Class 5A girls basketball: Stailee Heard's 'unforgettable' effort leads Sapulpa to title

NORMAN — Stailee Heard was supposed to be a decoy.

But with eight seconds left in the Class 5A girls basketball state championship game and her team down by one point, one had to figure the ball would find its way to the Sapulpa senior standout.

"It's unforgettable," Heard said after her basket with two seconds left capped a 41-point effort and won the state title for the Chieftains, 75-74, over Tulsa Holland Hall Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center. "I love this team to death and we have so much potential. Our younger ones are so determined and play with so much heart. I love them. I am glad we pulled it out."

The final play originally called for an inbounds pass inside to Sapulpa freshman Riki McQuarters for a possible layup or potential free-throw opportunity, but with McQuarters covered and Holland Hall electing to double-team the inbounds passer, Heard smartly adjusted on the fly.

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"I was supposed to curl, but they were double-teaming so I just went out wide and they trailed, so I was open," said Heard, an Oklahoma State signee. "Eight seconds on the clock, so I just had to catch it and go score. There was an open lane."

Heard drove towards the paint and lofted a shot with two seconds left that grazed the front of the rim before falling through the net. The ensuing Sapulpa bench eruption signaled a second state championship in three years for the Chieftains.

"This one was a dogfight for us the whole game," Sapulpa coach Darlean Calip said. "The last state championship, we led the whole game. There was never a panic. But this one we had to fight for. Winning on a last-second shot definitely made it even more special."

Unlike its crown two years ago, Sapulpa (25-2) actually trailed for much of Saturday's game. After a 17-17 first quarter stalemate, Elise Hill of Holland Hall led a 19-6 explosion for the Dutch that put the Chieftains in a 42-34 hole at halftime.

"I didn't think we defended like we had talked about," Calip said. "We weren't staying to our plan, our game plan. Giving up too many threes. They were 10 for 15 from the three-point line (in the first half) and we knew they couldn't sustain that, but we didn't do a good job of defending that."

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Sapulpa used a 17-9 burst to tie the game at 51-51 late in the third quarter, but never held a second-half lead until Heard's final heroics.

After Hill scored 24 points in the first half, Heard got the defensive assignment and limited the Tulsa signee to just four points in the third quarter as the Chieftains made their charge.

"I believe I can stop anyone," Heard said. "Going out there and just face-guarding her. She told me, 'Why are you guys face-guarding me now? I'm exhausted.' I knew that was it for her, so once she got the ball, just guard the three. Make her drive."

The score was deadlocked a second time at 67-67 until Holland Hall sophomore guard Ava Casper drilled a 3-pointer with 1:15 to go that gave the Dutch a lead they attempted to maintain from the free-throw line.

With Sapulpa down, 74-71, McQuarters was fouled while scoring with 12 seconds left but was unable to convert the old-fashioned three-point play. Heard corralled the rebound and the Sapulpa bench called for time to set up the game-winner.

"What a way to go out," Calip said. "Senior year, last-second shot, she makes the winning basket and that is just a perfect exclamation point on her career, this season and what she has meant for us these last four years."

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In addition to her 41 points, Heard led Sapulpa with eight rebounds and four assists. Junior Tyla Heard – Stailee's younger sister – poured in 20 points via an efficient 7-of-10 shooting performance.

"I just knew this was the biggest game of the year and I had to step and do what I had to do for my team on both ends of the floor to get this win," Tyla Heard said.

Junior Taylor Bilby posted eight points for the Chieftains.

Hill led Holland Hall (24-4) with 36 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Senior forward Sophia Regalado added 18 points, while Casper chipped in 10.

With Stailee Heard off to Oklahoma State with a second state championship, Calip will look to Tyla Heard to be the new face of the Sapulpa program next season. For the Heard sisters – the daughters of former Tulsa 2000 Elite Eight hero Tony Heard – it was the perfect capper to their time as teammates.

"It's everything," Tyla Heard said. "It's what we have dreamed of. This is exactly how we want it to end."

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSSAA girls basketball: Stailee Heard leads Sapulpa to Class 5A title