6A girls basketball: Union upsets Muskogee to advance to state tournament
BY MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
Sunday, March 03, 2013
3/03/13 at 6:58 AM
CATOOSA - Brittany Hill said she has plenty of confidence at the foul line.
The Union High School senior guard is shooting 66.7 percent for the season (60-for-90), but she did much better than that Saturday.
She went 14-for-16 from the line and scored a game-high 20 points, helping the No. 11 Redskins upset No. 2 Muskogee 54-46 in a Class 6A area consolation championship game to earn a berth in the state tournament.
"I practice my free throws every day and I'm very confident at the free-throw line," she said.
She was ice in the fourth quarter, going 12-for-14 and hitting a dozen straight to keep the Roughers at arm's length after the Redskins built a double-digit lead.
"(Friday) my mom was telling me that free throws are important, and I told her that if I ever got put on the line to win the game, I was gonna make my free throws," she said.
Union (17-10) won for the 11th time in its last 13 games while Muskogee (20-7) ended on a downer, losing five of its final eight games.
The Roughers struggled offensively, as they did in Thursday's loss to Booker T. Washington that sent them to the losers bracket. They were just 16-for-49 from the field.
Kelsey McClure, who led the Roughers in scoring at 22.1 points per game, scored a season-low seven points, finishing in single digits for the first time.
Alexus Wilson led the Roughers with 13 points and Mari Jackson had 12.
Union overcame an early 10-point deficit, had the game tied by halftime and took control in the third quarter.
"We didn't answer in the second half," Muskogee coach Doyle Rowland said. "(Union) hit their shots. We didn't hit enough."
Kensley Fox and I'mani Davis had five points each in a 10-2 run to open the second half and the Redskins led 37-26 on a basket by Olivia Pendley.
Muskogee drew within 42-37, but couldn't get any closer because Hill kept hitting foul shots to negate Rougher scores.
"She got on a roll, and it was like 'Give her the ball and get out of the way,'" Union coach Jim Stacy said.
Union qualified for its second straight state tournament and seventh in the past 10 years.
Hill and Davis are the only returning starters and regular contributors from last year's team, but Stacy said the Redskins are starting to play with more consistency after a roller-coaster 6-8 start.
"The first half of the season was kind of ugly, but they're learning and growing, and just playing better game to game to game," he said. "It's pretty exciting to watch."
Union 54, Muskogee 46
| Muskogee |
15 |
6 |
7 |
18 |
- |
46 |
| Union |
7 |
14 |
16 |
17 |
- |
54 |
Muskogee (20-7): Alexus Wilson 13, Jackson 12, McClure 7, Aaliyah Wilson 5, King 4, Tillman 4, Rozell 1.
Union (17-10): Hill 20, Davis 10, Udoumoh 7, Fox 7, Climpson 5, Christon 3, Pendley 2.
Class 6A Girls
Union 54, Muskogee 46
Original Print Headline: Union uses upset victory to advance
Mike Brown 918-581-8390
mike.brown@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Union's I'mani Davis tries to get past Muskogee's Mari Jackson during the Class 6A girls basketball playoffs Saturday in Catoosa. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
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