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Angel Scott (10) defends Tiffany McCain (2) -
Jenna Marshall at the free throw line -
Madie Cooper -
Morgan Massey (Deer Creek) guards Brittany Romines (Westmoore) -
Allie Hardzog
CHOCTAW - Angel Scott did not want to go home.
The senior set a new career high in scoring in Choctaw on Thursday night as she willed the Deer Creek girls’ basketball team to a 57-54 playoff win against Westmoore.
Scott scored 35 points, edging her previous high by 1. She scored all but 1 of the Lady Antlers’ 13 fourth-quarter points.
Deer Creek (12-8) had to battle all game, but Scott’s heroics ensured the Lady Antlers advanced to the regional championship game and area tournament.
Westmoore (6-13) put up an impressive fight with an upset in mind, but the Lady Jags’ season is over.
Deer Creek coach Alex Moorehead credited Westmoore for giving his team a hard test.
“It was a tough, hard-fought game,” Moorehead said. “We’re nitty, and we’re gritty, and we knew that when the scoreboard hits triple zeros, that’s what matters, and we just happened to be on top.”
Scott’s 35 points led all scorers. Westmoore’s Ryan Franklin, who had 20, was the only other player from either side in double digits.
The game featured 16 lead chances, most coming in the second half. At one point in the third quarter, eight-consecutive field goals changed who led. Another stretch of four-straight occurred in the fourth.
Scott said the Lady Antlers never got down on themselves any time Westmoore took the lead.
“We know what we’re good at,” Scott said. “We know we can get stops, and we know we can score, so we just gotta keep our heads up. We did that tonight, and we were able to come out on top.”
Westmoore took an early 5-0 lead. Deer Creek tied the game twice, but the Lady Antlers did not lead until the second quarter. They held the lead into the third quarter before the Lady Jags opened with a 6-0 run to begin the stretch of consecutive lead changes.
In the final minutes of the game, Scott hit a 3-pointer which gave Deer Creek the lead for the final time. She went on to score the game’s next 4 points from the free throw line.
After Scott hit a free throw with seconds left, Deer Creek elected not to defend Westmoore’s final possession so there was no risk of a foul. Makayla Jackson hit a 3-pointer to make the final score closer, but it did not change the outcome as the buzzer sounded.
Deer Creek will face the winner between host Choctaw and Southmoore on Saturday.