Classen session
Second-half spark helps Lady Comets avoid upset
KHS SENIOR Rilee Barton (14) battles Classen’s Isabella Diaz for position during Thursday’s game. [Photo by Chris Simon/www.simon-sports-photos.smugmug.com ]
The first half of Kingfisher’s bid to upset Classen SAS went according to plan.
The second half?
Not so much.
The second-ranked Lady Comets rode the shooting explosion of Micah Gray in the second half to pull away from KHS 56-25 in their Class 4A regional semifinal Thursday at the APB.
The loss dropped the Lady Jackets into the consolation bracket. They played Cache at home Friday night in an elimination game (after press time). A win there would advance KHS to the consolation championship at 1:30 p.m Saturday.
Classen advanced to Saturday night’s regional title game against Blanchard.
“We had them where we wanted them,” said KHS head coach Jay Wood after Thursday’s loss.
Kingfisher slowed the pace against Classen and attempted to use the Lady Comets’ aggressive style of defense against them.
It worked as the Lady Jackets were in the bonus in the first quarter and shot 14 first-half free throws.
And they only trailed 20-18.
But an unexpected twist happened in the third quarter when Gray, a freshman, buried five straight 3-pointers as part of a 21-0 Classen run to start the second half.
Classen’s two-point lead turned into a 41-18 advantage before Melody Wilfong finally scored for KHS with 33 seconds to go in the third quarter.
“I’ve watched more than a half-dozen of their games on film and watched them in person a couple of other times,” Wood said of Classen. “She (Gray) didn’t make one 3-pointer in those games.”
Gray made six of them in the second half to account for all 18 of her points. Classen also got 13 points from Morgan Kennedy.
Meanwhile, KHS struggled to not only shoot, but to get off a shot.
The Lady Jackets were 6 of 27 from the field and had 20 turnovers.
“They’re really athletic and aggressive and it gave us fits,” Wood said.
Katelyn Stolz shone early as she had seven points in the first quarter. She led Kingfisher’s offense with eight overall.
Wilfong scored five.
Kingfisher had just two field goals and seven points in the second half.
The loss dropped the Lady Jackets to 12-12 on the season.