bluesooner17
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TULSA — In the end, missed shots and second-chance points, when the first applies to you and the second to your opponent, about always add up to defeat.
So it was late Thursday night at ORU’s Mabee Center for the Westmoore girls, who saw their dream of a season go down in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament, 52-47, to Midwest City.
Having to fight off the Bombers’ tradition can be a tall order, too.
“We knew coming into this game that we had to play defense and block out and rebound and I think we were fighting,” Westmoore coach Andrea Guziec said. “It just wasn’t quite enough.”
The third-ranked Jags (24-3) looked like a team ready to run away from the Bombers (22-5) in the first quarter … if only they could keep MWC’s big girl in the middle, Ireon Smith, from turning rebounds into second-chance points.
Smith canned eight first-quarter points, six on cutbacks, just to keep the Bombers within 20-17.
From that point forward, Smith continued her rebounding and a lid was placed over the Westmoore bucket.
Jessi Murcer finished with 21 points for the Jags and Sydney Chastain added 13, but after a a first quarter that saw the duo go 5 of 7 from the floor, nothing came easy. The tandem finished a combined 11 of 29 from the floor and 4 of 10 from 3-point land.
After arresting control of the game in the second quarter, the Bombers led the last five minutes of the first half and the first 9:09 of the second, unttil a Chastain jumper with 6:51 remaining tied it up 42-42. Westmoore, however, never regained the lead.
The Jags had possession in the final minute down three. Twice Guziec called time out to reset her offense. However, looking for an opening from distance, no Westmoore shooter could break free. Eventually, Chinna Fair stole the ball and hit a layup for the final Bomber margin.
“I felt like they were tugging, pulling, doing everything they could to keep (Murcer) and Ashley Gomez from scoring,” Guziec said. “They knew they were scorers and they were going to do everything they could get away with … We fought and tried to do what we could against them.”
Smith finished with 13 rebounds, seven on the offensive glass and 14 points. Fair added 13 and Asha Davis 12 for Midwest City.
Kaci Richardson added nine rebounds and six points for the Jaguars. Gomez dished four assists.
For Westmoore, it was a great season and a difficult ending.
Guziec closed the night by saluting her players.
“I couldn’t be prouder of what these girls have accomplished together,” she said. “You look at them and they don’t really pass the eye test, some of them, but they play well together and they play very hard and that’s the thing …
“They’re a team, they’re a team.”
Midwest City 17 14 11 10 - 52
Westmoore 20 10 8 9 - 47
Midwest City: Smith 14, Fair 13, Davis 12, Burley 7, Reeves 3, Garfield 3.
Westmoore: J. Murcer 21, Chastain 13, Richardson 9, Gomez 4.
So it was late Thursday night at ORU’s Mabee Center for the Westmoore girls, who saw their dream of a season go down in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament, 52-47, to Midwest City.
Having to fight off the Bombers’ tradition can be a tall order, too.
“We knew coming into this game that we had to play defense and block out and rebound and I think we were fighting,” Westmoore coach Andrea Guziec said. “It just wasn’t quite enough.”
The third-ranked Jags (24-3) looked like a team ready to run away from the Bombers (22-5) in the first quarter … if only they could keep MWC’s big girl in the middle, Ireon Smith, from turning rebounds into second-chance points.
Smith canned eight first-quarter points, six on cutbacks, just to keep the Bombers within 20-17.
From that point forward, Smith continued her rebounding and a lid was placed over the Westmoore bucket.
Jessi Murcer finished with 21 points for the Jags and Sydney Chastain added 13, but after a a first quarter that saw the duo go 5 of 7 from the floor, nothing came easy. The tandem finished a combined 11 of 29 from the floor and 4 of 10 from 3-point land.
After arresting control of the game in the second quarter, the Bombers led the last five minutes of the first half and the first 9:09 of the second, unttil a Chastain jumper with 6:51 remaining tied it up 42-42. Westmoore, however, never regained the lead.
The Jags had possession in the final minute down three. Twice Guziec called time out to reset her offense. However, looking for an opening from distance, no Westmoore shooter could break free. Eventually, Chinna Fair stole the ball and hit a layup for the final Bomber margin.
“I felt like they were tugging, pulling, doing everything they could to keep (Murcer) and Ashley Gomez from scoring,” Guziec said. “They knew they were scorers and they were going to do everything they could get away with … We fought and tried to do what we could against them.”
Smith finished with 13 rebounds, seven on the offensive glass and 14 points. Fair added 13 and Asha Davis 12 for Midwest City.
Kaci Richardson added nine rebounds and six points for the Jaguars. Gomez dished four assists.
For Westmoore, it was a great season and a difficult ending.
Guziec closed the night by saluting her players.
“I couldn’t be prouder of what these girls have accomplished together,” she said. “You look at them and they don’t really pass the eye test, some of them, but they play well together and they play very hard and that’s the thing …
“They’re a team, they’re a team.”
Midwest City 17 14 11 10 - 52
Westmoore 20 10 8 9 - 47
Midwest City: Smith 14, Fair 13, Davis 12, Burley 7, Reeves 3, Garfield 3.
Westmoore: J. Murcer 21, Chastain 13, Richardson 9, Gomez 4.
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