CLASS B STATE: Pittsburg advances to title game
Mar. 4—OKLAHOMA CITY — The Lady Panthers are going to play for gold.
No. 3 Pittsburg (29-0) and No. 2 Hammon (24-6) faced off in the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association Class B State basketball tournament on Friday, with the Lady Panthers taking the 59-27 win and advancing to the championship game on Saturday.
Katie Allen broke the ice with an opening triple, then rattled off a bucket and another three to give Pittsburg an early 8-5 lead. Later, Trinity Wiseman added a baseline driving score and Camryn Graham hit a three to give the Lady Panthers the 15-10 lead after the opening quarter.
In the second quarter, Hammon hit a triple to cut the lead down to a basket. But Catyn Graham drilled back-to-back threes to propel the Lady Panthers further out front. Wiseman would then add another three, giving Pittsburg the 24-15 lead at the half.
Pittsburg continued to light it up from beyond the arc after the break, as Camryn Graham hit a pair of threes to lead 34-17 and force a Hammon timeout with 4:40 left in the period.
The Lady Panthers also worked on attacking the basket, sending Wiseman and Tori Kilburn to the line. They hit all four of their free throws, adding to the lead. Hammon answered with a driving basket, but Wiseman responded with one of her own on the other end of the floor.
Pittsburg stayed deliberate with its shot selection, and combined it with stingy defense to lead 46-21 after three quarters.
That would be the final push that the Lady Panthers needed, as they rode the wave of momentum to advance to the title game for the first time in school history.
Wiseman led Pittsburg with 17 points, followed by Allen with 12 points, Camryn Graham with 11 points, Kilburn with nine points, and Catyn Graham with eight points.
The Lady Panthers will next face the winner between Lomega and Whitesboro in the Class B State Championship final on Saturday in Jim Norick Arena in Oklahoma City, with tipoff set for 5 p.m.
Here is the complete bracket update for the girls Class B State Tournament:
THURSDAY
AT MUSTANG
G1: Whitesboro 44, Duke 34
G2: Lomega 61, Okeene 54
G3: Pittsburg 51, Lookeba-Sickles 41
G4: Hammon 76, Varnum 37
FRIDAY
AT OKC FAIRGROUNDS
G5: Pittsburg 59, Hammon 27
G6: Lomega vs. Whitesboro, 6 p.m.
SATURDAY
G7: Winner G6 vs. Pittsburg, 5 p.m. (Winner is named state champion)
Contact Derek Hatridge at dhatridge@mcalesternews.com.
