FINAL BUZZER: Bartlesville girls hoops team goes out fighting
Bartlesville High School senior Alayah Lunn (4) readies herself for a free throw during an earlier season game. The Lady Bruins’ (13-12) season ended last week with a loss in regionals.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
March 3, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Legacy can be a subjective thing.
But there’s no minimizing the impact of three hearty seniors on the girls basketball program of Bartlesville High School.
Kennedy Nubel, Alayah Lunn and Adrianne Flick helped form two of the best back-to-back seasons in team history.
This year’s winning odyssey (13-12) ended in Thursday’s 67-57 loss to Westmoore High School in the opening round of the Class 6A regionals.
This was Bartlesville’s first winning season since 2018-19. In addition, the Lady Bruins have recorded 25 wins the past two seasons — one of the most successful two-season showings in team history, especially during the past 30 years.
Nubel poured in 11 points against Westmoore, while Lunn and Flick each contributed big buckets and feisty play on both ends of the court.
Junior Sami Sheaffer paced the Bartlesville offensive attack with 24 points, while fellow junior Kenzie Denny added nine points. Cadence Gray, Emma Zimmerman and Erin Bridendolph also each contributed to the scoring.
Bartlesville High School senior Kennedy Nubel (22) goes to the basket during earlier season action. The Lady Bruins’ (13-12) season ended last week with a loss in regionals.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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But Westmoore (14-9) proved to be the marginally better team during this fierce battle played out on a neutral court at Broken Arrow High School.
Actually only one quarter made the difference.
Westmoore dominated in the second period, 19-6, to take control. In the other three quarters the Lady Bruins outscored Westmoore, 51-48.
In truth, however, Bartlesville never really challenged for the lead in the second half after trailing by 17 at halftime, 36-19. The Lady Bruins failed to cut the margin in the final two quarters to less than 13 points until it was just too late.
Denny dialed in a three-pointer in the final seconds to trim the lead to nine points. Westmoore hit a free throw to finish off the scoring.
The Lady Bruins — coached by Justyn Shaw and staff — scored 57-or-more points for the ninth time this season and a season-high three games in a row.
With veteran main rotation players Sheaffer, Denny, Zimmerman, Gray and Bridendolph eligible to return for next season to continue to build on the foundation left by the outgoing seniors.
Bartlesville High School’s Adrianne Flick (20) goes up for a rebound during earlier season action. The Lady Bruins’ (13-12) season ended last week with a loss in regionals.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports