Pocola girls capture state title

OKLAHOMA CITY – Pocola held on for a 40-36 win over Howe Saturday morning in the Class 2A state basketball championship game between two LeFlore County teams.

For Pocola, 28-1, it was the school’s first basketball state title since 2008. Howe, 25-5, had won the last two championships in 2019 and 2021. The 2020 championship was not played due to the pandemic.

It was the second time the Lady Indians came away with a win against the top-ranked Lady Lions after a 66-65 overtime win in the LeFlore County Tournament in January.

Pocola’s girls battled Howe’s bench to a virtual draw and after trailing by three points at halftime, the Lady Indians outscored the Lady Lions, 11-5, in the third quarter to take and the lead and also had 10 points in the final period, compared to nine for Howe. Pocola outscored the Lady Lions 21-14 in the second half and that was the difference.

Kylee Smith led Pocola with 12 points and Mika Scott added nine.

Howe was led by Shiloh Fletcher’s 11 points.

Pocola 40, Howe 36

PHS 8 11 11 10—40

HHS 10 12 5 9—36

Pocola—Allyssa Parker 1 4-6 2 6; Lety Parga 1 0-0 0 2; Mika Scott 3 2-2 4 9; Kylee Smith 5 2-2 1 12; Bailey Lairamore 1 3-6 4 5; Presleigh Riggs 0 0-0 1 0; Kail Chitwood 2 0-0 4 6. TOTALS: 13 11-16 13 40.

Howe: Maddie Ramsey 2 2-2 2 7; Shiloh Fletcher 4 0-0 2 11; Gracie Lute 0 0-3 5 0; Abby Huie 0 0-1 2 0; Kalan Nye 0 0-0 3 0; Raelyn Delt 2 3-6 3 7; Karsyn Nye 1 1-2 0 4; Kayley Turner 3 1-1 1 7. TOTALS 12 7-15 18 36.