Class 5A girls basketball: El Reno, Sapulpa reach state championship game

The Class 5A girls basketball semifinals took place Friday at Lloyd Noble Center. Here's a look at what happened:

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El Reno 47, Coweta 19

Throughout the regular season, El Reno cruised to blowout victories.

Then in the state quarterfinals, El Reno learned how to win a tight matchup.

The semifinals involved a little of both. In an oddity of a game, top-ranked El Reno routed No. 5 Coweta, 47-19, to reach the Class 5A girls basketball state finals.

The score tells only part of the story. Coweta carried a 15-14 lead into halftime, jeopardizing El Reno’s perfect record.

Senior forward Pauline Black-Harmon said her team kicks into higher gear after a halftime speech, and head coach Jennifer Douglas delivered a memorable one, pulling up a chair to remind the players of their purpose.

“I felt like we were putting a lot of pressure on ourselves to live up to somebody else’s expectation,” Douglas said. “Basically, that’s just what I told them, is … ‘Quit sitting here thinking about winning a ball game or losing a ball game, and just go play together.’

“I said, ‘You guys have let go of everything that has got us here, so just think about all the fun that we had all year long, and go do that in the second half.’”

If you’re wondering whether her team took that message to heart, consider this: El Reno held Coweta to four points in the second half.

El Reno (27-0) kept Coweta from making a single fourth-quarter field goal, going on a 17-0 run. Black-Harmon led El Reno with 10 points and seven rebounds, while Raegan Bugaj had nine points and Lilly Thomas added eight.

“It’s fun,” Black-Harmon said. “Everybody gets their own. It’s not about one person just having 20 points … We have chemistry, so it’s just playing with your sisters.”

Gia Dennis led Coweta (21-7) with six points, while Tayen Allen and Jaycee Meissinger each had five.

Striving for its first state title in program history, El Reno encounters a familiar foe in the finals. For the past three seasons, El Reno and Sapulpa have faced off at the state tournament, and Sapulpa holds a 2-1 advantage.

“I have a great relationship with (Sapulpa coach) Darlean (Calip), so I’m actually super-excited,” Douglas said. “Her and I always say, before the state tournament, ‘Let’s make it there.’”

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Sapulpa 60, Tulsa Booker T. Washington 51

Sapulpa coach Darlean Calip has described Riki McQuarters as a “quiet” contributor who finishes a game with big numbers.

In the state semifinals, McQuarters’ stats spoke volumes.

Third-ranked Sapulpa defeated No. 7 Tulsa Booker T. Washington, 60-51, to return to the Class 5A girls basketball state finals with a double-double from McQuarters. The sophomore starter poured in 20 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, keeping Sapulpa’s hopes of a championship repeat alive.

“I don’t think she realizes what a huge impact she is on her team,” Calip said. “She just goes and plays and does what she’s supposed to do.”

Booker T. Washington made a fourth-quarter surge, but McQuarters quelled it with a pair of free throws that extended Sapulpa’s lead to 58-51.

She secured the win against her father's alma mater. R.W. McQuarters played basketball and football at Tulsa Booker T. Washington before going on to Oklahoma State and the NFL, and his daughter shares the versatility that enabled him to be a star.

Riki shot 7 for 11 from the field and had three assists, but her rebounding might have stood out most. Listed at 5-foot-8, McQuarters soared to the basket, securing rebounds over taller opponents. McQuarters said she doesn’t know how she did it, but her motivation was straightforward.

“I got to win for my teammates and go play for my teammates,” McQuarters said.

Two of those teammates, Tyla Heard and Taylor Bilby, also scored in double figures. Abilene Christian signee Heard recorded 14 points, while fellow senior Bilby added 12.

Defensively, Sapulpa couldn’t relax because of Baylor commit Marcayla Johnson, who followed a standout quarterfinal game with another tremendous effort. Johnson notched 29 points, but Booker T. Washington’s comeback bid fell short.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OSSAA Class 5A girls basketball state tournament semifinal scores