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Players from both teams fight over a loose ball -
Laci Steele splits two defenders to attempt a layup -
Toni Papahronis brings the ball up the court -
Kate Melton shoots a jumper -
Laci Steele (North) and Meredith Mayes (Bixby)
SAPULPA - As the ball clanked off the iron, a defender collected the rebound as a dramatic comeback slipped away.
The Edmond North girls’ basketball team fell in the state semifinals to Bixby 59-54 Friday afternoon at Sapulpa High School despite a spirited fourth-quarter comeback attempt.
No. 2 North (21-3) fell behind 51-41 in the fourth quarter but battled almost all the way back.
No. 6 Bixby (18-5) let the lead slip to 53-52 but drew fouls and made free throws to keep the lead intact.
North coach Pete Papahronis said second-chance points were the difference in the game.
“We gave up too many offensive boards to them,” Papahronis said. “We were able to get them to miss the first shot, and I don’t know how many times they got their own rebound and ended up scoring off second- and third-chance points. In fact, a lot of them were threes. That destroyed us.”
The game stayed tight throughout the first three quarters as both teams traded the lead. Bixby opened the fourth quarter a 10-4 run. After taking a timeout, North responded with an 11-2 run, but the Lady Spartans defended well enough afterward to save the victory.
Bixby hit nine 3-pointers in the game, while North hit six.
Papahronis said the Lady Huskies fought hard, but it took a little too long for them to get into desperation mode.
“You saw what happens when they get into that mode in the last two minutes,” Papahronis said. “We were able to climb back into the game that everybody thought was over. But it took us too long to get into that mode… But once they did, we were able to climb back in the game and make it tight at the end. We just waited a little too long.”
North freshman Allison Heathcock and sophomore Laci Steele tied with Bixby senior Kate Bradley with 15 points apiece. For the Lady Huskies, sophomore Elle Papahronis followed with 11, and junior Toni Papahronis had 10. For the Lady Spartans, sophomore Meredith Hayes had 13 and sophomore Gentry Baldwin had 12.
North only has one senior on the roster, so most of the team will return next year. Papahronis said he is not focused on next season yet, but the Lady Huskies need to remember this feeling.
“It’s going to hurt,” Papahronis said. “And it should, because we’re competitors. These girls are competitors, so it’s going to bother them. If it doesn’t hurt, then you’re not a competitor. So, it’s going to hurt for a while, and we’re going to take our licks, and we’re going to bounce back like we always do. When the time comes for offseason, we’re going to get back to work and do the little things that we do to get where we are.”