Am-Po girls take Round 1 vs. Okarche

In a possible playoff preview, Amber-Pocasset got the best of Okarche last Friday night.

Class A’s fourth-ranked Lady Panthers held off No. 5 Okarche for a 33-27 home win.

Hours later, the OSSAA revealed those two were the highest-ranked teams in their basketball playoff assignments, meaning they could potentially meet up in the area tournament later this month.

Okarche had its lowest offensive output of the season thanks to 26.7 percent for the game, which included making just 1 of 15 (6.7 percent) 3-pointers.

They also turned it over 16 times.

Am-Po was actually worse overall from the field.

The Lady Panthers were 9 of 44 (20.5 percent) for the game, but did make 3 of 15 3-pointers.

The real difference came at the free throw line were Okarche made just 2 of 10 attempts while the home team was 12 of 18.

Sadie Franklin was 7 of 8 and finished with 13 to lead all scorers for Am-Po, which improved to 17-3 and won its sixth straight.

Logan White scored 12 for Okarche while Callie Cramer scored 10 and had 19 rebounds.

The shooting got better Saturday against Oklahoma Bible Academy…in the second half.

Okarche scored 30 points over the final two quarters in a 51-20 victory during the Skordle Festival at Stride Bank Center.

The Lady Warriors made just 28 percent of their shots in the first half, but improved to 55.6 percent over those final two quarters.

That allowed them to turn a five-point halftime lead into a blowout.

The defense helped, too, as Okarche gave up just four second-half points.

It proved to be a big day for Katie Parham.

Not only did the junior score a game-high 19 points and grab 10 rebounds, but she surpassed 1,000 career points.

Cramer had another double- double with 12 points and 14 rebounds while White scored 16.

Okarche entered this week with a 16-4 record.

•••

Jett Mueggenborg’s not the only Okarche Warrior who can light up the scoreboard.

Easton Roby flexed his muscle in last Friday’s 80-58 victory at Amber-Pocasset.

Roby poured in 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Warriors won their eighth straight.

Roby made 6 of 13 3-pointers as part of his night.

Mueggenborg can still score, too.

The fellow senior added 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Despite turning it over 39 times, Am-Po hung with Okarche better than most teams.

The Warriors led 20-12 after a quarter and 45-32 at the half.

The lead was 21 entering the fourth quarter.

Okarche shot just 34.6 percent in the game, but attempted 38 more shots than the Panthers.

Five Warriors reached double digits the next day as Okarche thumped OBA 99-25 in the Skordle Festival in Enid.

Okarche pounced on the overmatched Trojans quickly and led 36-7 after a quarter.

The lead grew to 54 by halftime and 75 by the end of the third quarter.

Mueggenborg went 11 of 13 from the field and scored 27 points to lead the way.

Court Sumrall added 19 on 5 of 6 shooting from 3-point range.

Colin Hendrickson added 13, Brett Carnott scored 12 and Ethan Kirby had 10.

The two wins pushed the Warriors’ record to 19-3.