Jon Potts
Progress Sports Correspondent
TULSA — Fourth-ranked Tulsa Booker T. Washington squeaked past sixth-ranked Claremore 34-31 in the class 5A area playoffs Saturday afternoon at the Will Rogers Activity Center.
The Hornets (19-7) advance to the state tournament beginning Thursday in the Tulsa area. They are the two time defending 5A champions.
The Zebras (20-6) came up just short in their bid for a 12th consecutive state tournament trip.
Jordan Schultz scored a game high 18 points for Claremore. Mariah Gilliam had 12 points to pace Washington.
The Hornets never trailed but the Zebras were able to force a few ties. The last one came when B. J. Anderson made both ends of a 1-and-1 free throw situation to knot things at 30-30 with 1:45 remaining.
Washington, however, scored the next three points and found itself ahead 33-30 with 15.8 seconds left.
Both teams then missed some free throws and eventually Schultz found herself at the line with four seconds to play.
Schultz made the first shot and missed the second one on purpose. Amari Jones, however, grabbed the rebound for the Hornets and made 1-of-2 free throws with 2.7 seconds to go.
Claremore had one last chance but Sierra Barnwell's heave from half court fell a few feet short of the basket as the buzzer sounded.
It looked like a blowout was in store as Washington jumped out to a 15-3 lead and eventually held a 15-5 lead after the first period.
Those two Zebra points were part of a 12-0 surge that forced the first tie of the game. The Hornets, however, got a bucket late in the first half to take a 17-15 edge to the locker room.
Washington stretched that lead to 22-15 and wound up with a 26-19 advnatage after three quarters. Claremore's only points of the period came on four free throws from Schultz.
Anderson keyed a 5-0 spurt to start the final stanza when she buried a three point field goal.
The Hornets countered with a bucket to go up 28-24. Schultz answered with four more free throws to draw the Zebras even again at 28-28 with 2:53 remaining.
Washington went back in front 30-28 at the 2:10 mark though. That set the stage for the drama of the final two minutes.
B. T. WASHINGTON 34, CLAREMORE 31
B. T. Washington;15;2;9;8--34
Claremore;5;10;4;12--31
B. T. Washington (19-7): Gilliam 12, Gray 7, Wilson 7, Jones 6, Bunch 2
Claremore (20-6): Schultz 18. Anderson 5, Swift 4, Taylor 2, Barnwell 2
