MUSTANG — Remembering the sting of last year’s season-ending quarterfinal loss was the lone motivating factor the Anadarko girls basketball team needed in the state tournament opener.
Anadarko forced five turnovers in the first seven possessions, sank nine 3-pointers and made 31 free throws — 20 of which came in the fourth quarter — as the Warriors raced past Newcastle, 77-58 in the Class 4A quarterfinals on Thursday night at Mustang High School.
“Last two years being beat out in the first round, we just had the mentality that we didn’t want to go home tonight,” said Anadarko point guard Averi Zinn, who sank three 3-pointers and scored a game-high 21 points. “We feel confident and we’re on a roll — like what’s stopping us now?”
The second-seeded Warriors (25-3) have won 19 straight games and will meet third-seeded Victory Christian (24-4) — which dispatched defending champion Fort Gibson, 36-24 — in the semifinals today at noon at the Fairgrounds.
“You can see what a year of experience does going through that loss and gaining the confidence. That first time you’re trying to escape the jitters,” Anadarko coach Jeff Zinn said. “Next time around you realize, ‘Hey, this is just a competitive game that we’re trying to survive.’ And you put everything else out of your head.”
Anadarko — which saw four scorers hit double figures — silenced the noise in front of a packed house early as Lexi Foreman, who scored 11 points off three triples, splashed the opening bucket from the corner before making a layup on a third chance opportunity as the Warriors raced out to an 8-0 lead.
“We have not been a fast-starting offensive team until the Area tournament,” coach Zinn said. “We’re usually in games where 40 points is enough to win but 4A is so tough top to bottom this year to when you get deep in the postseason, you have to score to win.”
Layni Zinn, who chipped in 10 points, scored five straight and canned a corner 3-ball of her own to make it 13-4. Kaylee Borden, who went a perfect 10 for 10 from the charity stripe and scored 16 points, came up with a nice steal off a telegraphed pass and made the layup to give Anadarko a 20-9 lead with 30 seconds left in the first quarter off Newcastle’s seventh turnover.
“We did what we had to do to stagger them and make them question what they were doing and where we were coming,” coach Zinn said.
Anadarko led 35-22 at halftime after Layni Zinn swished a wing 3-pointer and Borden got a friendly bounce off the rim with seven seconds left.
The Warriors made four of their six 3-point attempts in the third quarter as Averi Zinn’s trey pushed the lead back to 15.
“They didn’t have a good matchup for Averi. With most teams, she can get by her man, but she’ll draw someone quick and dish,” her father, coach Zinn said. “Her most important roles for us are setting up other people and her defense. It was nice to see her have a good offensive game which will open up more of her teammates in the future.”
Then Libbi Zinn, who chipped in six points, nailed a wing 3-ball and Foreman grabbed a steal and swished a triple of her own in the final minute to give Anadarko a 48-31 lead.
“It’s awesome,” Averi Zinn said of the Warriors depth and balanced attack. “I love it because you can pass it to anyone and you know they’re gonna knock it down.”
Off a crosscourt pass, Foreman swished her third and final 3-pointer of the night in the final 10 seconds to give ‘Darko a 52-36 lead entering the fourth. Kimberly Stephens made seven free throws and added nine points for the Warriors.
Newcastle (25-4), which was paced by 16 points from Karley Johnson and 13 from Rylee Kopf, started the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run to cut the ‘Darko lead to single digits, 54-45, but the Warriors made 20 of their eye-popping 24 fourth quarter free throw attempts to ice the victory.
ANADARKO 77, NEWCASTLE 58
Girls
ANADARKO — Kaylee Borden 3-10-16, Stephens 2-7-9, Averi Zinn 5-8-21, Quoetone 0-2-2, Lexi Foreman 4-0-11, Layni Zinn 2-4-10, Li. Zinn 2-0-6, Passi 1-0-2. Totals 19-31-77.
NEWCASTLE — Rylee Kopf 3-5-13, Bergt 2-3-7, North 3-5-12, Karley Johnson 6-4-16, Fox 1-0-2, Gilbertson 3-0-8. Totals 18-13-58.
‘Darko;20;15;17;25;—;77
New;10;12;14;22;—;58
3-point goals: ‘Darko — Foreman 3, A. Zinn 3Li. Zinn 2, La. Zinn 2. Newcastle — Kopf 2, Gilbertson 2, North.