SLATON – Gruver and Lipan lived up to the billing during an absolute thrilling UIL Class 2A Division II state semifinal at a standing room only Tigers Gym on Monday night.
These two heavy weights went punch for punch for 40 minutes, which included two overtimes, before it was the Lady Indians as the team left standing, pulling away from the Lady Hounds to gain a hard fought 67-55 double overtime victory and advance back to San Antonio for the first time in three years.
This game gave fans a bit of everything on top of free basketball.
There were multiple momentum swings with clutch shots at the right time. Neither squad led by more than five points until the second overtime, and to top it all off, this clash had 11 ties to go with 17 lead changes, including six in the third quarter alone.
“It was a back and forth game between two great teams,” Gruver head coach Trent Lankford said. “I’m so proud of this team. We kept fighting and scrapping through this game, and hats off to Lipan. They are an amazing team. We never stop fighting and that’s all I could ask for.”
Lipan head coach Amber Branson echoed Lankford’s comment.
“It was a battle,” Branson said. “Gruver is a great team that is so well coached. I’m proud we kept fighting. There were a few times I thought we could put it away, but Gruver kept battling back. Both teams just played so hard and left it all out there.”
Lipan (34-5) will play for a fourth state championship under Branson and a first since 2023 when they take on Tuesday’s Martin’s Mill-Goldthwaite winner at 7 p.m. Thursday at San Antonio’s Alamodome.
A youthful Lady Hounds team, that started three freshman this season, have a bright future, finishing a fantastic season at 30-6.
“We fought all year and we just kept getting better,” Lankford said. “This loss is going to sting but it doesn’t take away from the year this team had. I knew early in the year we were a dangerous team. I hope this fuels a fire to come back stronger next year.”
The 17th and final lead change is what broke the back of Gruver.
In the opening moments of double overtime, when freshman Sydni Gayler went hard to the hoop, making a layup and was fouled. Following the made free-throw from Gayler, the Lady Indians up for good at 55-52 with 3:52 left. From that moment forward, Lipan put the Lady Hounds away for good by outscoring Gruver 15-3 in the second OT.
“I feel that gave us a lot of momentum at that point,” Branson said. “We had so many players that made big plays the entire night, but that play was huge for us. We played defense from there, and knocked down our free-throws.”
Both teams had to feel they had control throughout. In the opening stanza, Lipan went up 10-5 very early, only to see Gruver go on a 7-0 run, taking a 12-10 advantage at the five minute mark.
Lipan was feeling really good not moments later, and that’s when things got scary for the Lady Hounds.
At the three minute mark of the Gruver freshman standout, Payton Merkel, picked up her second foul. Lankford decided to put his leading scorer on the bench, sitting Merkel the rest of the first half.
The Lady Indians weren’t able to take advantage, as the Lady Hounds stepped up behind Kortlyn Born, Paisely Quirk and Carly Neeley. That trio kept Gruver in the game, as the two teams went to halftime tied, 32-32.
“Being tied with Merkel and Marlee Maupin on the bench in foul trouble was massive,” Lankford said. “In fact, when we went into halftime, I told the team, this is our time. But Lipan never went away and it was two teams going back and forth. Everyone left it out there.”
Both teams had opportunities in regulation, however, neither were able to pull away from one another. The same went for the first overtime, until the Lady Indians finally wore down Gruver in the second OT. In that period, Lipan was a masterful 11-of-11 from the charity stripe.
Merkel did make an impact in the second half, scoring 12 of her team-high 15 in the second half and overtime. Quirk added 13 and Born went for 12.
Gayler finished with a game-high 18 points including 11 in the second half and overtime. Teammate Jacy Bolton had 16 and sharpshooter Finley Shockley chipped in 13.
