Kambry Williams hits last-second shot to send Eufaula girls to Class 3A regional championship game
By George Mitchell
ROLAND - Eight seconds was enough.
Eufaula freshman Shyanne Madewell went the distance as she brought the ball back to the Lady Ironheads’ side.
She passed it off to her right to Kambry Williams, who then planted her feet, took one look and launched the ball right before the buzzer, making the 3-point shot.
As a result of that buzzer-beater, Eufaula defeated Roland, 38-35, on the Lady Rangers' home court inside the Ranger Dome in the Class 3A Area III regional semifinals on Thursday.
The game-winning shot capped a wild fourth quarter with four lead changes and two ties.
“I told them that we needed to make one stop, and I tell them all the time, be confident, and know when that shot comes, you’re ready to knock it down and keep winning,” said Eufaula coach Nick Yarbrough. “We’ve put too much time into being prepared for those moments not to have confidence.”
Yarbrough said that Williams is the team’s leading 3-point shooter and that Madewell “stepped up in a big moment” in getting the ball down the court.
“All those girls did a heck of a job,” Yarbrough said.
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The Lady Ironheads (15-8) won their third consecutive game after dropping the previous three.
“We went through a lot a little down the stretch, and we’ve had some out because of injuries or sickness," Yarbrough said. "Now, we got everyone back together, and we’re all buying in and on the same page. These girls believe in themselves.”
Both teams were tied up at 26-all after Eufaula closed out the third quarter with a 6-0 run thanks to a couple of steals by Allie Anderson, who quickly converted them into points.
Eufaula’s Kate Peppenger began the fourth quarter with a put-back. Roland answered with a pass from Lilly Medicine Bird to Addison Cole for a 3-pointer.
Williams hit her first 3 of the night after she took a pass from Jadence Euford. After a turnover, Euford scored, and the Ironheads were up four, 33-29, with five minutes remaining.
Medicine Bird sparked a 6-0 run in the game's final minutes as both teams struggled to score. Roland was 3-for-9 from the floor, while Eufaula missed one basket, had three turnovers, and lost Anderson, who fouled out with 2:42 remaining in the game.
Roland had the ball for the final 30 seconds of the game and launched a shot with less than 10 seconds remaining, but the ball sailed out of bounds to give Eufaula one last possession with 8.4 seconds remaining.
Medicine Bird led all scorers with nine points, four rebounds, and a steal for Roland. Teammates Haven Freeman, Mattie Jetton, and Cole had seven points apiece.
Madewell paced the Lady Ironheads with eight points. Anderson had seven points with five rebounds and six steals.
Eufaula - which will return to Roland to play Idabel for the regional title at 6 p.m. on Saturday night - forced eight of Roland's 11 turnovers and out-rebounded the Lady Rangers, 21-12. Madison Ballard had five rebounds for the Lady Ironheads.
Boys
Roland 48, Stigler 35
Carson Wiggins had a double-double to help power the Rangers to the Class 3A Area III regional finals.
Wiggins had 16 points and 14 rebounds as 3A No. 3 Roland (22-2) built a 20-point lead in the third quarter. The Rangers will be at home again at 7:30 p.m. Saturday to face Idabel for the regional championship.
The game didn’t start well for either team as Roland was scoreless for the first 4:30, and Stigler had just a 3-0 lead. The Rangers missed their first six shots and had three turnovers, and Stigler was 1-for-6 from the floor and had three turnovers.
However, once Kyrce Hall sank the game's first 3-pointer, Roland stampeded the rest of the way and was up 29-20 at the break.
The Rangers then outscored Stigler, 17-4, in the third quarter. Davohn Hall finished the game with 15 points (five 3-pointers), and the team finished with nine from beyond the arc.
“I thought we were pretty persistent and kept getting after it on offense,” said Roland coach Ed Lewis. “Our defense played well and got a couple of turnovers.
"Carson Wiggins stepped up and got some big 3's early. Davohn hit some big 3's. It got us going. We got into foul trouble early, so I was proud to see the guys come off the bench and play well for us.”
Desean Cruse led the bench with six points and seven rebounds.
“We had trouble getting shots, so much of that had to do with Roland’s defense,” said Stigler coach Chris Parker. “They’re athletic and well-coached, and once they started to shoot as they did, they’re hard to beat.”
Stigler faces Spiro at 3 p.m. Friday back in Roland for a regional consolation match.
“They’re a lot like us, so it should be a competitive game,” Parker said.
Jackson McCarter led Stigler with 10 points. McKade Peery had eight rebounds, and Jamarion Warren pulled down seven.
