Lady Rangers fall at state tournament
OKLAHOMA CITY — It was a short stay for the Roland Lady Rangers at the Class 3A State Tournament as they lost 45-37 to the Norman Community Christian School Lady Royals in the state quarterfinals Tuesday morning at Jim Norick State Fair Arena.
The Lady Rangers ended the season at 20-7. Trailing 37-36 with 3:04 left to play, the Lady Royals (24-5) scored the game’s final nine points to get the come-from-behind win.
The Lady Rangers got off to a fast start as Lilly Medicine Bird hit two free throws with 2:18 left in the first quarter to take a 9-4 lead.
After the Lady Royals cut the deficit to 9-8 with 62 seconds remaining in the period, Kynlei Earnhart’s 3-point basket with 21 seconds left in the quarter gave Roland a 12-8 lead after the first eight minutes.
A 7-2 run by the Lady Royals gave Community Christian School a 15-14 lead with 4:04 left before halftime, but the Lady Rangers got the halftime lead as back-to-back baskets by Haven Freeman and Medicine Bird in the final 3:14 of the first half put Roland on top 18-15 at halftime.
The Lady Royals outscored the Lady Rangers 1411 in the third quarter to knot the game at 29-all entering the final period.
The fourth quarter saw seven lead changes over the first 4:56, with the last lead going to Roland at 3736 after Haven Freeman’s basket with 3:04 left in the game.
In defeat, Medicine Bird led Roland with 19 points, followed by Halle Freeman with eight points, Earnhart with six points and Haven Freeman with four points.
