With a playoff win on the line, Red Oak rose to the challenge on Tuesday. They skirted past the Heritage Coyotes 43-40. Given the Hawks' advantage in MaxPreps' Texas basketball rankings (they are ranked 65th, while the Coyotes are ranked 263rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Red Oak's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Kierstyn Totten, who went 5-for-12 en route to 17 points and five boards. Another player making a difference was Ariana Warren, who posted five points in addition to five rebounds and four steals.
Red Oak smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Heritage only four offensive boards.
Several Coyotes players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Danielle Henry, who scored six points along with nine boards and three blocks. Henry has become a key player for Heritage: the team is 6-2 when she posts at least three blocks, but 12-17 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Elyse Mercado, who had seven points.
Red Oak is on a roll lately: they've won 16 of their last 18 matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 23-11 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.4 points over those games. Heritage now has a losing record of 18-19.
Red Oak has already played their next game, a 41-38 victory against Highland Park on the 20th. Heritage does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
