By Robert Medley
Managing Editor
Piedmont fell just short of making it to the state championship game, and a shot that usually would swish the net just didn’t connect.
At the end of three quarters of the game, a long trey by Jillian Crawford beat the buzzer and put the Lady ‘Cats ahead of Tahlequah.
With Piedmont trailing again, by three points with time running out of the game, another three-point attempt by Piedmont standout and University of Tulsa-bound Delanie Crawford sailed toward the basket. But it didn’t find the net, not even the rim.
“It was a really well payed game by both teams,” Coach Carr said. “They took things away that we tried to do. They did a great job on Delanie as well everything she got she had to earn.”
There were other chances to seal a victory toward the end of the game, before the shot that didn’t go in.
“We had opportunities. You know, we get the ball up one with under a minute, and just had a few unfortunate plays and were not able to get the win,” Carr said. “Obviously we are disappointed we expected to be playing on Saturday.”
Coach Carr said the team will return in a new form for next year.
“Losing the seniors we lose, Maddy Lee and Delanie, yuou know they played a lot of games for us. We will miss them, but I am excited about our kids coming back. Triniti (Harmon) is going to be my only senior next year, but that sophomore bunch really continued to get better through the year,” Carr said.
“It will look a little different without Delanie out there making a lot of plays, but we will start figuring out our new identity at the beginning of the summer,” Carr said.
The last shot of Delanie Crawford’s high school basketball career landed out of bounds. And, after Piedmont led most of the night Friday in the Class 5A State Tournament game in Tulsa, their season and a chance to repeat as state champions ended.
Tahlequah fought back from an early deficit before halftime and then by the fourth quarter both teams swapped leads.
The final score was Tahlequah 42 and Piedmont 37.
Bryan Raymer, whose daughter Logan Raymer is a senior forward on the team, said the girls were doing fine after the game, despite the heartbreaker.
“The seniors took it better than any of them. They did Piedmont proud and as this family knows all too well, we’ll be back next year,” Raymer said.
“Congrats to our girls for representing Piedmont with class and dignity and to all the fans who have supported and cheered these girls on for the last four years,” Raymer said. “The class of 2021 Lady ‘Cats appreciates each and every one of you.”
Piedmont had a chance to take the lead with 25 seconds to go, but a turnover to Tahlequah led to a foul and a three-point Lady Tiger lead.
With 10 seconds to go Piedmont’s Delanie Crawford fired a shot to try to tie the game but missed. The ball missed the rim and went out of bounds. Piedmont was forced to foul and Tahlequah converted both free throws.
Khloe Carr was fouled with 1:46 and made two free throws to retake the lead as Piedmont and Tahlequah battled back and forth in the girls’ Class 5A State Tournament Friday night.
But the Lady Cats trailed by a point with under a minute to go. With 25 seconds left Coach Eric Carr called a timeout trailing by a point, 38-37.
With less than four minutes remaining, Piedmont and Tahlequah were tied.
The Lady ‘Cats and Lady Tigers were knotted at 34-34 with 3:26 left.
Jillian Crawford drained a 40-foot trey as the third quarter ended to give Piedmont the lead 32-30.
In the fourth quarter, Triniti Harmon was called for her fourth foul.
Piedmont had lost the lead to Tahlequah in the third quarter after leading since tip-off at Tulsa Memorial.
Piedmont took an early lead in the first half with a barrage of points from Delanie Crawford
and Paige Blanchard.
But a late surge by Tahlequah tightened the game to a 20-18 lead for Piedmont at half-time.
The score tightened on a turnover in the third quarter, and with five and half minutes to go in the third the score was tied 23-23.
Tahlequah took their first lead of the game in the third quarter with 7:10 left in the third.
Piedmont led 19-14 with less than 2 minutes remaining in the first half. Triniti Harmon was in foul trouble before halftime.
Sapulpa defeated Tahlequah Saturday for the state championship, 58-49 at Oral Roberts University.
Piedmont finished third with a 15-6 record.
