Sallisaw will tip off against the Lady Bulldogs at 3:30 p.m. at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany. The first priority for head coach Casey Eubanks is finding a way to slow down Thompson, a 5-foot-5 junior who averages 22.2 points per game.
So, how do you do that?
"Pray," joked Eubanks.
"They've got a real good one in Thompson. She's like a little spitfire. She's quick, she shoots the ball well and she can break you down off the dribble. She's one of the best," added Eubanks. "We'll put a little size on her and I think Caitlyn (Hall) and Caitie (Goff) can keep up with her. She likes to shoot the ball deep from 20 to 22 feet. We've got to contain her and keep her from getting to the glass too."
Thompson and the Lady Bulldogs are no strangers to the state tourney, having been there in each of the past two seasons. Cache lost to Fort Gibson on both occasions, including last year in the semifinals.
The Lady Bulldogs recently surpassed Fort Gibson for the No. 1 spot at OkRankings.com. While Eubanks is impressed with Cache, he still believes Fort Gibson is the top team in 4A after falling to the Lady Tigers in last Friday's Area IV championship game.
"I think Fort Gibson's the No. 1 team because they have the complete package: an inside game, an outside game, a solid point guard and role players who can come in and beat you. Don't get me wrong, Cache is one of the top teams, but I just think Fort Gibson is a better all-around team," said Eubanks.
Cache enters the state tourney with a record of 25-1 after edging sixth-ranked Elgin 55-54 in the Area I final. The Lady Bulldogs own a victory over Class A state champ Howe and their only loss was to Class 6A Tulsa Union back in December.
All three of the school's state tournament appearances have been under fifth-year head coach Kenny White. Some of the key players for Cache include Kayla Jensen (5-5, junior), Lindsey Carter (5-7, freshman), Kaley Tartsah (5-8, junior) and Lauren Winham (5-9, sophomore). Carter is the team's second-leading scorer at 11.0 points per game.
"They don't really match up with us at all," noted Eubanks. "Their tallest player is 5-9, so one of the good things is that we have a size advantage. They'll start primarily five guards and they'll have the speed advantage, but we're kind of used to that.
"From what I've heard, they all lift weights and they're strong girls. They have good team quickness and that allows them break you down off the dribble. They shoot real well too. All five of their players can hit the 3."
Controlling the pace of Thursday's contest could be a big factor in the outcome.
"We have to slow the game down and play our tempo," said Eubanks. "I've heard from several coaches that have won games up there that you have to control the tempo to win at state. We also have to keep their shooters from getting hot. If we give up 10 3-pointers, we'll get beat."
The second-year Sallisaw coach credits team defense for the Lady Diamonds' deepest playoff run since 2000, when they made it to the state quarterfinals before falling to Deer Creek. Sallisaw has allowed just 43.25 points per game in its four playoff wins.
"We've relied on our defense a lot. We always have one quarter where we hold the other team down and that's been my focus this week. We're studying what Cache likes to do and trying to find a way to exploit it," said Eubanks.
While Cache has a definite go-to player, the Lady Diamonds have relied on a more balanced offensive attack. Junior guard Caitlyn Hall is the leading scorer at 9.6 points per game and junior post Sarah Snider averages 9.4. However, the other three starters-seniors Meghan Smith, Ashley Covington and Meghan Smith-are all capable of big games offensively along with freshman standout Caitie Goff.
Sallisaw, which is No. 8 in the final OkRankings.com poll, enters the tournament with a record of 23-4. A win over Cache would put the Lady Diamonds in the semifinals at 9 a.m. Friday against the winner of Perkins and Star Spencer. The final two rounds of the state tourney will be played at State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City and the final is set for 9:15 p.m. Saturday.
THE ROAD TO STATE
Cache Lady Bulldogs
CHS 69, Marlow 24
CHS 72, Madill 38
CHS 60, McGuinness 44
Cache 55, Elgin 54
Sallisaw Lady Diamonds
SHS 45, Muldrow 43
SHS 58, Victory Chr. 47
SHS 54, Poteau 33
Fort Gibson 63, SHS 51
SHS 61, Muldrow 50
CLASS 4A STATE TOURNAMENT
March 6-8
First Round, Thursday
At Southern Nazarene University (Bethany)
Perkins (25-2) vs. Star Spencer (22-1), 2 p.m.
Cache (25-1) vs. Sallisaw (24-3), 3:30 p.m.
Vinita (26-0) vs. Anadarko (19-9), 7 p.m.
Weatherford (20-6) vs. Fort Gibson (24-2), 8:30 p.m.
Semifinals, Friday
At State Fair Arena (Oklahoma City)
Cache/Sallisaw winner vs. Perkins/Star Spencer winner, 9 a.m.
Vinita/Anadarko winner vs. Weatherford/Fort Gibson winner, 9 p.m.
Championship Game, Saturday
At State Fair Arena (Oklahoma City)
Semifinal winners, 9:15 p.m.
