GIRLS
Coach: Scott Lowe
22-23 Record: 22-6
A year ago there were many that thought Fort Gibson would struggle to extend their consecutive streak of state tournament appearances. But, through a combination of dedication and hard work, coach Scott Lowe’s squad refused to be denied and qualified for the Class 4A girls state tournament for a 19th consecutive year. With the return of two repeat choices to the VYPE Top 100, Addy Whiteley and Laynee Stanley, is there cause for concern in the Tigers camp?
There’s a sign on the wall leading to the Lady Tigers dressing room that reads “Tradition NEVER Graduates.” This year’s team understands the meaning of the 3-word phrase and believes that nothing of value will come easy. Stanley (6-0, Jr.), who grabbed 8.3 rebounds while scoring 12.0 points per contest during her sophomore season, continues to draw recruiting interest from multiple Division I level schools while Whiteley (5-5, Jr.), who earned a spot in the Lady Tigers starting lineup at point guard during her freshman season, paced the Fort Gibson scoring for a second season in a row by averaging 12.0 points per contest in addition to dishing out more than five assists per game with her sharp passing skills. Maggie Baker (5-8, Sr.) will play a key role by continuing to exhibit leadership among the younger players exampled by her grit and ability to set hard screens and rebound. Lowe also expectes game changing results from the efforts of Addy Bracken (5-7, Jr.), Jaslyn Christie (5-6, Sr.) and Peyton Sikes (5-10, Sr.) Graduation has forced Lowe to develop several new faces to fill open spots in the starting lineup. Expected to be among the newcomers making a difference will be a pair of talented freshmen who have the skills to be gamechangers, Kashae Brown (5-11) who provides a boost in the paint with her length and mobility and Lia Peters (5-9) who competes with an edge and thrives on making defense a priority.Bench strength, always a plus for the Lady Tigers, will remain prominent as Emma Spears (5-5, Jr.), Ali Peters (5-8, So.), Miley Wafford (5-6, So.) Raelynn King (5-8, Sr.) Rae’Gynn Thomas (5-6, So.), Sage Benson (5-6, Fr.) Brenley Moore (5-7, Fr.), Lia Peters (5-9, Fr.), Alexa Ragsdale (5-4, Fr.) and Madi Barrett (5-5, Fr.) will share minutes on the court. “Just like always, we expect to compete at a high level and make a run come playoff time,” said Lowe, who begins his third year as head coach and seventh season with the Lady Tigers program. “We’ll have some kids stepping into new roles, so we will need to learn each others’ habits throughout the regular season. Hopefully, we’ll make a deep run when it matters most.”
