OKLAHOMA CITY — Seiling ended Hydro-Eakly’s run as defending State Champions, winning the Class A State Championship game, 47-46 Saturday.
Hydro-Eakly had won the previous two championship games. The Lady Bobcats beat Strother 52-42 Thursday in the state quarterfinals and beat Okarche 63-42 Friday in the state semifinals.
“So many thoughts from the Seiling game and our season,” coach Jeremy Tharp said. “We left so much heart out there and played hard all the way through and all season long. We had a couple chances when we had a lead to build on our lead, but could not. We took some unadvised shots and when you play a team as great as Seiling, you cannot do that, but I am so proud of the girls. We got tired and I could not rotate on defense like I normally do. I cut down my rotation a bit since we were so tired, but we made too many mistakes and still lost by a point.”
Hydro-Eakly 52, Strother 42
Hydro-Eakly got off to a quick 10-0 start, with plays like Rees Berkey passing the ball to Tessa York for an open layup. Rees Berkey scored five of these 10 points. However, Strother picked it up and went outscored Hydro-Eakly.
The Lady Bobcats opened the second quarter outscoring Strother 8-3 and Hydro-Eakly was ahead 30-21 at halftime. Rees Berkey scored 11 points in the first half.
The Lady Bobcats defense only allowed four points in the third quarter. Hydro-Eakly was ahead 42-25 going into the fourth quarter.
Strother would not go away, opening the quarter on a 5-0 run. However, Hydro-Eakly picked it up and built a 51-38 lead with three minutes left to play. The Lady Bobcats won the game 62-42.
“With the recent injuries, weather and being sick, we have a hard time getting our chemistry back in sync,” Tharp said. “I felt like with the short prep time we had, the girls did a great job coming out and executing the game plan. Strother’s point guard is a stud and we did a great job shutting her down. We got a bit sloppy at the end of the game, but other than that, everyone contributed to a win from the seniors to the freshmen.”
Rees Berkey scored 14 points and shot 10-18 from the field. Tharp said the offense ran through Rees in the post position.
“The offense will run through Rees this entire tournament,” Tharp said. “If we can run the offense through her and force teams to try harder to stop her, we can kick it out and get open shots. There for a while down the stretch, we got away from that game plan and we were just giving it to Rees down low only. Our percentage went way up once we passed more and were not so focused on passing down low to just Rees.”
Hydro-Eakly 63, Okarche 42
Hydro-Eakly was ahead 12-5 with three minutes left in the first quarter.
After the quick start, Hydro-Eakly increased its lead to 20-7 in a span of two minutes and the Lady Bobcats were ahead 22-7 going into the second quarter.
The defensive pressure continued for Hydro-Eakly in the second quarter. They only allowed seven points and in the entire first half and forced 17 turnovers. Hydro-Eakly had a 38-13 advantage at halftime.
Rees Berkey scored 13 points and Kira Berkey scored 12 points.
“Defense, pressing and forcing turnovers is our heart and soul,” Tharp said. “It is what we do best and I was very pleased with how well we played.”
Okarche scored the first four points in the third quarter before Hydro-Eakly responded. The Lady Bobcats were up 51-24 going into the fourth quarter.
“Well, it can be tough to continue playing hard when you have a huge lead,” Tharp said. “We did not want to get anyone hurt. We were rotating, subbing and when I saw how everyone played hard, I was very pleased.”
Hydro-Eakly won the game 63-42 and advanced to itsfourth consecutive state championship game.
“We played like we are capable of playing,” Tharp said. “Our chemistry with one another began to click. We were hoping to begin clicking soon and I thought we moved the ball very well.”
Rees Berkey scored 22 points and Kira Berkey scored 16 points. Rees Berkey recorded a double-double, also getting 10 steals. Hydro-Eakly shot 64 percent, 11-17, from the field in the second half.
Seiling 47, Hydro-Eakly 46
Seiling opened with the first six points of the game before Hydro-Eakly responded. Tessa York scored six points in the first quarter and Hydro-Eakly was ahead of Seiling 11-8.
Rees Berkey stole a pass early in the second quarter and scored a quick layup . However, Seiling came back and tied the game, 15-15. The Lady Bobcats got the lead back with free throws. Seiling had a four-point lead, 25-21, at halftime.
Seiling built a 10-point lead before Hydro-Eakly closed the quarter outscoring the Lady Wildcats, 14-2. Rees Berkey hit a 3-point shot and right after, stole a pass and scored a layup, giving Hydro-Eakly the lead. Hydro-Eakly was ahead 39-37 going into the fourth quarter.
“Every single possession in this game was so valuable,” Tharp said. “We made great plays to get back into the game and Rees hit some big shots.”
The Lady Bobcats had a five-point lead early in the fourth quarter before Seiling cut it to a one-point Hydro-Eakly lead. Seiling took the lead, before Rees Berkey scored a layup, giving Hydro-Eakly the back at 46-45.
After a foul, Seiling made its free throws, giving the Lady Wildcats a 47-46 lead. Hydro-Eakly had the final shot and Tharp did not call a timeout to set up an inbounds play. Seiling forced a missed shot and won the game and Class A State Championship with a 47-46 win.
“In hindsight, should I have called a timeout to set an inbounds play up with 10 seconds left,” Tharp said. “The reason I just went and tried to score was because Seiling coach Brady Hamar and I have been coaching against one another for years. I am not a fool and I know if I called a timeout, that would have given him time to change his defense and come up with a clever defensive stop. We then would have frozen up and not known what to do. I felt like we would have had better luck and better odds if we just let the game play out hoping someone gets a good shot up. In that situation, you have to just let it play out in my opinion.”
Rees Berkey scored 20 points and York scored 17 points. Hydro-Eakly finishes the season with a record of 29-1.
“These seniors are competitors and with the loss to Seiling Saturday, that was their 10th loss in four seasons,” Tharp said. “Five of those 10 losses came in Christmas Holiday tournaments and three of those other losses came in the playoffs. They truly hate to lose, but also are amazing kids. They are all Christians and are great influences on everyone they come in contact with.”
Tharp said this game was one of the best he’s coached in.
“This was such a great game and unfortunately, someone had to lose,” Tharp said. “I hate it was us but wow, this game was a classic. No one knew who was going to win until the final buzzer.”
Tharp said a season doesn’t always end like a team dreams it will. “I learned to have faith in my teammates and how you can only control the things you can control,” Tharp said. “We put everything we had out there and when you do that, you set yourself up for success. Today, there were times in the fourth quarter where we did not control the few things we could control.” Tharp said he learned a long time ago players and teams must communicate with one another and he said he has applied this knowledge throughout the past four seasons.
“It is a different world today and you really have to communicate and be descriptive,” Tharp said. “More than anything, when you are practicing, coaching or doing anything you have to let the girls know what is going on. You cannot halfway do anything. There are many great young coaches who do not communicate enough. This group has taught me you really have to be descriptive and there cannot be any second guessing on what our game plan might or might not be.”