GIRLS BASKETBALL: Claremore’s furious rally falls short on Senior Night as Enid escapes
· Yahoo Sports
It was the biggest comeback that never was.
After managing just 4 first-half points and falling behind by as many as 16 early in the third quarter, Claremore girls basketball somehow clawed all the way back to even with Enid late Friday on Senior Night at the Doug K. Mosier Athletic Complex.
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However, just when it appeared the Lady Zebras had completed the improbable, the Pacers delivered the final answer in a 42-41 decision.
“I told the seniors and everybody before the game, this is a celebration of you, but don't put too much pressure on yourself,” Claremore coach Lynn Roper said. “And that's what I felt like they were doing because we got a bunch of clean shots. We had probably shot twice as many shots as them, or close to that, and had 4 points. So it wasn't the defense, it was just us missing shots.
An Alayna Eberley 3-pointer with 5:06 remaining capped a stunning surge that erased Enid’s once-commanding lead and tied the game at 33.
The rally came despite Asia Roper — who scored 40 points against the Pacers in another 1-point loss Jan. 8 — not scoring her first basket until 48 seconds remained in the third quarter.
Of course, Claremore’s comeback began to take shape well before that tying shot.
After forcing only 7 turnovers in the first half while falling behind 19-4 at the break after getting outscored 8-0 in the second period, the Lady Zebras flipped the script defensively in the third quarter.
They generated 10 takeaways in that period alone, fueling transition chances and second-chance opportunities that chipped the margin down to 29-23 by the end of the frame.
“We turned the pressure up,” coach Roper said. “Then we got some easy [baskets]. Then before you know it, we told them we wanted to get it within 8 for the fourth, and we got it within 6. Then we just kept chipping away, chipping away.”
The pressure defense coincided with Claremore [13-10] finally finding offensive rhythm.
Eberley delivered the team’s first field goal since the opening quarter with a 3-pointer with 5:08 remaining in the third, Autumn Roper followed with a triple of her own and Asia Roper’s late burst suddenly made the deficit manageable entering the fourth.
“I wasn't getting the ball as much, but I also wasn't shooting it as much,” Asia Roper said. “I was turning it over in the first half, so I think staying consistent and continuing to try not giving up kind of helped.”
However, Enid [13-11] steadied itself immediately once the Lady Zebras drew even, responding with an 8-0 run to push the margin back to 41-33.
Claremore still had one last push, though.
The Lady Zebras scored 8 of the final 9 points, highlighted by a pair of technical free throws from Autumn Roper with 25 seconds left that trimmed the deficit to 41-39.
After Grace Waters added two more from the line with 8.7 seconds remaining, Claremore caught another break when the Pacers' Amarianna Solomon missed a pair of free throws with 6.5 seconds left.
But the rebound sequence bled precious time, leaving the Lady Zebras just under two seconds to traverse the court. Autumn Roper’s half-court heave at the buzzer fell short.
“I gotta put a shot up,” Autumn Roper said of her mindset during that final moment. “Either I miss or I make it, but I gotta put that up.”
Enid’s Anabelle Miller proved a persistent problem all night, pouring in 23 points and grabbing 18 rebounds — one fewer than Claremore’s entire team total of 19 — as the Pacers controlled the glass 38-19. Addison Yates added 8 points, including 2 triples.
“When we're missing a lot of shots, that's a lot of rebounds,” coach Roper said. “We missed a lot of shots in the first half, and she was right there, and we weren't making her move. We were going at her instead of just going around putting people behind her. We were going right at her to where she didn't even have to move, and we did that the first we played them.”
The Lady Zebras' primary seniors — Asia Roper, Autumn Roper and Grace Waters — were honored before the game in their second season together as a group. Fellow seniors Madalynn Spencer and Ella Ratcliff were also recognized.
All three transferred to Claremore last year, with Waters arriving from Verdigris and the Roper sisters following their father and head coach Lynn Roper from Memorial.
Their impact has been immediate and cultural.
“It was scary but worked out for me,” Waters said of her move. “A lot has been different with two very different styles of playing, but it's been fun, though. It's crazy. I feel so blessed. My locker is full. A good stand, good group of people. It was fun. It was good to celebrate us.”
The Lady Zebras were 6-42 in the two seasons prior to their arrival but enter this postseason at 21-28 since, including a competitive push in District 5A-4 play this winter.
On the court Friday, Autumn Roper led Claremore with 14 points and 2 rebounds, while Asia Roper and Eberley added 10 each with 7 and 4 rebounds, respectively.
“It's funny because I told all my friends I wouldn't cry, but I did,” Asia Roper said. “I'm very sad, but I'm very happy I came to Claremore. I think it's been great for me. I've learned so much. I've grown as a player off the court and on the court. I'm glad to be here with my dad because he does it all for me.
“With Grace and autumn and me and my dad starting it up, hopefully it keeps on just getting better.”
Autumn Roper echoed that sentiment, saying, “I just gotta take it all in. It's been a lot of emotions. I've been sad and mad that we lost, and then I've been happy. I'm just really grateful and glad for this experience, and I'm grateful for everyone around me because they support me.”
However, a frigid start, including a scoreless second quarter, ultimately proved too much to overcome.
The Lady Zebras trailed 19-4 at halftime before erupting for a 37-23 edge in the second half, nearly authoring one of the most dramatic turnarounds in program history.
Instead, it became a reminder of both how far they have come and just how close they are to taking the next step.
Claremore has a chance to win its first playoff game since 2022 when it plays Coweta at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Class 5A East Regional 3 semifinals. A win would guarantee a spot in the area tournament, while a loss would end the season.
“I'm just focused on wins and playoff games because that's what this program really needs,” coach Roper said. “It's going to be a challenge coaching wise; I think we match up with [Coweta] pretty good. They don't really have a big post presence either, so it will be a really guard-heavy situation. Let's just go win a playoff game. We definitely want to get back on a winning streak and start back with it with the win next week, and that's all I'm telling them — just one game.
“Let's just go win it.”