Tim Ritter
Sports Editor
CLAREMORE —
The Oologah Mustangs have Claremore’s number when it comes to ‘Homecoming’ games this season.
Oologah is a combined 4-0 against Claremore, winning both games for its homecoming in January, and sweeping the Zebras Saturday night for Claremore’s Homecoming.
Taylor McElhaney rallied the Lady Mustangs from a 28-21 halftime deficit to beat the Class 5A No. 15 Lady Zebras, 49-40 in the opener.
Then, in the nightcap, the Mustangs needed a strong fourth quarter finish to clip the Zebras, 39-37.
“We had such a great first half and played really well offensively,” Lady Zebra coach Stephanie Shaw said. “Second half was a different story. We didn’t move the ball well and stopped making that extra pass.”
Ashlyn Glenn, who was the 2012-13 Basketball Queen, scored 14 of her team-high 16 points in the first quarter as Claremore (10-8) got up 18-6 and closed out the first half with a 28-21 lead.
Allison Howell also contributed off the bench with seven first-half points while manning the paint with freshman post Bailey Steckline in foul trouble.
The second-half, though, swung into Oologah’s favor as McElhaney and Brinley Evans took over.
Jessica Wolfe’s three-pointer to open the fourth quarter gave Oologah the 36-33 lead.
From that point on, the Lady Zebras never regained momentum. Tristin Reynolds’ basket in the paint cut the deficit to 36-35 and Kaleigh Cox’s jumper from Cherokee Gott narrowed the gap to 40-37 with 2:55 remaining.
Reynolds, Cox and Howell each scored seven points for the Lady Zebras.
Evans joined McElhaney in double figures with 13 points to spark Oologah.
The boys’ game was a nail-biter to the end as Oologah hung on after Claremore’s Grady Caton was called for a charging foul with 2.8 seconds remaining.
Claremore (0-18) led Oologah for three quarters, including its largest lead at 31-26 on Brett Russell’s layup with 6:42 left in the game.
Darrius Murphy tallied eight of his team-high 13 points in the first half as Claremore built a 22-19 lead at the break.
Levi Potter paced Oologah’s offense with nine points, while Josh Snook and Kolton Kitterman added seven points each.
