If the Henryetta Golden Knight varsity basketball team is to make their first state tournament appearance in 73 years, they will need to win three-straight games this week at the Class 3A Area II tournament at East Central University in Ada.
If the Henryetta Golden Knight varsity basketball team is to make their first state tournament appearance in 73 years, they will need to win three-straight games this week at the Class 3A Area II tournament at East Central University in Ada.
The reason for the ‘must win’ situation for the Knights comes following their 63-49 loss to the sixth-ranked Prague Red Devils this past Saturday in the championship game of the Class 3A, Area II, regional tournament at Kellyville High School.
The first obstacle standing in Henryetta’s Road to State is the 20th-ranked Silo Rebels, who captured the consolation championship last Saturday with a 50-49 win over Lone Grove. The Knights and Rebels will meet in the consolation quarterfinal round of the Area II tournament Thursday at 3 p.m. A win Thursday over Silo will put the Henryetta squad into Friday’s 3 p.m. consolation semifinal game against the winner of Thursday’s other loser’s bracket contest at ECU between Hugo and Okmulgee, while a loss to Silo on Thursday will end the Knights’ bid for their first state tournament appearance since 1950.
The Henryetta squad found themselves in Saturday’s regional title contest following a 54-37 win over the 11th-ranked Kellyville Ponies last Thursday in the winner’s bracket contest at Kellyville.
In last Thursday’s winner’s bracket meeting with Kellyville, the Knights took a low-scoring first period by a slim 8-7 margin, then outscored the host Ponies 16-6 in the second stanza for a 24-13 lead at the intermission.
A 15-10 advantage in the third quarter pushed the Henryetta lead to 39-23, heading to the final frame of regulation, where the Knights escaped with a 15-14 margin to walk away with the 54-37 decision.
The Henryetta offense was led by Skylar Greenhaw with a team-best 24 points. Jordan Short also finished in double figures for the Knights with 12 points. Other Henryetta scorers against Kellyville were Hunter Gobin with nine, Nick Hudson seven, and Maverix Randleman two.
In Saturday’s regional title game against Prague, the Knights trailed 17-14 after the first eight minutes of action, then went into halftime down by a 28-23 margin after being outscored 11-9 in the second stanza.
The Henryetta squad attempted to overcome the narrow deficit in the second half, but Prague took the final two frames 19-13 and 16-13, respectively, to hand the Knights the 63-49 setback.
Skylar Greenhaw was the top scorer for Henryetta in the title game, finishing with a team-high 19 points. Greenhaw was joined in double figures by Nick Hudson with 11 and Hunter Gobin with 10.
Other Knight scorers against Prague were Jordan Short with five, Will Perez three, and Austin Palmer one.
--- Class 3A Regional Tournament First Round
Henryetta 54, Kellyville 37
Henryetta: 8 - 16 - 15 - 15 (54) Kellyville: 7 - 6 - 10 - 14 (37) Henryetta Scoring: Skylar Greenhaw 24, Jordan Short 12, Hunter Gobin 9, Nick Hudson 7, Maverix Randleman 2.
--- Championship
Prague 63, Henryetta 49
Henryetta: 14 - 9 - 13 - 13 (49) Prague: 17 - 11 - 19 - 16 (63) Henryetta Scoring: Skylar Greenhaw 19, Nick Hudson 11, Hunter Gobin 10, Jordan Short 5, Will Perez 3, Austin Palmer 1.
