Norman `going to fight' for title
TULSA — Norman freshman Mikayla Parks was already planning her Saturday afternoon from the free-throw line.
A championship game at noon in the Mabee Center.
“There was,” Parks said, smiling as she talked about the pressure of the moment, “but I was just focusing on the rim and thinking about the next game.”
For freshmen, there is always tomorrow, and with a lineup mainly made of freshmen and sophomores, No. 13 Norman gets one final game.
The Tigers took down No. 14 Edmond Santa Fe 55-48 Friday morning in the Class 6A state semifinals to advance to the title game for the first time since 2010.
“We fought,” Norman coach Michael Neal said. “They've been in some battles themselves. Whenever they have the success that they do, it doesn't surprise me.”
But the Tigers (22-7) have surprised many.
Two weeks after a meltdown in the regional tournament championship against No. 1 Putnam West, they've rediscovered themselves behind sophomore star Kendra Gillispie, who scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.
Parks, though, was stout in the biggest moments a day after scoring just three points in the quarterfinals.
She made six free throws in the final two minutes to help hold off Edmond Santa Fe. This came after she scored seven points in the first three quarters while playing lockdown defense that helped hold Edmond Santa Fe stars Keira Neal and Kryslyn Jones to just five and four points, respectively.
Edmond Santa Fe ( 19- 9) had battled back from an early 10- point deficit, even taking the lead twice in the third quarter. But Norman remained on track. Parks made sure of it. “We're really young,” Parks said. “We're going to fight. We're going to get it.”