Stillwater girls can't overcome static start in loss to Edmond Memorial

Jan. 29—Kendra Kilpatrick saw her team compete with intensity, but it didn't happen quickly enough for a victory.

With a slow start on offense, the Stillwater High girls' basketball team fell to Edmond Memorial, 56-47, on Friday night in Pioneer Fieldhouse.

Coach Kilpatrick said the Lady Pioneers (8-9) could have won if they had started the game playing like they did in the second half, but instead, they were fighting to catch up to the Lady Bulldogs. Stillwater couldn't replicate the energy it carried throughout the previous game against Norman.

"Whenever you have a game like our upset against Norman, sometimes you come to your next game with a little bit of a lull to start," Kilpatrick said. "And we just didn't have that intensity. But that fourth quarter, they really brought the intensity ... (but at) that point, we had kind of dug our hole, and it was just hard to get out at that point."

Kilpatrick mentioned ball security as a major issue that contributed to Stillwater's shaky beginning. The Lady Pioneers had seven first-quarter turnovers, which prevented them from taking many early shots. Edmond Memorial outscored Stillwater 12-6 in the first quarter.

"Whenever you turn the ball over seven times in one quarter, and you get hardly any shots up, it's hard to keep pace with such a high-scoring team like Edmond Memorial," Kilpatrick said.

The Lady Pioneers elevated their offense, scoring 13 or more points in each of the next three quarters. Early in the fourth quarter, Stillwater narrowed Edmond Memorial's lead to 40-36 after freshman guard Janiyah Williams made a layup and drew a foul to follow it with a free throw. Although the Lady Pioneers had gained momentum, the Lady Bulldogs (12-4) took it back, using an 8-0 run to fend off a Stillwater comeback.

Baylor Franz, Edmond Memorial's junior point guard, scored 22 points to lead all scorers. Stillwater senior Jayden Mason was tasked with defending Franz through most of the game. Mason took her assignment seriously, keeping Franz from attempting open field goals, but Franz took advantage of opportunities at the free-throw line to fuel the Lady Bulldogs' offense.

Williams led the Lady Pioneers with 20 points, and Mason followed with 10.

EDMOND MEMORIAL 56, STILLWATER 47

EMHS 12 16 12 16 — 56

SHS 6 14 13 14 — 47

Individual Scoring

EMHS — Franz 22, Hjelmstad 12, Farris 9, Berry 5, Hamlin 4, Hensley 2, Aska 2.

SHS — Williams 20, Mason 10, Harland 8, McFadden 3, Brunker 3, Crawford 2, Clarkson 1.