After falling to No. 6 Savanna on Thursday, the Lady Tigers earned a trip to the area tournament with big wins on Friday and Saturday.
They beat Talihina 44-28 on Friday, then easily handled Colbert 46-32 in the consolation finals on Saturday.
Sophomore guard Hayley Tanner led the attack against Colbert with 19 points. Cydney Dillard joined her in double figures with 14 points and Lindsey Woody added seven as the Lady Tigers improved to 16-8.
After falling to Wister in the first round on Thursday, Gore bounced back with a strong outing against Colbert on Friday, winning 48-44 as Devan Rineheart poured in 25 points and Logan Andrews added 10.
The Pirates locked into an epic battle against Silo in the consolation finals, eventually falling 83-75 in five overtimes. The game was knotted at 46-46 at the end of regulation. In the third overtime Gore led by three points until a Silo three-pointer in the final seconds tied it up again.
Gore head coach Jordan Garner called the game “one of the craziest things I’ve been a part of.”
The loss brought a sudden end to a very successful season that ended with an 18-8 record. The Pirates were ranked in Class 2A much of the year.
“We were hoping to go to area,” Garner said. “We’re kind of in shock that it’s over. It’s been a good season overall.”
Rineheart led the Pirates with 19 points before fouling out in the first overtime. Logan Andrews and Cory Hunt added 14 points apiece, while Ethan James scored 10. Andrews, who fouled out in the fourth overtime, hauled down a whopping 20 rebounds.
