Newcastle finishes strong to upset Lady Jackets, 58-54

Kingfisher was able to enjoy its Wheat Capital Tournament championship for about 24 hours.

Then Newcastle spoiled the party.

The Lady Racers visited the APB on Tuesday and left with a 58-54 victory.

The loss snapped a fourgame win streak for KHS with the last one of those wins being the night before against Jones in the tournament final.

Ranked 11th in Class 4A, Newcastle outscored the Lady Jackets 24-16 in the fourth quarter, including a 7-0 run to seal the win during the final 81 seconds.

KHS led 43-38 with 5:16 to play when Abbie Myers caught a pass in the paint from Reese Roof and laid it in off the glass.

Newcastle stormed back to take the lead and was up 51-48 until Kingfisher’s Ela Hartman sank a 3-pointer with 1:21 left.

However, as the ball went through the net, the whistle sounded.

Myers had been called for an intentional foul under the basket, giving Newcastle two free throws and possession.

The Lady Racers took full advantage.

Kaelin Horton made both free throws and then Kalani Kindred scored a bucket on the ensuing possession with 59 seconds left.

That put the Lady Racers up 55-51.

They eventually got it to 58-51 before Hartman was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with no time on the clock and made all three free throws.

After picking up three fouls in the first quarter and sitting a majority of the first half, Kindred was huge down the stretch for Newcastle.

The 6-foot-1 freshman forward scored 12 of her game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter. That included going 6 of 6 from the free throw line.

She had 19 of her points in the second half.

Newcastle shot 51.4 percent for the game and scored 28 points in the paint, buoyed by Kindred and 6-foot-3 sophomore Ziyah Sims, who scored eight and had a game-high 11 rebounds.

KHS did force 25 turnovers and took seven more shots in the game, but never could capitalize fully on opportunities.

The Lady Jackets’ 16 miscues led to 22 Newcastle points. Kingfisher only scored 11 off of Newcastle’s turnovers and shot 38.6 from the field.

After taking an early lead, KHS trailed much of the first half and was down 26-24 at halftime.

Kindred came back in the game and scored seven for Newcastle in the third, but got only one point of help from her teammates.

Kingfisher took advantage.

Myers and Adlee Friesen combined for nine points in the third and then Mattie Slezickey made a 3-pointer at the end of the quarter to give KHS a 38-34 advantage.

The five-point edge provided by Myers’ shot with just over 5 minutes to play was Kingfisher’s largest of the game.

Myers led KHS with 16 points while Roof scored 11.

Friesen scored eight and Raegan Snider provided seven before fouling out with 2:11 to play.

Slezickey and Hartman scored six apiece.