No. 6 Vanoss girls put top-ranked Dale to the test
Feb. 8—DALE — The Vanoss High School girl's basketball team may not have left Dale with a victory, but they sure made the top-ranked Lady Pirates sweat for most of the game in a battle between two of the top teams in Class 2A.
Dale sank a pair of 3-pointers in the closing seconds to finally put Vanoss away in a 52-42 victory over the Lady Wolves in a contest that was much closer than the final score might indicate.
No. 1 Dale improved to 22-1 on the year and stretched its home winning streak to an incredible 38 straight games. Sixth-ranked Vanoss saw its 13-game win streak come to a halt and dropped to 21-3 on the season.
The two teams could be headed toward a collision course in the playoffs. Dale and Vanoss are both part of the Class 2A Area 1 bracket.
No. 1 Dale flexed its muscles in the boys' game, rolling past 16th-ranked Vanoss 68-35.
Both Vanoss clubs will end the regular season with a road trip to Wewoka tonight. The girls' contest is scheduled to tip off at 6 p.m.
GIRLS
Dale 52, Vanoss 42
The Lady Pirates led by six early in the fourth quarter before Vanoss sophomore Zoey Cagle buried back-to-back 3-pointers that tied the at 40-all at the halfway point of the period.
However, Vanoss would score just two more points the rest of the way.
Caidence Cross hit a pair of free shots with 2:41 left that snapped a 6-0 Dale run that got the Lady Wolves within 46-42.
Teague Muncy then hit a big 3-pointer on Dale's next trip down the court. Muncy then got a steal that turned into a back-breaking triple from Ava Bell that pushed the DHS advantage to 52-42 with 1:09 left and put the game out of reach.
Vanoss opened the third quarter with an 11-3 run capped by a 3-point basket from Livi Ellis that put the Lady Wolves in front 33-30 at the 1:45 mark of the period. It should have been worse for the Lady Pirates. During that critical stretch, Vanoss missed a pair of chip shot layups that could have put Dale in a bigger hole.
The Lady Pirates led 15-12 after the first quarter and built a 27-22 halftime edge.
Avery Ellis, who picked up her fourth foul with just over three minutes left in the game but didn't foul out, led the Vanoss offense with 14 points. Cross also hit double figures for the locals with 12 points and made 4-of-4 free throws. Gagle was next with eight points for Vanoss and Livi Ellis finished with six points and seven blocked shots (she altered even more Dale shot attempts).
Muncy led the Dale charge with 17 points. Karsen Griggs followed with 12 points and Bell ended up with eight. Grace Anderson added seven points for the home team.
Vanoss made 9-of-11 free throws in the game, while Dale hit 6-of-7 attempts.
BOYS
Dale 68, Vanoss 35
Dale ended the first quarter on a 14-0 run and outscored Vanoss 19-6 in the second period to build a 37-10 halftime edge.
Dale continued to widen the gap by out-distancing Vanoss 31-25 over the final two frames.
The VHS offense couldn't have been much more balanced. Caleb Treat, Logan Hulbutta, and Layne Thrower all scored 11 points each. Thrower and Hulbutta both made 3-point shots.
Deken Jones led the Dale attack with 16 points. Dayton Forsythe, who will continue his basketball career at the University of Oklahoma, was next with 12 points. Jett Higdon also hit double figures for the Pirates with 11.
