Oklahoma girls basketball state semifinal roundup: Late foul shots complete Bixby's comeback against Tulsa Union to set up showdown with Edmond North; McAlester, El Reno vie for 5A gold ball

By Buck Ringgold I Photos by Josh Cleary

Entering the fourth quarter of Friday's 6A semifinal, Bixby's chances to return to the title game appeared bleak.

Tulsa Union was enjoying the upper hand, building a 29-19 lead entering the fourth quarter and appeared to avenge last week's overtime loss to the Lady Spartans in the area tournament.

But, Bixby battled all the way back, and got some free throws to drop at the right time.

Junior guard Gentry Baldwin, after being fouled while in the act of shooting a 3-point attempt with 1.6 seconds left, went to the line and made all three free throws. Those proved to be the decisive points in a 35-34 Bixby win at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.

"I was nervous, but everyone on my team had confidence in me, so that helped a lot," Baldwin said of hitting the game-winning foul shots.

Bixby, which beat the Lady Redhawks for the third time in four games this season, will advance to play for another 6A title after falling to Norman in last season's championship game. The Lady Spartans take on Edmond North at noon Saturday in Norman.

The Lady Spartans (24-3) chipped away at Union's deficit in the fourth quarter, tying the score at 32-all on a basket by Gracy Wernli with 18 seconds left.

Union (19-7) went back in front with six seconds left on a put-back basket from Aubrey Hishaw, but Baldwin drew the foul moments later and made the three free throws.

"I was extremely proud of them," Bixby coach Tina Thomas said. "They showed poise, resolve and determination.

"Gentry is a winner. I believed she would sink all three."

There was no double-figure scorer on either side. Wernli and Alyssa Nielsen each had nine points for Bixby, with Nielsen making all four of her field-goal attempts. Meredith Mayes added eight points and nine rebounds.

Three Union players had nine apiece in TK Pitts, Desiree Marshall-Penny and Hishaw. Marshall-Penny hit three 3's, and Pitts grabbed six rebounds while recording three assists and two steals.

Edmond North 55, Sand Springs 35

The Lady Huskies built a 10-5 lead after one quarter before breaking it open in the next quarter. Edmond North extended its lead to as many as 20 before settling for a 30-12 halftime advantage in Friday's 6A semifinal.

Sand Springs got no closer than 10 points midway through the fourth as Edmond North (27-1) moves into the 6A title game.

Laci Steele led the Lady Huskies with 21 points, while recording three assists and three steals. Elle Papahronis added 14 points while making all six of her free-throw attempts.

Hailey Jackson had 13 points and made 5-of-6 free throws for the Lady Sandites. In their final games at Sand Springs, guard Journey Armstead had nine points while center Layne Kirkendoll grabbed 10 rebounds.

5A Semifinals

El Reno 59, Sapulpa 50

There will be a new 5A state champion.

The third quarter turned out to be the difference in Friday's 5A semifinal at Norman after a highly entertaining first half in which El Reno took a 29-25 lead.

But in that third quarter, Sapulpa was held to just two field goals in 13 attempts, while in that same span, the Lady Indians made 6-of-11 from the field. That allowed El Reno to build a 46-33 advantage through three quarters.

El Reno then sealed the win at the foul line, making 11-of-22 free throws in the fourth quarter while converting just one field goal in that span. Ashlyn Evans-Thompson was 10-of-16 at the line as part of a 23-point performance.

Janae Black-Harmon had a double-double of 14 points and 10 boards as well for El Reno (24-4), which will play McAlester for the 5A title at 6 p.m. Saturday. The Lady Indians are seeking their first state title, and they are in the title game for the first time since falling to Piedmont in 2019.

Despite the loss, Sapulpa (20-7) had two players record double-doubles. Stailee Heard scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, while Tyla Heard had 11 points and 10 boards.

McAlester 56, Tulsa Rogers 40

For the first time since winning it all in 2010, the Lady Buffaloes will be playing for a gold ball Saturday.

McAlester (21-5) built a 27-20 halftime lead before extending it in the second half, opening that half on a 12-5 run. The Lady Buffaloes eventually went up by 13, 45-32, after three quarters, and led by as many as 18 in the fourth.

Four Lady Buffs reached double figures, led by 17 points from Elizabeth Milligan. Jayda Holiman, Stevie Stinchcomb and Mariah Guyer each had 10 points as well.

3A Semifinals

Idabel 58, Lincoln Christian 50

The Lady Warriors extended their long winning streak Friday, and did so by beating the No. 1 ranked team in 3A.

Idabel rallied to go in front in the final minutes and pulled away late, scoring the final seven points as the Lady Warriors defeated Lincoln Christian in the 3A semifinals at Yukon High School.

Friday's win extended Idabel's winning streak to 24 straight games. The Lady Warriors (26-2) now want to make it 25 straight while capturing gold.

Idabel will face defending 3A champion Jones in the last of the six title games Saturday at Oklahoma City's State Fair Arena. That game is set to tip off at 8:30 p.m. 

After Idabel led by seven late in the third quarter, Lincoln Christian went on a 10-2 run to take a 38-37 lead early in the fourth. But Idabel eventually went in front to stay, as Mary Carden's shot broke a 42-all score.

Lincoln got within one, 51-50, on a Lexi Murphy 3 with more than a minute left. But Idabel sealed the win at the foul line, with Jaylee Lopez making all five of her free-throw attempts in the fourth quarter.

Lopez finished with 19 points and made four 3's. Mercades Lopez added 17 points, and Carden had 12.

For Lincoln Christian (20-6), Audrey Hopkins scored 20 points, 14 in the second half, while Ellie Brueggemann had 18 points.

Jones 51, Perry 33

The Lady Longhorns stifled the Lady Maroons in Friday's 3A semifinal, holding Perry to three first-half field goals.

Jones was able to build a 27-12 halftime advantage and kept the Lady Maroons from making a big second-half run.

Boston Berry had 10 of her team-high 18 points in the opening half for Jones (23-4). Kasia Hansen and Sofi Woodson each had 11 points, with Hansen scoring 10 points after halftime.

For Perry (24-3), Braylee Dale ended up with 18 points. She accounted for all three of her team's first-half baskets.s