Lady Redskins bring the victory back after two losses at the Mid-America Tounament.
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A Lady Redskin keeps her eye on the goal. Courtesy photo -
A Lady Redskin fights hard to pass the ball to a teammate. Courtesy photo
The Lady Redskins opened up the Mid-America Tournament at Ada against the Number one ranked, class 2A ladies from Vanoss.
This was a replay of last year’s matchup of these teams. That one was all Lady Redskins and a 27 point victory. As it has been said, “that was then, this is now”. 2018 had Avri Weeks having her way with most everyone. She was only a sophomore.
Vanoss was leading by their own sophomore”6’2” Emrey Ellis. She is now an early commitment to the University of Arkansas. Vanoss countered by adding the best player from Byng to their squad this season. However, Weeks has yet to play this season due to the knee injury last March in the opening round of the state tournament.
In the first quarter, Vanoss sets the pace with Ellis hitting from inside and out. She also was helping out bringing the ball up the court like a 6’2” point guard.
Tyla Bohannon scored underneath and then took an offensive foul in the paint. Kassie Bailey hit a three pointer and that was all the scoring the Lady Redskins could muster.
Bailey continues to play hard, despite battling an illness. She left the game in a hurry at the 5:00 mark only to return to the court before the quarter was over. After the first quarter, it was all Vanoss, 13 to 5.
Early in the second quarter, Pressley McKnight connected twice with three pointers, singlehandedly keeping her team in the game.
Britt Henderson turned in a good quarter. She had a field goal and was 4 of 4 from the line to keep pace with McKnight. Off the bench, Ryan Herndon was 2 of 3 from the line. The half had the Lady Redskins trailing, 33 to 19.
After a long session in the locker room, Coach Chad Rumer and his team ran straight on to the court to avoid being late to start the second half.
The turnovers could not be stopped however. Vanoss was getting easy buckets. Danna Wagnon scored two inside buckets, she could not get to the free throw line however. Bohannon missed her two free throw attempts. Henderson and Herndon each had field goals.
In the fourth, it was pretty much a repeat of the previous quarter. By now, Coach Rumer was deep into the bench. Reagan Davis and Emi O’Steen both had field goals, they were joined by Henderson who had a field goal and was 1 of 2 from the free throw line. Kamry Bohannon had significant minutes but did not score. Final score, 64 to 34.
Final Stats: Henderson 11 points, McKnight 6 points, Herndon and Wagnon both 4 points, Bailey 3 points, and Davis, O’Steen and Bohannon(T), with 2 each. As a team they shot 7 of 13 from the free throw line.
By Brent Smith
For The Madill Record
The scoring difficulties continued in this “head scratching” season. The Lady Redskins dropped the second round game of the Mid-America tournament 47 to 32 to #2 in Class A Canute.
Canute was trounced the night before by the Class 3A #2 team, Christian Heritage. It should have been a closer competitive game for Coach Chad Rumer and his KHS girls. However, it was not to be.
In the first quarter, Tyla Bohannon, Britt Henderson and Emi O’Steen had field goals. That was all the scoring they could muster. No free throw attempts. Canute led after the first quarter, 11 to 6.
Second quarter showed some promise that the lid might finally come off of the basket. Pressley McKnight, Kassie Bailey and Britt Henderson all had three point buckets. Danna Wagnon finally got the team to the foul line. But the free throws were not to be her friend tonight. She was 2 for
4. Canute continued to build their lead. 28 to 17 at the half.
The third quarter was much the same. Henderson had a field goal, O’Steen with a field goal and Wagnon was still getting to the line but she could not make them pay off. She was 1 of 4. After three quarters, the lead was 38 to 23.
The shooting continued its deep freeze in the fourth quarter. Wagnon scored a field goal and was two of three from the line. Henderson had a field goal. Canute coasts to a 47 to 32 win.
Final Stats: Henderson lead her team with 9 and Wagnon had 7.
The Lady Redskins were able to salvage an otherwise “rough” weekend of challenges in the highly touted Mid-America Tournament.
All it took was a win over the #2 ranked, Class 2A, Lady Miners from Hartshorne. The Lady Miners were un-defeated, 8-0, before trying the Mid-America. They had lost in the first round to Class 3A, 4th ranked Jones. They followed up with a loss to the #1 team in Class A, Hydro-Eakly. It had been far and away the best competition they had seen.
In the first quarter, the Lady Redskins had decided that the shooting drought was over. Kassie Bailey had taken extra time warming up from the three point arc after her teammates had gone in to the dressing room.
She looked to have her stroke working. She knocked out two 3 pt. baskets and added a field goal in route to her best game of the season. That was the outside game.
Tyla Bohannon had her inside game going. She had two field goals. Dana Wagnon and Britt Henderson both added two free throws each. After one, the score was 19 to 17. This was the first lead in the first quarter since leading Del City four games ago.
In the second quarter, it was apparent the the Lady Miners had no interest in going inside for their offense. They had good size with at least three girls around 6’ tall. They preferred shooting three pointers, and some were very long range.
After hitting just 2 of 6 in the first they continued that plan going 1 of 6 in the second. Meanwhile the Lady Redskins were staying the course, pressure on the ball and forcing turnovers. Bailey hit for three. Pressley McKnight added a three pointer of her own. Not to be outdone, Henderson had a three and a field goal. Wagnon had a bucket and a free throw. The Lady Redskins held a 34 to 26 lead at the half.
To start the second half, one would have thought that the Lady Miners would re-think the game plan of bombing away three pointers. So far, they were 2 of 11.
In the third quarter, they put up 12 attempts and hit 4. On the Lady Redskins offensive end of the court the results were better. They were going 3 of 5 from the arc with Pressley hitting two and Bailey hit another.
Henderson was keeping pace herself with two field goals. Bohannon was continuing her solid game by scoring a field goal inside. Wagnon was 2 of 2 from the free throw line. After three quarters, Coach Chad Rumer and team held a 51 to 37 advantage.
If the Lady Miners thought that the fourth quarter would be any easier, they should think again. Bohannon, after taking a hard fall in the paint and striking her head, went on about her job and had another very solid quarter.
She had three field goals and a free throw. Her part on the pressing defense was evident all night as the Lady Miners were heaving desperation passes across the middle where she could swat them away. With a comfortable lead, the ladies had no reason to fire up three pointers. Wagnon, Bailey, and Henderson all had field goals. Henderson and Emi O’Steen both scored with two free throws each. Meanwhile, the Lady Miners continued to fire away from three. With the game out of reach, they managed to hit 3. At the two minute mark, after taking a shot to the nose, McKnight was unable to return to the game. Lady Redskins take the win, 68 to 46.
Someone said once, “you live by the three, you die by the three”. Hartshorne was 7 of 25 from beyond the arc. That’s 28%. On the other side of the coin, Lady Redskins went 9 of 17 for 52.9%. That was the difference in the game.
Getting significant minutes were O’Steen, Kamrey Bohannon, Ryan Herndon and Reagan Davis.
Final stats: Kassie Bailey was the scoring leader with 19, she was followed closely by Britt Henderson who had 15 and Tyla Bohannon with a double/double, 14 points and 12 rebounds. Dana Wagnon and Pressley McKnight were one point away from being in double figures themselves, with 9 each.
As a team: 23 of 48 for 47.9% from the field. From the arc: 9 of 17 for 52.9%. From the free throw line: 13 of 21, 61.9%.
After the game when asked about the improved shooting, Coach Rumer stated “ I don’t know what happened but whatever it was I hope it continues. It was much better today”. About that three point shooting for Hartshorne, “Some of them are shooters, I am just glad they missed as many as they did”.
The Lady Redskins can breathe for a few days and will take up with Atoka @ home on Jan. 7th . This will also be a relief for the Redskin fans who have logged a lot of miles in the last few weeks. Also to come, The New Years Classic, starts on Jan. 9th – 11th . The RECORD will have complete coverage of the tourney plus a preview article.