Lady Eagles award Foster first coaching win in opener
The Morris varsity basketball program began its 2023-2024 campaign Tuesday evening with a split decision against Tulsa’s Mingo Valley Christian School at the Don Shoemake Sports Complex in Morris.
The host Lady Eagles began the season by handing Brittni Foster her very-first head coaching win with a 4926 thrashing of the Tulsa private school. Foster took over the reins of the Morris girls basketball program this season after spending the last two seasons as an MHS assistant coach.
The Eagles were unable to complete the season-opening sweep in the nightcap, dropping a 61-50 decision to the visitors from Tulsa.
The Morris cage squads will return to action Friday with a trip to Eufaula for a meeting with the Eufaula Ironheads and Lady Ironheads. Friday’s road opener at Eufaula will get started with girls action at 6 p.m. followed by the boys contest at approximately 7:30 p.m.
In Tuesday’s girls season opener, the host Lady Eagles came out of the opening frame with a 7-0 advantage, then Mingo Valley took the second stanza by a 10-7 margin to send the season-opening contest to the halftime break with Morris clinging to a narrow 14-10 lead.
The third quarter belonged to the Morris ladies, as the host Lady Eagles outscored their foes 25-6 in the frame for a commanding 3916 advantage with eight minutes remaining in regulation.
Both teams tallied 10 points in the final period to award the Morris ladies and Coach Foster the 49-26 victory.
Skylar Phillips led the Lady Eagle offensive attack with a teamhigh 16 points. Other Morris scorers in the season-opening win were Asiah Barnett with eight, Lillian Giddens and Fire Clark seven each, Alexis Schell six, Kaylynn Luckenbill three, and Shelby Washington two.
In Tuesday’s boys season-opening contest, the visitors took a 13-9 lead after the first eight minutes of action, then doubled up on the host Eagles 18-9 in the second period for a 13-point halftime deficit for the Morris gentlemen, 31-18.
After Mingo Valley took the third quarter by a 13-11 margin to increase its lead to 15 points, 44-29, the host Eagles put up 21 points in the final frame in a comeback attempt. The rally was thwarted, however, as the visitors countered with 17 points in the stanza to hand the Morris squad the 61-50 setback.
The top offensive performer for Morris in the season opener was Xavier Harjo, who finished with a team-best 21 points. Race Casey also reached double-digit scoring in the contest with 11 points.
Other Eagle scorers in the season-opening loss were Koen Burgess and Robert Woods with six points each, Steven Bender four, and Tre Robinson two.
— Girls Game
Morris 49, Mingo Valley 26 Mingo Valley: 0 – 10 – 6 – 10 (26) Morris: 7 – 7 – 25 – 10 (49) Morris Scoring: Skylar Phillips 16, Asiah Barnett 8, Lillian Giddens 7, Fire Clark 7, Alexis Schell 6, Kaylynn Luckenbill 3, Shelby Washington 2.
— Boys Game
Mingo Valley 61, Morris 50 Mingo Valley: 13 – 18 – 13 – 17 (61) Morris: 9 – 9 – 11 – 21 (50) Morris Scoring: Xavier Harjo 21, Race Casey 11, Koen Burgess 6, Robert Woods 6, Steven Bender 4, Tre Robinson 2.
