With focus on rebounds, KHS grabs best win of the season over Racers

When asked how he felt about his team’s ability to rebound from a quarterfinal loss at the Wheat Capital Tournament to claim the consolation championship, Colby Connel chuckled.

The Kingfisher boys coach was amused because “rebounding” the actual basketball hadn’t exactly been a strong suit of his team.

So you can imagine Connel’s elation when - after much emphasis - the Jackets won the rebounding battle with Newcastle on Tuesday night… …and the game as well. KHS picked up its third straight victory by sending the Racers home with a 5746 defeat.

The Jackets closed the second half with a 16-1 run to stake a 30-19 lead, then held off a pair of Newcastle charges in the second half.

“That’s the kind of win we’ve needed to get,” said Connel after his team improved to 8-5. The Jackets won just seven games all of last season.

Their work on the boards played a big role.

Though Newcastle did get nine offensive rebounds, the Racers only had five second- chance points.

The Jackets grabbed 30 defensive boards and out-rebounded their visitors 38-31 overall.

“We’ve talked a lot about needing to be better in that area,” Connel said.

But the Jackets also needed to score. They got a lot of that from Hayes White. The junior guard set the tone with eight first-quarter points. Joined by 3-pointers from Cash Laird and Jhett Birdwell, that gave KHS a 14-10 lead after a quarter.

The Jackets fell behind by as many as four in the second quarter, but blitzed the Racers over the final four minutes.

Laird and White both made 3-pointers and combined for 14 points in the quarter.

Newcastle answered the bell in the second half with a quick 7-0 spurt.

However, after a KHS timeout, the Jackets outscored the Racers 9-1 the rest of the quarter.

A late, deep 3-pointer by White pushed the lead to a dozen.

The Racers charged one final time in the fourth, but, after settling down, the Jackets had answers for the Newcastle pressure. The Racers never got closer than six and Kingfisher ended the game with a flurry of easy bumps off the glass.

The Racers were led by Zachary Cragg’s 18 points while freshman Cole Seely added 12.

White finished the game with a game-high 24 points for the Jackets and also led the Jackets with eight rebounds.

Laird scored 14 and had five boards.

Birdwell scored seven to go with his six rebounds.

Kasen Blair and Boomer Mendenhall scored five apiece. Blair pulled down six boards.

No Newcastle player had more than five rebounds.