consecutive victories with the end of their season on the line.
The most recent came Thursday, but it wasn’t secured until the very end.
The Lady Jackets struggled offensively for the entire first half and trailed 19-12 at the break.
They came alive offensively in the third, but still trailed 32-27 entering the fourth quarter.
That belonged to Kingfisher.
The Lady Jackets surrendered just five points and kept chipping away at their deficit.
Wilfong hit one 3-pointer and Allison Green added another later in the frame.
Ray Garner’s free throw pulled KHS within one and Jenni Beebe eventually tied it with her own charity shot.
Then, finally, KHS was able to claim the lead.
Wilfong caught a skip pass from Beebe, who drew a double team, just inside the 3-point line and let it fly. It found nothing but net for the two-point advantage.
“We made shots in the second half,” Spears said. “It was that simple.”
When 14th-ranked Oologah tried to answer, Karly Wadsworth’s shot went off the rim and was grabbed by Wilfong. Wadsworth quickly fouled her with 5 seconds remaining.
With a chance to make it a two-possession game, Wilfong missed the front end of a one-and-one.
Oologah grabbed the rebound and quickly called timeout.
A rushed, off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer got nowhere near its mark and KHS was moving on.
Green and Beebe scored nine apiece to lead the team.
All of Green’s points, as well as all seven for Wilfong, came in the second half.
Garner added eight points.
Elk City defeated Bethany 42-37 earlier on Thursday. When KHS and the Elkettes first met in December, the Lady Jackets won by 14 points on Elk City’s home floor.
When Elk City knocked off No. 20 Kingfisher, it entered the district with just six wins.
Kingfisher entered Friday with an 18-9 record.