Tahlequah will be making its fifth state tournament appearance in the last eight years, all under head coach David Qualls.

The Lady Tigers (22-3) bounced back from a loss to Holland Hall to defeat Pryor, 56-29, in a Class 5A East Area Tournament consolation final on Saturday, March 4.

Tahlequah, who strung together a nine-game winning streak from mid-December to mid-January and won seven straight before the setback to Holland Hall, will face El Reno (18-5) to open state tournament play Wednesday, March 8 at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman.

The Lady Tigers are led by junior forward Kori Rainwater, who averages 15.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. Rainwater is shooting 52 percent overall from the floor and 76 percent from the free throw line. Jadyn Buttery, another standout junior forward, suffered a season-ending knee injury in mid-January. Buttery averages a team-high 16.1 points and 7.6 rebounds. Junior guard Madi Matthews averages 14 points, 3.4 rebounds and is shooting 42.8 percent from 3-point territory.

Members of the Lady Tigers include: Madi Matthews, Talyn Dick, Jersey Retzloff, Areli Iglecias, Natalee Page, Averi Keys, Carsyn Gilbert, Paisley Qualls, Riley Dotson, Jadyn Buttery, Alayna Stopp, Lauren Stephens and Kori Rainwater. 

Tahlequah reached the 5A State Tournament championship game in 2021 and advanced to the semifinals in 2017.