bluesooner17
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TULSA — Choctaw star Ana Llanusa saw the opportunity she had long been waiting for, so she slipped behind her teammates and into the open court.
She spun into a cartwheel, then a backflip, and stuck the landing.
Like just about everything else on Saturday, Llanusa’s championship celebration went perfectly.
“Coach (Ryan) Maloney never lets us do anything like that. We always get in trouble,” Llanusa said with a laugh. “So after we won, I was like, yep, I’m doing it.”
After scoring 26 points to lead Choctaw to a 52-36 win over Deer Creek in the Class 6A state championship game, Llanusa could’ve celebrated just about any way she wanted.
Choctaw had come to the state tournament each of the previous three seasons with talented players and high hopes, only to leave in disappointment.
“Relief,” Maloney said of his emotions after the win.
“It would’ve been hard to have a girl like Ana and not win a title. She’s one heck of a player.”
Choctaw trailed 14-11 with just over four minutes left in the second quarter, with nine of those 11 points coming on 3-pointers by junior Bailey Golden. But she had gone to the bench with two fouls.
Then Llanusa got open for a 3-pointer, and simultaneously as Llanusa got hot, Choctaw’s defense cranked down. Llanusa went on a personal 10-0 run that stretched into the third quarter and saw Choctaw take control of the game.
Golden added five more points to the run for a 26-14 lead, and Deer Creek never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.
“This is amazing,” Golden said.
“The feeling with the team, it’s something you’ll never forget.”
Deer Creek was led by Sydney Manning, who hit five 3-pointers on her way to 17 points, and Maddie Rehl with 10 points.
Choctaw sophomore Aliyah Llanusa added eight points and six rebounds, combining with her sister to go 21-of-23 at the free throw line.
Now with the happy ending she had desired for her high school career, Ana Llanusa can turn her focus to her future at Oklahoma.
“I wouldn’t trade this team for anybody in the world,” she said. “To get to finish off with this is a great feeling.”
A star since she came on the scene as a freshman, Llansua left no question that she’s the state’s best player as she walked off the Mabee Center court with a champion’s medal around her neck.
“To cement her legacy like this is just epic,” Maloney said.
“I couldn’t be prouder of her. She’s one in a million.”
She spun into a cartwheel, then a backflip, and stuck the landing.
Like just about everything else on Saturday, Llanusa’s championship celebration went perfectly.
“Coach (Ryan) Maloney never lets us do anything like that. We always get in trouble,” Llanusa said with a laugh. “So after we won, I was like, yep, I’m doing it.”
After scoring 26 points to lead Choctaw to a 52-36 win over Deer Creek in the Class 6A state championship game, Llanusa could’ve celebrated just about any way she wanted.
Choctaw had come to the state tournament each of the previous three seasons with talented players and high hopes, only to leave in disappointment.
“Relief,” Maloney said of his emotions after the win.
“It would’ve been hard to have a girl like Ana and not win a title. She’s one heck of a player.”
Choctaw trailed 14-11 with just over four minutes left in the second quarter, with nine of those 11 points coming on 3-pointers by junior Bailey Golden. But she had gone to the bench with two fouls.
Then Llanusa got open for a 3-pointer, and simultaneously as Llanusa got hot, Choctaw’s defense cranked down. Llanusa went on a personal 10-0 run that stretched into the third quarter and saw Choctaw take control of the game.
Golden added five more points to the run for a 26-14 lead, and Deer Creek never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.
“This is amazing,” Golden said.
“The feeling with the team, it’s something you’ll never forget.”
Deer Creek was led by Sydney Manning, who hit five 3-pointers on her way to 17 points, and Maddie Rehl with 10 points.
Choctaw sophomore Aliyah Llanusa added eight points and six rebounds, combining with her sister to go 21-of-23 at the free throw line.
Now with the happy ending she had desired for her high school career, Ana Llanusa can turn her focus to her future at Oklahoma.
“I wouldn’t trade this team for anybody in the world,” she said. “To get to finish off with this is a great feeling.”
A star since she came on the scene as a freshman, Llansua left no question that she’s the state’s best player as she walked off the Mabee Center court with a champion’s medal around her neck.
“To cement her legacy like this is just epic,” Maloney said.
“I couldn’t be prouder of her. She’s one in a million.”
