bluesooner17
Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2010
- Messages
- 863
- Reaction score
- 3
EDMOND — Starting a freshman point guard, Norman High girls basketball coach Michael Neal is willing to take the good with the bad.
Because when Kelbie Washington is good, she’s awfully good.
The youngster finished with 19 points in No. 17 NHS’ 56-48 win Friday at No. 12 Edmond North, and her defensive prowess was the difference early in the second half as the Tigers created important separation.
The Huskies spurted to within 27-26 by intermission, until Washington scored or assisted on NHS’ first nine points of the second half.
She added three steals in the third quarter’s first three minutes. That defensive mindset spread throughout the lineup, as the Tigers allowed just 31 percent shooting down the stretch.
“She’ll have a stint like that every game. Even if we’re down, she’s still doing those kind of things,” Neal said. “She’s one of the most competitive players I’ve ever been around. As a freshman, she plays hard and we feed off it.”
Washington’s long arms and quick hands often lead to points for the Tigers, who have won back-to-back games since going 1-2 at the Putnam City Invitational over the holiday break.
“That’s my thing,” Washington said. “I play defense.”
Which is why Neal doesn’t cringe when Washington tries too much, like when her behind-the-back pass in the fourth quarter went awry and allowed Edmond North to get within 49-46.
Washington later rectifi ed matters with two straight steals that helped extend the lead. She leapt through a passing lane and tipped a pass to teammate Kayla Albright, whose layup gave the Tigers a 54-46 advantage with 1:43 to play.
“She got some big steals, really disrupted the flow of offense with her defensive presence,” Neal said. “She’s really dynamic and it allows a girl like Turner [Mattingly] to go concentrate on scoring.”
Mattingly finished with seven points on a night Christina Shadid erupted for 17 points off the bench, making 3 of 5 shots from long range in the second half and five 3s for the game. Her trey to start the fourth quarter boosted NHS ahead 45-35.
Alexandria Blackwell also added seven points off the bench.
That depth was critical as NHS (8-3) played through foul trouble.
“[Shadid and Blackwell] were really, really big,” Neal said. “I think that was those two girls’ best game they’ve had thus far. Christina came in and hit about four or five 3s, she guarded without fouling. Alexandria corrected all our mistakes defensively.
Those girls stepped up big time.”
Edmond North (8-4) nearly pushed its way to a halftime lead after trailing 24-17 with just under three minutes left in the second quarter. The Huskies reeled off a 9-2 run, thanks to four points inside from forward Raychael Harjo, who finished with 12 points.
Soon enough, though, Washington produced one of her signature energetic spurts. All told, Edmond North committed five turnovers the first three minutes of the second half.
“There’s more aspects than just scoring,” Washington said. “You have to look at other fundamentals, and defense is a big part of it.”
If anything, it helps calm her as she shoulders a heavy load during her first season playing varsity, which continues Tuesday at Southmoore.
“Honestly, I love [the responsibility],” she said. “It improves me as a player, and as long as it improves my team, that’s all I care about. It’s been a challenge, but my team makes it so much easier.”
Because when Kelbie Washington is good, she’s awfully good.
The youngster finished with 19 points in No. 17 NHS’ 56-48 win Friday at No. 12 Edmond North, and her defensive prowess was the difference early in the second half as the Tigers created important separation.
The Huskies spurted to within 27-26 by intermission, until Washington scored or assisted on NHS’ first nine points of the second half.
She added three steals in the third quarter’s first three minutes. That defensive mindset spread throughout the lineup, as the Tigers allowed just 31 percent shooting down the stretch.
“She’ll have a stint like that every game. Even if we’re down, she’s still doing those kind of things,” Neal said. “She’s one of the most competitive players I’ve ever been around. As a freshman, she plays hard and we feed off it.”
Washington’s long arms and quick hands often lead to points for the Tigers, who have won back-to-back games since going 1-2 at the Putnam City Invitational over the holiday break.
“That’s my thing,” Washington said. “I play defense.”
Which is why Neal doesn’t cringe when Washington tries too much, like when her behind-the-back pass in the fourth quarter went awry and allowed Edmond North to get within 49-46.
Washington later rectifi ed matters with two straight steals that helped extend the lead. She leapt through a passing lane and tipped a pass to teammate Kayla Albright, whose layup gave the Tigers a 54-46 advantage with 1:43 to play.
“She got some big steals, really disrupted the flow of offense with her defensive presence,” Neal said. “She’s really dynamic and it allows a girl like Turner [Mattingly] to go concentrate on scoring.”
Mattingly finished with seven points on a night Christina Shadid erupted for 17 points off the bench, making 3 of 5 shots from long range in the second half and five 3s for the game. Her trey to start the fourth quarter boosted NHS ahead 45-35.
Alexandria Blackwell also added seven points off the bench.
That depth was critical as NHS (8-3) played through foul trouble.
“[Shadid and Blackwell] were really, really big,” Neal said. “I think that was those two girls’ best game they’ve had thus far. Christina came in and hit about four or five 3s, she guarded without fouling. Alexandria corrected all our mistakes defensively.
Those girls stepped up big time.”
Edmond North (8-4) nearly pushed its way to a halftime lead after trailing 24-17 with just under three minutes left in the second quarter. The Huskies reeled off a 9-2 run, thanks to four points inside from forward Raychael Harjo, who finished with 12 points.
Soon enough, though, Washington produced one of her signature energetic spurts. All told, Edmond North committed five turnovers the first three minutes of the second half.
“There’s more aspects than just scoring,” Washington said. “You have to look at other fundamentals, and defense is a big part of it.”
If anything, it helps calm her as she shoulders a heavy load during her first season playing varsity, which continues Tuesday at Southmoore.
“Honestly, I love [the responsibility],” she said. “It improves me as a player, and as long as it improves my team, that’s all I care about. It’s been a challenge, but my team makes it so much easier.”