Jackets pull away from Purple Pirates
Third quarter surge leads to blowout victory in regional semifinal
![KINGFISHER GUARD Cash Laird (4) and Bristow’s TJ Wilson got tangled up during the first half of the Jackets’ regional win in Cushing on Tuesday night. [Photo by Russell Stitt/www.stitt.smugmug.com]](https://www.kingfisherpress.net/sites/kingfisherpress.etypegoogle10.com/files/styles/article400/public/2a20f6b357_Ar00201005.jpg?itok=ZbP_WA1O "KINGFISHER GUARD Cash Laird (4) and Bristow’s TJ Wilson got tangled up during the first half of the Jackets’ regional win in Cushing on Tuesday night. [Photo by Russell Stitt/www.stitt.smugmug.com]")
KINGFISHER GUARD Cash Laird (4) and Bristow’s TJ Wilson got tangled up during the first half of the Jackets’ regional win in Cushing on Tuesday night. [Photo by Russell Stitt/www.stitt.smugmug.com]
Kingfisher is back in the regional championship game for a second straight year.
The 10th-ranked Jackets dominated the second half Tuesday to pull away from Bristow 69-44 in a 4A regional semifinal in Cushing.
The road gets tougher for KHS now as it takes on No. 4 North Rock Creek at 7:30 p.m. Saturday (after press time of this edition) for the regional title.
North Rock Creek downed Tulsa Central 8362 on Tuesday. The Cougars are 22-1 on the season.
Up by 10 at the half, the Jackets took command of the Purple Pirates with a 20-7 run in the third quarter.
Michael Easley and Hayes White combined for 16 points as the Jackets turned defense into offense for several layups and other buckets in the paint.
Bristow couldn’t cut into its deficit in the fourth quarter as Kingfisher again scored 20.
Four different Jackets reached double figures in the win.
Easley scored 19 points, 10 of them in that decisive third.
White finished his night with 13 points.
Cash Laird and Jackson Willbanks both scored 11.
Willbanks scored 7 in the early goings to help KHS get out to a 14-7 lead.
Laird, Easley and White all had two field goals in the second as the lead grew to 10.
Kingfisher will take a 19-7 record into the regional final.
A win over the Cougars will see KHS advance to the area title game.
A loss means the Jackets will need three consolation wins this week to advance to state.