Oklahoma high school basketball: OU signee Zya Vann sets Bethany record in playoff win
BETHANY — Zya Vann didn’t leave her home crowd in suspense for long.
To etch her name in Bethany girls basketball history, she had to score seven points against Elk City.
Mission accomplished before the end of the first quarter.
The Bronchos clobbered the Elks, 101-34, in Thursday night’s regional matchup to secure a spot in the Class 4A Area II tournament, and Vann set the tone for her team’s domination. Early in the game, the senior OU signee knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and followed with the record-breaking basket, going on an 8-0 run by herself.
Fans roared, and teammates on the bench gleefully waved their purple towels. Vann had scored the most career points of any Bethany girls basketball player, surpassing Logan Martin’s mark of 1,687 points from 2008.
“I know that I’ve worked really hard to get to where I’m at right now,” said Vann, who scored 18 against the Elks. “So I’m really happy.”
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The Bethany community is seeing where Vann’s constant work is taking her, too. At halftime, Martin walked to center court and presented Vann with a framed photograph to commemorate her milestone. Martin, the girls basketball coach at Putnam North, swapped her usual Panthers gear for a gray-and-purple T-shirt to represent her alma mater.
Bethany coach Eric Sailer proudly watched the ceremony.
“There’s a reason why I didn’t go out there, because I didn’t score a single point,” Sailer said. “(Martin) scored them all, and I wanted her to have this opportunity for her to be recognized because setting a record that has lasted 16 years is super-special. It’s important.”
Vann has taken an unconventional, winding path to the milestone. She hasn’t scored all of her points in a Broncho uniform, instead starting her career at Norman and spending her sophomore year at Southmoore before winning state with Bethany as a junior. Sailer didn’t get caught up in those details. If a student makes A’s, the grades can transfer between high schools, he said, looking at point totals the same way.
After bouncing from program to program, Vann has found a sense of belonging at Bethany. She credited her coaches and teammates for creating an environment where she thrives. One of those peers is Talia Vann, her junior sister, who joins Zya in the gym to practice at 5:30 a.m.
Zya said their father, former OU basketball player Bryatt Vann, provides motivation on those early mornings.
“He’s really helped us a lot,” Zya Vann said. “I think (Talia and I) both just want to be really good basketball players. We see that it can take us really far, so we’re willing to do whatever it takes to be the best.”
Talia Vann contributed to the Bronchos’ massive Thursday victory with 12 points. Junior OU commit Keziah Lofton led Bethany with 19 points, Kayten Donley added 13 and Avery Marchino had 12.
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Despite the lopsided score, the top-ranked Bronchos (21-4) couldn’t coast through the beginning.
Elk City (12-14) forced several turnovers, preventing Bethany from activating its high-powered offense.
Once the Bronchos started taking care of the ball, no one could curb their momentum. They extended their 5-3 lead with the 16-0 run that included Vann’s record-shattering points.
With an area berth secured, Bethany will face Purcell in Friday’s regional finals to determine their positions in the bracket. The Bronchos could be two wins away from returning to state, and the defending champs don’t have to wonder what they need to do to get there.
“They know what’s going to happen,” Sailer said, “and they kind of can take the course.”
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Boys basketball: McGuinness upsets Bethany
McGuinness clung to a one-point lead when Cooper Bradley stepped to the free-throw line in the final seconds.
“I just knew that it was just a normal free throw,” Bradley said. “I didn’t let the pressure really get to me. It kind of got to me at first, but then I just did my normal routine.”
The junior guard added the final points of McGuinness’ 45-42 victory against Bethany on Thursday night, securing an area berth. The unranked Fighting Irish upset the No. 7 Bronchos, who will face Purcell on Friday in a win-or-go-home game.
Bradley led McGuinness (12-12) with 24 points, but it was no easy win. The teams traded leads, and in the fourth quarter, Braxton Mullins hit a 3 for Bethany to tie the game at 40. Bradley quickly responded with a jump shot, and his free throws later gave the Irish a 45-42 advantage with 5.7 seconds left.
Bethany (17-8) had a final opportunity to force overtime, but the 3-point attempt fell short as the buzzer blared. McGuinness coach Jake Brown described how the close victory was a testament to his team’s growth since the start of the season.
“They fought really, really hard,” Brown said. “We knew that (the Bronchos) were gonna come punch us in the mouth and pressure us and get after us, and we had to just weather it.”
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU signee Zya Vann sets Bethany record in playoff win over Elk City
