The Nocona Lady Indians are heading back to the regional tournament this weekend after beating Cisco on Tuesday night in Graham.
The Lady Indians won 56-48 against the Lady Loboes in a game that got harry at the end.
Nocona came into the game as favorites, with 31 wins and ranked ninth in the state in 2A according to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll, and second in Max Preps rankings.
It was not expected to be an easy game for the Lady Indians which they had made it look like since the beginning of January.
Cisco had 27 wins and were ranked 15th in the state in the TABC poll and sixth in the Max Preps rankings.
Not only that, the Lady Loboes were Nocona’s stylistic opposites.
The Lady Indians are used to playing with a size disadvantage, either vertically or horizontally which they overcome with feisty help defense and fast paced play on offense.
Cisco had a player who both towered over and had much more size than any Nocona player. Brooklyn Hurtado was listed at 6’3” and had several pounds on the Lady Indians post player Avery Crutsinger who is listed at 5’8.”
It was not just size though as the Lady Loboes whole offense is predicated on trying to get Hurtado the ball in the post and working from there.
The first quarter was competitive and close as Nocona made four 3-pointers and led 12-11.
The Lady Indians defense started to lock in on really preventing Hurtado from touching the ball, which threw off Cisco in the second and third quarters as the team failed to score in double-digits.
Skyler Smith carried Nocona’s offense in the second quarter, scoring eight of the team’s 18 points as the team started to pull ahead even with Meg Meekins falling into foul trouble. The Lady Indians led 30-19 at halftime.
Nocona kept it up in the third quarter on offense, with Meekins carrying the load and scoring nine points and Reagan Phipps making two 3-pointers.
The Lady Indians led 47-28 and looked like they were going to cruise to an ending with little drama in the final period..
Nocona took the gas off the pedal offensively to run some clock per Coach Kyle Spitzer’s instructions, though the directive was not to hold the ball.
That got the Lady Indians out of their offensive groove which left the door open for the Lady Loboes.
Cisco’s Hurtado had scored only four points in the first three quarters and Nocona was daring her teammates to beat them from the 3-point line.
The Lady Loboes had some relative success at it, making four 3-pointers in the first three quarters. With their backs against the wall with the season on the line, Cisco players took more chances and were more aggressive offensively.
The Lady Loboes made three 3-pointers in the final period and players who Nocona expected to not make shots were coming through for them.
Cisco had come all the way back to cut it to six points 49-43 with 53 seconds left when Smith fouled out for the Lady Indians.
Thankfully, Nocona was able to take care of the ball and were forced onto the free throw line four times in the final minute.
Meekins came through, going 7-8 at the line in the quarter while scoring all nine of the Lady Indians points in the final quarter.
It was enough to hold off the Lady Loboes as Nocona won 56-48.

to read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.