Myers shines in KHS playoff opener
Sophomore has double-double; senior starters continue to heal up
LADY JACKET sophomore Abbie Myers (3) shoots over Blanchard’s Teegan Cullison during Kingfisher’s district win. Myers had a double-double and also led the team in steals in the 47-26 win. [Photo by Russell Stitt/www.stitt.smugmug.com]
Someone told Peyton Walker that in a perfect world, the Kingfisher High School girls basketball team wouldn’t need the service of all its injured starters for the first round of the playoffs.
“It’s not a perfect world,” responded the KHS senior point guard.
TheLadyJacketsweren’t perfect, either, but they were good enough to give Walker and fellow senior Addy Matthews even more time to heal up.
The duo watched as their teammates took control of their Class 4A district title game with Blanchard midway through the second quarter and claim a 47-26 victory on Saturday at the APB.
The victory kept Kingfi sher in the winner’s bracket entering this week’s regional at Blanchard. The 10th-ranked Lady Jackets will play Plainview (21-3) at 6 p.m. Thursday in a semifinal.
Matthews was in street clothes for the third straight game with a severely sprained ankle.
Walker was dressed in uniform, but was only going to be used in an emergency situation as she continues to rehabilitate her injured foot.
Back in the starting lineup was junior Talor Mecklenburg, who missed the previous Tuesday’s game with a hip injury.
Mecklenburg and her teammates were in a dogfi ght with Blanchard early. The visitors took a 6-3 lead in the opening minutes, prompting an early KHS timeout.
Kingfisher led by one after a quarter and the game was tied 13-13 just over two minutes into the second quarter.
That’s when freshman Adlee Friesen stepped outside the arc and made a 3-pointer with 4:53 left in the half.
It started Kingfisher’s most dominant stretch.
The Lady Jackets closed the half on a 14-3 run and then scored the first six points of the second half.
The dominant stretch in the second quarter was fueled by Abbie Myers.
The sophomore scored 11 points in the quarter, including a 3-pointer to close the half, putting KHS up 27-16.
She wasn’t just doing it on the offensive end.
Myers was grabbing rebounds, swiping steals and diving for loose balls.
She finished the game with a double-double, leading the team in points (15), rebounds (10) and steals (6).
Myers was also second on the team with five assists, trailing only post player Raegan Snider.
Snider managed 12 points, six rebounds and six assists.
She made two 3-pointers in the first quarter, helping keep Kingfisher’s offense afloat until it found its footing.
Mattie Slezickey also made a first-quarter trey and added another in the third. She scored eight points and had four assists while running the point. The freshman added three steals.
Freisen scored nine points and once again was big on the boards with eight. She added three assists.
Once KHS built its double- digit lead, Blanchard had no shot at coming back.
The Lady Lions shot just 22.7 percent for the game. Their 21 turnovers led to 17 KHS points.
Mecklenburg had three rebounds and a steal and played more than 30 minutes in her return.
It helped Kingfisher win its 14th straight game and improve to 20-4.
Plainview defeated Sulphur 51-23 in their district game Friday night.
The Lady Indians have won nine straight games and 19 of their last 20 since starting the season 2-2.