Oklahoma All-State girls basketball: County rivals and state champions team up to help East win in small-school game
By Buck Ringgold | Photos by Karen Schwartz
SAPULPA — They were fierce rivals on teams from the same county.
They were also each part of state championship squads.
On Wednesday, though, they were on the same side, determined to bring pride back to their home county, not to mention their area.
Former Howe teammates Shiloh Fletcher and Raelyn Delt teamed up with ex-Pocola standout Mika Scott on the East roster for the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State small school girls basketball game. The East was in control for much of the game before holding off a late West rally to prevail, 67-64.
“It was fun to get to play with them again,” Scott said. “We’ve grown up with each other outside of basketball and everything, too, so it was just a good thing to get back with them and play with them again. It was fun.”
The three players, all representing schools in LeFlore County, have been teammates and rivals even before entering high school.
“We played together a lot growing up in travel ball and AAU stuff, so we were kind of used to playing against each other,” Delt said. “But it’s always fun after playing against each other to get back together again.”
Those three former high school rivals nearly didn’t get to have that chance to play Wednesday night.
Earlier that evening, they were going through pregame warmups at the game’s original location, Jenks. But moments before tipoff, a heavy rainstorm knocked out power throughout parts of the city, including Frank Herald Field House on the Jenks High School campus.
After several minutes of consultation, officials decided to move the games, which also included the large school game, to nearby Sapulpa.
The small school game finally got started after a delay of just more than an hour. In the large school game played late Wednesday night, the West pulled out a 62-61 win.
“I didn’t think we were going to get to play at all,” Scott said. “But I’m glad that they moved it somewhere else, and we were able to play.”
Delt and Fletcher were part of two state championship teams at Howe. As freshmen, they were on the 2019 squad which won the 2A title; and after the state tournament was canceled the following season due to COVID-19, the two teamed up again to lead the Lady Lions to another 2A championship as juniors.
During that run to the 2021 title, Howe beat Pocola in the state quarterfinals after also having defeated the Lady Indians in the championship game of the LeFlore County Tournament two months earlier.
But Scott and Pocola got a measure of revenge against the Lady Lions this past season.
The Lady Indians beat Howe in overtime to win the LeFlore County championship in January. Then the two teams proceeded to execute the ultimate rematch in March, this time for the 2A title.
In a down-to-the-wire finish, Pocola held off Howe, 40-36, denying Fletcher and Delt the opportunity to win a third state title. Scott, who was the lone senior on the Lady Indians’ roster, then picked up another ring when she was on Pocola's state championship fast pitch softball squad in the spring.
But even then, Fletcher and Delt constantly reminded Scott they won more state titles in basketball; though Scott now has the permanent upper hand in beating them in their final high school basketball game, claiming a title of her own.
In Wednesday’s contest, the East built a commanding 40-29 halftime lead. They were still in control after three quarters, leading 52-42.
But the West made things interesting down the stretch, and even pulled within a point, 63-62, after former Amber-Pocasset player Devynn Harris launched a 3-pointer with 40 seconds left.
On the other end, however, the East regained momentum when Samantha Shanks (Webbers Falls) hit a 3 of her own to push the lead up to four.
In the final seconds, the East held a two-point lead and was at the free throw line for a one-and-one. The first attempt missed, but East player Braylee Dale (Perry) grabbed the rebound, and teammate Maggie Sockey (Crowder) drew a foul, sending her to the line.
Sockey hit the first of two free throws for the final three-point margin.
“I just know everybody cheered on for each other really well and just the energy from the bench was awesome,” Fletcher said.
“(Playing in the All-State game) was something a lot of people don’t get to experience, and Im glad we all got to together. I’m glad we all got to do it. … Playing with Raelyn one more time was a huge thing, so that was awesome.”
Scott, Delt and Fletcher will all continue to play basketball at the next level. Scott signed with Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Fletcher with Oklahoma Christian University and Delt with Eastern Oklahoma State College.
But each of them noted they could run into one another again playing college ball. And Scott even offered another tantalizing possibility.
“Who knows; we might end up together somewhere,” she said.
