STRIKING BACK: Bartlesville Lady Bruins lash Durant to get back on winning track

Bartlesville High School’s girls’ basketball team has clawed, scratched, flexed its muscles and battled valiantly this season for success.

On Friday morning, the Lady Bruins not only snatched a double-digit victory but also passed a milestone as well.

Led by Mikka Chambers and Kate Gronigan with 14 and 10 points, respectively, the Lady Bruins defanged the Lady Lions of Durant High, 51-38, in the second round of the Carl Albert tournament.

In addition to snapping a four-game losing streak, the Lady Bruins also notched their fourth win (4-10) — surpassing the victory total for all of last season.

Bartlesville had been oh, so close earlier to its fourth win.

Owasso had to survive a scare in a 50-47 home win against Bartlesville and Broken Arrow needed to hang on at the end to beat the visiting Lady Bruins, 58-51.

But, in Friday’s scrap against Durant, Bartlesville — and its first-year head coach Justyn Shaw — refused to be denied.

The 51 points scored matched Bartlesville’s season high.

In fact, the Lady Bruins are 2-1 when scoring 51 points and 3-0 when holding teams to less than 40 points.

Right from the get-go Friday, Bartlesville displayed a daunting determination that suggested Bartlesville wouldn’t be denied.

T’Keitha Valentine — who finished with nine points — knocked down a three-pointer in the first quarter to propel the Lady Bruins to a seven-point lead, 9-2.

Following a 4-0 spurt by Durant, Valentine sank a two-pointer as Bartlesville claimed an 11-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Durant made its biggest push in the second quarter by outscoring Bartlesville 17-11.

Chambers helped keep the Lady Bruins in the game with seven points in the quarter, including a tradition three-point play.

Trailing 23-22 at halftime, Bartlesville soon took control.

Kaelynn Duncan’s triple pushed Bartlesville back in front, 29-28.

Continuing to find its offensive sync, Bartlesville went ahead by six, 34-28, on Grace McPhail’s bucket.

Bartlesville would own the lead the rest of the way.

Chambers hit four-straight free throws to widen the gap to nine points, 38-29.

Gronigan then dialed in to charity tosses to power the Lady Bruins to their first double-digit, 40-29, late in the third period.

The Lady Bruins clutched to the momentum throughout the fourth period.

McPhail drained her second trey to make it a 44-31 lead and two layups by Ragen Hodge powered Bartlesville to 15 points ahead, 48-33.

Valentine finished off Bartlesville’s scoring by ringing up a deuce.

Bartlesville finishes up tourney play at 1 p.m. Saturday with a chance to capture fifth place and post back-to-back wins for the second time this season.

In Thursday’s tourney opener, Westmoore outlasted the Lady Bruins, 61-49.

Gronigan led with 13 points, followed by Chambers with 10.

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: HOOPS: Bartlesville girls win