Edmond North bounces back from rare loss, wins Edlam: 'One game doesn't define us'
EDMOND — Allison Heathcock paid attention to the lessons from Laci Steele and Elle Papahronis.
The dynamic duo set a championship standard for Edmond North’s girls basketball program before graduating last year.
“They were always pushing each other to get better,” Heathcock said. “Other people are always working, so even if you’re at the top, you have to continue working.”
Senior guard/forward Heathcock and the Huskies have taken that message to heart over the past few days.
Edmond North squeezed past school-district rival Edmond Memorial, 69-64, on Tuesday night in the Bulldogs’ gym. The Edlam victory allowed the Huskies (12-1) to bounce back only three days after their 47-game win streak ended at the hands of Putnam West in the Jenks-Union Invitational championship.
“I think we’re fine,” said Edmond North coach Pete Papahronis. “One game doesn’t define us.”
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The Class 6A chaos continued Tuesday night as Edmond Santa Fe spoiled Putnam West’s undefeated record with a 58-53 upset. Only a couple of miles away in the same town, the Huskies triumphed over the Bulldogs in their meeting of 6A dynamos.
Edmond Memorial junior guard Janiyah Williams tried her best to send the Huskies home with another loss.
With her mid-range jump shot fine-tuned into an art form, she dropped 32 points on the two-time defending state champions. Avery Hjelmstad followed with 19 points, but the Huskies didn’t allow the Edmond Memorial duo’s scoring frenzy to fluster them.
Instead of focusing their defense all around Williams and Hjelmstad, the Huskies limited every other Edmond Memorial player to six or fewer points. Meanwhile, Creighton signee Heathcock led Edmond North with 18 points while crashing the boards.
“I kind of expect that,” Papahronis said. “Maybe I’m a little greedy, but that’s what I expect because I know she can do that. That’s the kind of player she is.”
As a seasoned Edlam participant, Heathcock fed off the rivalry environment, hearing the rowdy chants from opposing student sections as they hopped in unison and rocked the maroon bleachers.
“Every time we come to Memorial, it’s an electric atmosphere,” Heathcock said. “We’ve got a lot of fans; they’ve got a lot of fans, and we knew (there would be) just big energy.”
Although the Huskies opened the second quarter on an 11-0 run, the Bulldogs (12-3) clawed back into the game. But Edmond North maintained its advantage with fourth-quarter free throws. Sophomore Grace Jackson went 7 for 7 at the free-throw line, finishing with 13 points. Senior Kate Melton added 10 points.
The next class of leaders has emerged at Edmond North, and these Huskies are no strangers to winning.
“It’s definitely been a step up from the past few seasons,” Heathcock said. “But I feel like I’m really thriving in this role, leading this team, being a captain and just kind of being out there to help calm all the younger girls down.”
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Boys basketball: Edmond North 72, Edmond Memorial 44
Chianté Tramble rained 3-pointers with efficiency.
The senior point guard led Edmond North with 30 points in a 72-44 rout of Edmond Memorial, and most of his scoring happened beyond the arc.
Tramble went 8 for 9 from 3-point range, and the Edmond North crowd roared as the basketball kept swishing through the hoop. Senior forward Dylan Warlick followed with 12 points.
The Huskies improved to 11-2, while the Bulldogs fell to 10-5.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma high school basketball: Edmond North beats Memorial in Edlam
