CHICKASHA – The 10th annual Chickasha Classic has come to an end, and the MacArthur girls and both Cache squads showcased their talents on the tournament's final day on Saturday.
The Cache girls were nipped Altus in the close 53-48 decision in the third-place game, while the boys emerged victorious over Decatur (Texas), pulling away for an impressive 56-44 win to earn the tourney's bronze medal.
The Cache teams return to action Tuesday for a home contest with rival Elgin. The girls game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., and the boys are set to follow at 8 p.m.
The Highlanders were the only Southwest Oklahoma team to the make the championship round, fighting valiantly in a 65-36 loss to Class 6A No. 18 Yukon. Mac doesn't play again until Friday at 6 p.m. when it takes on city rival and 5A No. 1 Eisenhower in an epic Top 10 matchup on the road.
Mac falls short in championship game
Mac showed signs of brilliance throughout its championship encounter with Yukon, but the Millers seemed to have an answer for every run.
The Highlanders fell behind 12-1 in the first few minutes of the opening quarter, but they weren't quite ready to give up.
Like it has several times this season, Mac fought back from a double-digit deficit, completing an 11-0 run to tie the game early in the second. It proved to be only a minor hiccup for Yukon, though.
The Millers answered with a run of their own, scoring the game's next 15 points to set the tone for the remainder of the contest.
Mac coach David Vann said exhaustion played a part in his team's inability to sustain runs.
"I'm only playing a 5-7 player rotation, so fatigue is a big factor," Vann said. "We panicked a little bit. I thought we fought hard in the first half and down the stretch. Fatigue killed them more than anybody. I don't have enough girls to come off the bench to help out."
The Highlanders retained their edge coming out of the locker room, opening the second half with another run to get within seven points, but a trio of 3-pointers from Yukon sharpshooter Ashtyn Basler and Kriston Readel – ended yet another promising comeback opportunity.
The 3-balls sparked a 22-8 quarter-ending run for the Millers, putting the game out of reach at 50-29.
Rebecca Cammon led Yukon with 23 points, while Basler and Meya Case combined to hit five of the team's shots from long range, scoring 14 points and 13 points, respectively.
"I thought we did a great job covering the 3, but we got fatigued and gave up open shots," Vann said. "I don't think we're going to play another team like that, but it gives us something to look at down the road in case we do run into a team like that again."
Sydney Gunter led Mac with 14 points, while Erin Henry added another seven points to the Highlanders' cause.
Vann said he hopes the loss will serve as a learning opportunity for his team as it enters the second half of the season.
"This was a 6A team, so I'm not going to get upset about it, but there are some things we can take away from it," Vann said. "This is a tune up (for what's to come), and it'll get us ready for next Friday night against Eisenhower."
Cache splits third-place contests
The Cache boys weren't going to let this one slip.
A night after surrendering a late lead in semifinals loss to Hirschi of Wichita Falls, the Bulldogs rebounded nicely, defeating Decatur, 56-44, to claim third prize at the Chickasha Classic.
After a stalemate in the first quarter, Cache surged in the remaining three, winning every frame with the help of some stellar defense.
"Our rebound from (Friday night) was great, and our effort was great," Bulldogs coach Miles Thompson said. "We executed pretty well, and they're 4A in Texas, so they're about double our size. It was a really good win for us.
"We had a lot more energy tonight. We played Bulldog basketball tonight, and we communicated and played defense."
The girls team wasn't as fortunate.
Altus held a slim 22-21 lead at halftime in the third-place game, but it opened the third quarter with eight-straight points to increase the advantage to nine points. Cache stormed back, though, tallying an 11-2 run to tie the game at 32 with 2:16 remaining in the quarter.
However, Lykesia Johnson, only a freshman, was too much to handle, as she went off for 20 points, eight of which came in the fourth quarter, to give Altus a 53-48 win.
"She's still green and she has a lot to learn, but she's a heck of an athlete," Altus coach Stacie Terbush said. "It's tough being the one to handle the basketball as the point guard and be the leading scorer as well, but she's doing OK. She's coming along, and she's getting better at it."
Ashley Turner and Kyla Bonnarens scored in double figures for Cache, finishing with 16 points and 11 points, respectively.