Will Rogers’ Saniyah Morrison goes up for a basket past Carl Albert’s Saliyah Landon during a Class 5A quarterfinal game Thursday at Norman North High School.
Ian Maule Photos, Tulsa World
Will Rogers head coach Carlin Adkism hugs Nellie Simmons after their 49-37 quarterfinal win over Carl Albert on Thursday at Norman North High School.
Ian Maule, Tulsa World
Will Rogers’ Raegan McQuarters shoots over Carl Albert’s Ausha Moore during a Class 5A quarterfinal game Thursday at Norman North High School.
NORMAN — Defending state champion Sapulpa was in survival mode Thursday afternoon in the Chieftains’ state tournament opener, but Stailee Heard came to the rescue in a big way.
After her team started slowly, Heard scored 18 of her game-high 26 points in the second half while pulling down a game-high 15 rebounds, and No. 1 (East) Sapulpa made just enough free throws down the stretch to hold off No. 4 (West) Lawton MacArthur 54-50 in the quarterfinals of the Class 5A girls’ basketball state tournament at Norman North High School.
The Chieftains (20-6), who have won seven of their past eight games, move on to play No. 2 (West) El Reno (23-4) at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinals at the Lloyd Noble Center. The Indians waltzed past No. 3 (East) Grove 50-26 Thursday afternoon.
El Reno handed Sapulpa one of its losses this season, knocking off the Chieftains 53-51 in January at the Shawnee tournament.
After committing nine turnovers and making making just 2-of-10 free throws in the first half, the Chieftains started the third quarter in front 23-21.
“I thought we were pressing a little bit the first half,” Sapulpa Head Coach Darlean Calip said. “It’s always nice to have halftime so you can settle them down and do some things. I thought they did a much better job (in the second half), especially offensively, at least trying to execute some things, because I didn’t think we did a very good job of that in the first half.
“And, yes, enough free throws to win,” she added. “But we have got to get better at that because that can be the difference between us winning and going on as opposed to going home. We really need to focus on that.”
To open the second half, Heard sank two free throws and dished off an assist on a basket by Brooklyn Berry then scored on a layup to give Sapulpa the lead for good, 29-28, with 5:28 to go in the third quarter.
“I am a leader on this team — my sister and I are leaders on this team — we have to step up in order to get our team to get going offensively and defensively,” Stailee Heard said.
Tyla Heard, Stailee’s sister, chipped in a pair of baskets as part of a seven-point, eight-rebound performance, and Stailee Heard connected on a 3-pointer from the right wing in the final seconds of the period as the Chieftains took a 41-34 advantage entering the final quarter.
“I wasn’t doing very well the first half,” Tyla Heard said after collecting three points and five boards before halftime. “I came out the second half and I knew (I had) to contribute for my team. I had to do what I had to do for my team.”
The Chieftains padded their cushion to 47-36 in the opening two minutes of the fourth quarter before MacArthur rallied, thanks in part to five miscues and spotty free throw shooting by the Chieftains down the stretch.
“We can’t rush things,” Stailee Heard said. “We like to rush shots. We like to go, go go. In this kind of situation, I have to take control. We have to slow down. We are ahead on the scoreboard. We don’t have to score unless we absolutely need to.”
The Highlanders closed to 53-50 on a free throw by Azariah Jackson, who paced MacArthur with 21 points, with 22 seconds remaining.
Sapulpa then missed its third consecutive front end of a bonus free throw opportunity but Heard secured the offensive rebound — her final one of the day— before adding a free throw to seal the victory for the Chieftains, who finished just 8-of-21 from the free throw line while committing 16 turnovers.
The Highlanders (19-8) tallied the game’s first five points and led 20-14 midway through the second period. But Taylor Bilby, who had seven points, nailed a 3-pointer and another field goal as part of a 9-1 run to give the Chieftains their two-point lead at halftime.
Rogers 49, Carl Albert 37: Fueled by Raegan McQuarters’ 21 points, No. 6 (East) Rogers overcame a 13-point third-quarter deficit then held No. 1 (West) Carl Albert to just seven points in the final period to stun the Titans 49-37 Thursday night.
The Ropers (17-8) advance to play the winner of the McAlester-Midwest City matchup at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Lloyd Noble Center.
“This is a resilient group,” Rogers Head Coach Carlin Adkism said of his squad, which features just eight players in uniform.
“We have been going through adversity all year. I think early on, with our schedule being tough the way it is, it has made us come and play hard like that.
“They just don’t give up. They keep playing. They’re always working together. They believe in each other. When you buy in and believe, anything can happen so I am very proud of them.”
Rogers trailed 20-12 at halftime and fell behind 27-14 with 5:23 to play in the third quarter. But the Ropers ended the period on an 18-3 blitz. McQuarters triggered the spree with a 3-pointer and had seven points in the run.
“This is our first time to play them and for them to be ranked higher than us, we were ‘wired up’ and ready to play,” McQuarters said of her team’s upset of the top seed from the West and a four-time state champion.
Freshman Saniyah Morrison chipped in six of her 10 points in the third-quarter flurry that left Rogers ahead 32-30 entering the final period.
The Ropers built their lead to 47-34 — a 26-point turnaround from the third quarter — on a Morrison free throw in the final minute.
Carl Albert (23-3) hit its only field goal of the fourth quarter, a trey, with 27 seconds to play.
“We had to come out and play hard defense like we always do,” McQuarters said.
ElReno 50, Grove 26: Ashlyn Evans-Thompson scored all 15 of her points in the middle two quarters when No. 2 West El Reno surrendered just six points and the Indians rolled to a 50-26 victory against No. 3 East Grove.
The Indians (23-4) led 25-12 after one quarter then allowed the Ridgerunners (21-6) just three free throws in the second quarter and a 3-pointer to start the third period while building a 13-point halftime advantage. Evans-Thompson netted seven points in the quarter.
After Grove’s Anna Bacon hit a trey to open the second half, El Reno rattled off 16 unanswered points, eight coming from Evans-Thompson, and the Indians took a commanding 41-15 cushion to the final eight minutes.
Bacon topped Grove with eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
SAPULPA 54, LAWTON MACARTHUR 50
MacArthur 10 11 13 16 — 50
Sapulpa 8 15 18 13 — 54
MacArthur (19-8): Jackson 21, Mardenborough 12, Vines 10, Sanders 3, Oliver 2, Suttles 2.
Sapulpa (20-6): S. Heard 26, T. Heard 7, Rossmann 7, Bilby 7, Berry 5, Hall 2.
EL RENO 50, GROVE 26
Grove 9 3 3 11 — 26
El Reno 14 11 16 9 — 50
Grove (21-6): Bacon 8, Morris 7, Gregg 6, Geer 5.
El Reno (23-4): Evans-Thompson 15, P. Black-Harmon 11, J. Black-Harmon 9, Sleeper 7, Woods-Blackowl 6, Sage 2.
Will Rogers’ Saniyah Morrison goes up for a basket past Carl Albert’s Saliyah Landon during a Class 5A quarterfinal game Thursday at Norman North High School.