KINGFISHER — The Buckle of the Wheatbelt Invitational has become familiar territory for the Kingfisher Lady Jackets, and Wednesday night, Jan. 28, they made it official again.
Kingfisher knocked off the Weatherford Lady Eagles 60–48 at the APB to claim its sixth consecutive Buckle of the Wheatbelt championship — and the fourth straight time the title has come at Weatherford’s expense.
This year’s tournament didn’t follow a normal script. With winter weather and schedule shakeups stretching the event out longer than planned, teams were re-slotted, some games were moved, and the championship round was delayed. Even so, when the dust settled, the ending looked the same: Kingfisher holding the trophy.
Fast start sets the tone
The Lady Jackets came out sharp and aggressive, opening the game with the first nine points and jumping to a 14–2 lead early behind a 3-pointer from Ela Hartman. Kingfisher poured in 25 points in the first quarter and carried momentum into halftime with a 35–13 advantage.
Weatherford, ranked in the state top 10 at the time, refused to go quietly. The Lady Eagles chipped away through the second half and made one final push late in the fourth, cutting the gap to 54–46 after a Dasia Givens 3-pointer. But Kingfisher responded at the free-throw line to seal it.
Big nights from Myers and Hartman
Kingfisher got a balanced punch from its core group, led by Abbie Myers with 19 points and Ela Hartman with 19. Mattie Slezickey added 12, and Kingfisher hit 15 of 16 free throws, including key makes down the stretch.
Weatherford was paced by Dasia Givens’ 22 points before fouling out late, while Payton Mills scored 12.
A championship streak that keeps growing
The title continued a run that’s turned the Buckle of the Wheatbelt into a yearly statement for Kingfisher. The Lady Jackets have now won the tournament six years in a row, repeatedly proving they can handle the pressure of the final night — even when “final night” gets moved around by Oklahoma weather. Photos by AAK Maitland Woody.
