The Nocona Lady Indians are headed back to San Antonio and will play in the state championship game on Thursday night.
The Lady Indians had to get through a brutal double overtime game against Muenster (64-62) in the regional final before upsetting Panhandle 46-41 in the state semifinals to punch their ticket to state for the second straight year.
Nocona knew it was going to be tough facing Muenster in the regional final despite being the favorite on paper. The Lady Hornets were ranked 21st in the state, but had lost two out of three times during district play against the Collinsville team the Lady Indians had beaten easily the round before.
The team’s also had faced off the previous two years in the regional tournament where Nocona had won both times, though they were always physical and competitive affairs.
Played at the new Wichita Falls Legacy High School on Feb. 20, it seemed like everyone from both communities and some from the surrounding communities had packed the spacious gym.
Nocona tried to pressure Muenster early to try and prevent the Lady Hornets from using their size in the post and it initially worked. Leading scorer Meg Meekins got the ball rolling, scoring seven of the team’s 10 points in the first quarter as they led 10-5.
The second quarter was much more high-scoring for both teams. Nocona had success shooting from 3-point range, making four during the quarter. Aubree Kleinhans led the team with eight points.
Midway through the Lady Indians led 22-9 and it looked like they might start to run away with the game.
The Lady Hornets started to do a better job of getting the ball inside and getting to the free throw line. A big match up problem for Nocona was Muenster’s Anna Hennigan, who used her size advantage and perimeter skill to drive into the lane all game.
The Lady Hornets cut the lead to 28-21 heading into halftime. Though the Lady Indians had a nice lead, Muenster had found a formula that was working and were determined to stick with it in the second half.
The third quarter was all Lady Hornets. Nocona was trying to bring extra help when posted up and switched to a zone defense, but it left open wide open shooters as Muenster made the team pay by making two. The Lady Hornets also employed their tallest player from their bench to use her extra size and Muenster then started grabbing offensive rebounds as well.
The Lady Hornets nearly doubled their first half total. Muenster was also selling out to try and not let Meekins drive into her sweet spots. Nocona made two 3-pointers, but only made one other basket as it struggled to make the Lady Hornets pay for giving so much attention to Meekins.
At the very end, Muenster took its first lead of the game since the first quarter, leading 38-36 with all of the momentum after outscoring the Lady Indians 17-8.
That momentum kept going in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Muenster opened up a 45-38 lead with 4:20 left to play and now had the luxury of trying to burn the clock while Nocona had to take risks.
Things were not looking good and did not seem to be trending the Lady Indians way. Even with Nocona making two trips to the free throw line in the next minute of action, the team made only one to cut the lead to 45-39 with 3:11 left to play.
Then the Lady Indians got some plays from their superstar. Meekins stole the ball and converted them to layups three different times over the next two minutes to tie the game up at 45-45 with 55 seconds left.
Nocona then got a stop and had a chance to shoot for the last shot in the game. It did not go in and the game went to overtime with the score tied at 45-45.
With both teams in the bonus, there were a lot of free throws shot in the overtime period. Muenster made 3-4 to start the period. The Lady Indians did not convert either on their first attempt, but got the offensive rebound and Kleinhans nailed a 3-pointer to tie the game at 48-48.
The Lady Hornets got another trip to the free throw line and missed both shots, but unfortunately a lane violation allowed them to attempt another one to retake the lead 49-48.
Nocona then had Meekins score on a tough floater. Muenster again answered by making two free throws. The Lady Indians saw Kleinhans sink another clutch 3-pointer at the top of the key to give Nocona a 53-51 lead with 37 seconds left.
The Lady Indians added to the lead with a free throw to make it 54-51.
The Lady Hornets through up a 3-point shot in the final minutes, but Nocona fouled the player on the attempt. With 2.5 seconds left, Ella Walterscheid made all three clutch free throws to tie the game at 54-54.
The Lady Indians unfortunately gave Muenster another shot, turning the ball over on a travel right underneath Nocona’s basket with 1.2 seconds left. Thankfully, the Lady Indians defended it well and the game went to its second overtime period.
It did not start off great for Nocona. Muenster scored three points in the opening minute and the Lady Indians saw Kleinhans foul out down 57-54.
Nocona answered in the next minute as Bayler Smith and Meekins made two trips to the free throw line and made both their shots to give the Lady Indians at 58-57 lead.
A few more trips to the line produced three points for Nocona to stretch its lead to 61-57. The Lady Hornets then answered with a clutch 3-pointer from Walterscheid to cut the lead to 61-60.
Thankfully the Lady Indians next trip to the free throw line was a foul from Walterscheid and it was her fifth as she fouled out.
Nocona went 3-4 on its next two trips to the line to go up 64-60 with 14.9 seconds left. Muenster cut it to two points by making a two more free throws with 4.9 seconds left, but that would be all she wrote.
The Lady Indians won 64-62 in a game where nothing seemed to come easy.

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