Familiar territory for Lady Raiders

Kevin Lewallen said basketball becomes a much easier game to play when you simply make shots.

His Lady Raiders didn’t do a lot of that in their regional final win against Webbers Falls when they scored a season-low 46 points.

And they didn’t do a ton of it - by their standards - in the first half of their Class B area championship game Friday against Pittburg.

In the third and fourth quarters, however, Lomega looked more like - well Lomega as shots started falling and the Lady Raiders began pulling away in a 70-38 victory in Stroud.

The win not only upped Lomega’s season record to 24-0, but sent the Class B defending state champs back to the state tournament.

The top-ranked Lady Raiders made their 34th appearance at state in search of their 15th state title when they played Hammon on Tuesday afternoon (after press time) in the quarterfinals.

Lomega never pulled away from Webbers Falls until the closing minutes and the Pittburg game seemed headed in that direction.

Sydni Walker and Hensley Eaton had solid first quarters as they scored 14 of Lomega’s 16 points, but the team “only” led by six and “only” added two more to the lead in the second quarter.

That’s when the barrage began.

Emma Duffy and Adysen Wilson drained two 3-pointers apiece and Eaton another as Lomega outscored Pittsburg 24-10.

Abby Swart scored 10 points in the fourth as Lomega added four more 3-pointers and continued to put Pittsburg away.

Eaton eventually led the team with 18 points.

Swart and Duffy scored 12 apiece.

Walker and Wilson added nine points each.

This is Lomega’s third consecutive trip to state and the ninth in 10 years.

Class B Girls

State Fair Arena

Tuesday

Game 1: Lomega vs. Hammon, 2 p.m.

Game 2: Varnum vs. Forgan, 4 p.m.

Game 3: Kiowa vs. Leedey, 11:30 a.m.

Game 4: Webbers Falls vs. Lookeba-Sickles, 9:30 a.m.

Thursday

Winner 1 vs. Winner 2, 6:30 p.m.

Winner 3 vs. Winner 4, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday

Championship, 6 p.m.