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This all I could find via the Norman Transcript:
Tigers continue growth right up to end of season
By Corbin Hosler Transcript Sports Writer | Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2015 11:18 pm
CHOCTAW — It’s been a season of improvement for Norman High. And even in the Tigers’ final game of the season, a 64-30 loss to No. 6 Choctaw, the Tigers showed that improvement.
The Yellowjackets opened the game in a full-court press, and the pressure got to the Tigers early. Struggling against Choctaw’s length and athleticism, NHS turned the ball over nine times in the opening quarter, allowing Choctaw to go on a 14-0 run and take control of the game early.
But like they have all year — even after the loss of leading scorer Bethany Franks just two weeks into the season — the Tigers found ways to get better. The turnovers slowed, and NHS began to find ways to break the press and get into its offense.
Led by Ana Llanusa’s 22 points and five rebounds, Choctaw (18-5) was still too much of a match for a young Tigers squad, and the loss ended NHS’ season at 3-21, a disappointment for a Tiger team rebuilding under first-year coach Michael Neal.
But it wasn’t a season about wins and losses for an NHS squad that started four sophomores. It was a season about getting better, and that’s something the Tigers have never failed at.
“These girls gave it everything they had,” Neal said. “Even though we weren’t winning they came to practice ready to work every day. The body language was always good. Never once did we have a problem with attitudes. As coaches, we’re blessed to have that, and I can live with the wins and losses.”
There’s plenty of reasons to be hopeful about the Tigers’ future. NHS started four sophomores this year and will return Franks — another sophomore — next season. They’ll have another year of experience under Neal’s direction and should be vastly improved on the offensive end.
Some of those reasons were readily apparent Thursday. Dari Hunter, an athletic post player who has shown steady progress in her two years at NHS, fell just shy of a double-double, recording nine points to go along with 15 rebounds and an assist. And Shelby Thrailkill led the team with 11 points even as Choctaw pinned its best perimeter defender against her all night.
With both players coming back next season, the Tigers will look to a potent inside duo of Franks and Hunter to create space for Thrailkill and the team’s other guards on the outside.
But none of that bright future may have been possible if not for the efforts of NHS’ only senior, Erica Mitchell. Originally unsure about whether or not to play this season after losing the last two years to ACL injuries, Mitchell decided to stick out her senior year on the team.
The senior was invaluable to the Tigers.
“She’s the type of player who does all the little things to be a leader,” Neal said. “She leads by example, and she was our heartbeat when we didn’t have one. Facing this adversity, it would have been easy for a team with a bunch of younger girls to fold, but Erica wouldn’t let that happen. Without her, I don’t know where we would be.
“We laid a foundation this season. It didn’t translate into a lot of wins, but they did the right things all year. We built a foundation of things to come in the future.”
Norman North girls 60, Mustang 48: The first time Norman North and Mustang met, it was a shootout, and the Timberwolves prevailed by a single point in a nailbiter. The next time the two teams squared off, the Timberwolves rolled to a lopsided victory.
The Timberwolves knew the third time would not be as easy, and Mustang did not disappoint.
But North was up to the challenge, and knocked off the Broncos 60-48 in a game that came down to the final quarter. The Broncos cut the T-Wolves’ lead to 10 points late in the game, but unlike previous games where North struggled to maintain a lead in the final minutes, they were up to the challenge on Thursday.
The Timberwolves hit the shots they needed to down the stretch and converted on enough free throws to ice the win and send them into the second round of the playoffs, where they’ll square off in a rematch against Edmond Santa Fe at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The last time the two teams met, North took a lead into the game’s final minutes, but a series of costly turnovers and missed free throws doomed the Timberwolves and opened a window for Edmond Santa Fe, one the Wolves took advantage of with a buzzer-beater to win the game.
Tigers continue growth right up to end of season
By Corbin Hosler Transcript Sports Writer | Posted: Thursday, February 26, 2015 11:18 pm
CHOCTAW — It’s been a season of improvement for Norman High. And even in the Tigers’ final game of the season, a 64-30 loss to No. 6 Choctaw, the Tigers showed that improvement.
The Yellowjackets opened the game in a full-court press, and the pressure got to the Tigers early. Struggling against Choctaw’s length and athleticism, NHS turned the ball over nine times in the opening quarter, allowing Choctaw to go on a 14-0 run and take control of the game early.
But like they have all year — even after the loss of leading scorer Bethany Franks just two weeks into the season — the Tigers found ways to get better. The turnovers slowed, and NHS began to find ways to break the press and get into its offense.
Led by Ana Llanusa’s 22 points and five rebounds, Choctaw (18-5) was still too much of a match for a young Tigers squad, and the loss ended NHS’ season at 3-21, a disappointment for a Tiger team rebuilding under first-year coach Michael Neal.
But it wasn’t a season about wins and losses for an NHS squad that started four sophomores. It was a season about getting better, and that’s something the Tigers have never failed at.
“These girls gave it everything they had,” Neal said. “Even though we weren’t winning they came to practice ready to work every day. The body language was always good. Never once did we have a problem with attitudes. As coaches, we’re blessed to have that, and I can live with the wins and losses.”
There’s plenty of reasons to be hopeful about the Tigers’ future. NHS started four sophomores this year and will return Franks — another sophomore — next season. They’ll have another year of experience under Neal’s direction and should be vastly improved on the offensive end.
Some of those reasons were readily apparent Thursday. Dari Hunter, an athletic post player who has shown steady progress in her two years at NHS, fell just shy of a double-double, recording nine points to go along with 15 rebounds and an assist. And Shelby Thrailkill led the team with 11 points even as Choctaw pinned its best perimeter defender against her all night.
With both players coming back next season, the Tigers will look to a potent inside duo of Franks and Hunter to create space for Thrailkill and the team’s other guards on the outside.
But none of that bright future may have been possible if not for the efforts of NHS’ only senior, Erica Mitchell. Originally unsure about whether or not to play this season after losing the last two years to ACL injuries, Mitchell decided to stick out her senior year on the team.
The senior was invaluable to the Tigers.
“She’s the type of player who does all the little things to be a leader,” Neal said. “She leads by example, and she was our heartbeat when we didn’t have one. Facing this adversity, it would have been easy for a team with a bunch of younger girls to fold, but Erica wouldn’t let that happen. Without her, I don’t know where we would be.
“We laid a foundation this season. It didn’t translate into a lot of wins, but they did the right things all year. We built a foundation of things to come in the future.”
Norman North girls 60, Mustang 48: The first time Norman North and Mustang met, it was a shootout, and the Timberwolves prevailed by a single point in a nailbiter. The next time the two teams squared off, the Timberwolves rolled to a lopsided victory.
The Timberwolves knew the third time would not be as easy, and Mustang did not disappoint.
But North was up to the challenge, and knocked off the Broncos 60-48 in a game that came down to the final quarter. The Broncos cut the T-Wolves’ lead to 10 points late in the game, but unlike previous games where North struggled to maintain a lead in the final minutes, they were up to the challenge on Thursday.
The Timberwolves hit the shots they needed to down the stretch and converted on enough free throws to ice the win and send them into the second round of the playoffs, where they’ll square off in a rematch against Edmond Santa Fe at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The last time the two teams met, North took a lead into the game’s final minutes, but a series of costly turnovers and missed free throws doomed the Timberwolves and opened a window for Edmond Santa Fe, one the Wolves took advantage of with a buzzer-beater to win the game.