Long-distance shot by Pocola's Slate wins wild one

By Justin Harper

Published: March 9, 2008

When Pocola's Callie Slate hit the game-winning shot in Saturday's Class 2A girls state championship game, she still hadn't completely gotten over the heartache of losing the state championship, twice.

After Pocola's 58-56 win over Walters, a mix of euphoria and shock left the senior numb — numb, despite just completing the greatest ending to a game anyone could fathom.

"I felt like I didn't even shoot it,” Slate said of her game-winner in front of 4,000 people at State Fair Arena. "It was like the ball was just lifted from my arms and I was just standing there watching. And it seemed like an hour it was in the air before it went down.”

Slate's heave of more than 35 feet, which was still in the air well after the buzzer sounded, was the final dagger in a game that featured three shots in the final second that figured to end the game.

"We had lost it,” said Pocola coach Mark McKenzie. "They made an excellent shot, an excellent shot to win it.”

A winning shot that turned out not to be.

Walters' Vanessa Karpe hit a 21-foot 3-pointer as she was getting fouled that put Walters up 55-54. When the ball ripped through the net, the Walters bench exploded onto the floor in celebration. However, because of the foul, the clock had been stopped with seven-tenths of a second showing. Because players from Walters' bench were on the court with time left on the clock, a technical foul was called. . Ironically, if the foul had not been called on Karpe's shot, the clock would have run out. Karpe made the free throw to give Walters a 56-54 lead.

"I thought I had won it, it felt like we had won it,” said Karpe. "But when I found out about the technical, I wondered what would happen.”

Pocola's Lasea Been made the first free throw, then the second bounced out. Been walked away with tears streaming down her cheeks and Walters going berserk.

"I know that doesn't seem like enough time to do anything,” said Karpe. "But I've played enough to know anything can happen when there is time on the clock.”

Pocola drew up the same play Slate had used to drive to the bucket to give Pocola a 54-52 lead with 27 seconds left.

"We drew up the same play because I thought they would protect the lob under the basket,” said McKenzie. "I just told Callie, ‘Here's your chance to shine, girl.' And she did shine. She's still shining.”

The ending was an emotional rollercoaster unlike any either team had experienced.

"Oh, my God, I thought we had lost three times,” said Pocola's Ashley Hobbs, who had 17 points before fouling out. "When I fouled out I started crying thinking it was over. Then we get the lead and they hit that 3-pointer and that broke my heart again. Then we make the first free throw and I'm all happy again. We miss the second and I'm crying all over. After Callie hit that shot, I really didn't know what to do. It was so crazy.”

Lauren Hutchens led Pocola (26-5) with 18 points and Slate ended with 14. Walters, which will have all five starters back next year, got a tremendous showing from freshman Cassadie Holybee, who had a game-high 26 points. Karpe scored 15 for Walters (27-2) in a game that neither team led by more than three points.

Slate had hit one game-winning shot before, as a junior against Heavener.

"It's unfortunate for them to get that technical,” said McKenzie. "But we got an opportunity and by God you couldn't take advantage more than that. Unbelievable.”

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