Kingfisher ends postseason run for Lady Diamonds
NOBLE – The Sallisaw Lady Diamonds owned a three-point advantage over fourth-ranked Kingfisher at halftime of Thursday’s Class 4A area tournament elimination game, and stayed within striking distance of the Lady Yellowjackets early in the second half but Sallisaw could not come up with enough points or produce enough defensive stops as the game wore on, bowing to Kingfisher, 48-42 to end the Lady Diamonds’ postseason run.
SALLISAW HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL
NOBLE – The Sallisaw Lady Diamonds owned a three-point advantage over fourth-ranked Kingfisher at halftime of Thursday’s Class 4A area tournament elimination game, and stayed within striking distance of the Lady Yellowjackets early in the second half. But Sallisaw could not come up with enough points or produce enough defensive stops as the game wore on, bowing to Kingfisher, 48-42, to end the Lady Diamonds’ postseason run.
Madison Bolin and Addyson Gream combined for 30 of Sallisaw’s points, but the team’s strong performance against the formidable Lady Yellowjackets wasn’t enough to stave off elimination.
Sallisaw ended the season with a 16-10 record, while earning a Class 4A regional consolation title along the way against Sulphur.
The Lady Yellowjackets (23-5) started slowly in the first quarter, while the Lady Diamonds got six points and five points, respectively, from Gream and Ellie Martin as Sallisaw earned a 14-8 cushion.
Gream added another six points in the second stanza, but Kingfisher answered with 16 points to trim Sallisaw’s advantage to three points going into the break.
Sallisaw struggled in the second half, however, getting outpaced 11-7 in the third period as Kingfisher took a one-point lead into the final frame at 35-34.
In the fourth quarter, the Lady Yellowjackets outscored Sallisaw 13-6, increasing their cushion to six points by the final buzzer and ending the Lady Diamonds’ postseason run.
Bolin and Gream, with 16 and 14 points, respectively, led the Sallisaw scorers, while Kingfisher’s Addy Matthews earned game-high honors with 18 points.
Sallisaw 14 13 7 6 – 42
Kingfisher 8 16 11 13 – 48
SALLISAW – Madison Bolin 16, Addyson Gream 14, Ellie Martin 8, Kayli Macon 4.
