In matchup between top two teams on 6A's East side, Bixby girls avenge earlier defeat

By Mike Moguin

Photo of Bixby's Brynn Daniel, left, by Christian Potts

TULSA - Bixby dominated the floor in all phases of the game in a 65-49 victory against Booker T. Washington in girls basketball action Friday night at the Nate E. Harris Fieldhouse.

The Lady Spartans (16-7), ranked No. 4 by SBLive Oklahoma and No. 2 in the Class 6A East poll by OSSAARankings.com, were on top of their game as they were sharing the load in scoring, controlling the boards, forcing turnovers, making steals, blocking shots and applying defensive pressure against the Lady Hornets (17-5), ranked 10th and first by the same respective media sources.

Four players finished in double digits for Bixby. Gentry Baldwin was the point leader with 21 points, followed by Gracy Wernli with 14, Alyssa Nielsen with 13 and Kate Wernli with 10.

Marcayla Johnson led BTW with a game-high 24 points, while Tierra Owens put up 11.

Bixby also avenged a 54-47 loss to BTW last month on the Lady Spartans' home court. Since that defeat, Bixby had reeled off seven straight wins until falling on Tuesday at Sapulpa, the No. 1 ranked team in 5A.

The Lady Spartans enter postseason play with eight wins in their last nine ballgames and 11 wins in their last 14.

“They played with an amazing amount of heart (Friday); that was a group of girls that wanted it really bad,” Bixby coach Tina Thomas said. “I love to see them play with that passion.”

The game began looking as if it was going to be a battle between the two highly ranked Tulsa area programs. Then there would be a turning point.

Bixby owned the first period by controlling the boards, forcing turnovers, making steals and blocking shots, en route to a 20-12 lead after the opening session. But the Lady Hornets turned the tide with a 7-0 run that made it a one-point game early in the second quarter while forcing the Lady Spartans into missed shots.

Thomas then called a time out and when her team returned to the floor, they got their momentum back.

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“I just called a time out just to settle them down. Not to launch a strategic change,” Thomas said. “Sometimes you have to remind them that, hey, the things we’ve been doing have been working, so let’s not go away from that.”

Baldwin drilled a trey from directly outside the top of the key area, then Kate Wernli added one and it was 26-19. After two free throws from Nielsen, she proceeded to hit an inside shot from the top of the key area, following a steal by Gracy Wernli, to make it 32-21.

Following a right-wing 3 from the Lady Hornets’ Owens, Bixby countered with another of its own from Brynn Daniel before the halftime buzzer, and it was 35-24. This was a far cry from both teams’ previous meeting when the Lady Hornets won in Bixby.

“They (BTW) played really good at our place and we really didn’t shoot the ball well,” Thomas said. “Also, we had adjusted our offensive mentality because we had recently lost (6-foot-3 senior post Meredith Mayes to injury).

"Not having that 6-3 presence changes your game plan, so it took us a little while to get some different pieces in play for our offensive system, and for the girls to get used to a new groove.”

Bixby kept persisting in the second half as BTW wore down.

Gracy Wernli added another 3-pointer to open the second half. Baldwin scored most of her points in the third period with 10 that included a fast break and two 3s.

Her last basket of the quarter was the largest margin of the game, a 53-31 advantage.

“I think it was the boost we needed to make a good run,” Thomas said. “I think it was a huge confidence booster for my team because Booker T. is a very good team with a lot of weapons; they’re very athletic and they play hard, so kudos to them.”

Johnson scored 15 of her 24 points in the fourth period, which included three treys.

Both teams finished with 21 3s combined - Bixby totaled 12 with Baldwin getting five and Gracy Wernli connecting on four. BTW totaled nine, with Johnson, Owens and Ky’Lin Johnson-Cooper sinking three each.

The Lady Hornets meet Tulsa Union in the first round of the Class 6A regionals at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Bixby takes on Enid on the Lady Spartans' home floor at the same time, also on Thursday.