OKLAHOMA CITY – The top-ranked Bethany Lady Bronchos are back in the Class 4A Girls Basketball State Championship game to defend their title against a familiar opponent, Lincoln Christian.

The No. 2 Bulldogs beat Glenpool, 53-40, Friday (March 8) to advance to the final. Bethany beat Douglass, 78-68, to advance.

The Lady Bronchos’ four losses this season came to the top-ranked team in Class 6A in Arkansas, Fort Smith Northside (who is now 26-4), Edmond North (No. 1 in Oklahoma Class 6A), Morris Catholic, New Jersey (who is ranked No. 8 in the nation by ESPN) and St. John’s Catholic in Washington, D.C. (a team who has been nationally-ranked).

Like Bethany, Lincoln Christian has played a tough schedule. The Bulldogs lost to Class 6A’s Edmond Memorial (currently in the state semifinals), Class 4A’s Glenpool and Stilwell. They rebounded to beat Glenpool twice and Stilwell once.

Sophomore Maddi Stewart was averaging 15.9 points and 9.2 rebounds going into state. Stewart has an offer from the University of Tulsa.

Going into the playoffs, Bethany senior Zya Vann, an Oklahoma signee, led her team, averaging 19.8 points a game, Junior Keziah Lofton, another OU commit, was averaging 19 points a contest.

Another junior, Kayten Donley, was averaging 12.5 points a game.

In Lincoln Christian’s semifinal win Friday, Stewart scored 17 points and snagged 11 rebounds. Fellow sophomore Kayli Atkinson added 13 points off the bench on 4-of-6 shooting. Junior Audrey Hopkins also scored 13 points, shooting 6-of-10 from the field.

In Bethany’s semifinal win Friday, all five starters scored in double figures. Junior Avery Marchino led the team with 19 points, hitting 6-of-7 from the field and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. 

Zya Vann scoring 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting. Junior Talia Vann added 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting. The younger Vann also grabbed 10 rebounds before fouling out with :32 left in the game.

Lofton added 11 points and 10 boards and Donley scored 13 points with nine rebounds and three steals.

Last year, Bethany beat the Bulldogs to win its first state title in girls basketball. Lofton scored 21 points and Donley added 17 points in the win.

LINCOLN CHRISTIAN BULLDOGS	BETHANY LADY BRONCHOS
No. 2/25-3	No. 1/25-4
SATURDAY, March 9, 2024 – 10 a.m.	Jim Norick Arena Oklahoma State Fairgrounds
Projected Starters	Projected Starters
Maddie Stewart, Sophomore, Guard, 5-9	Zya Vann, Senior, Forward, 5-10
Payton Rea, Junior, Guard, 5-6	Avery Marchino, Senior, Forward, 6-1
Kaci Swindall, Senior, Guard, 5-2	Kayten Donley, Junior Forward, 6-1
Jayla Albert, Freshman, Forward, 5-10	Keziah Lofton, Junior, Guard, 6-1
Audrey Hopkins, Junior, Guard/Forward, 5-11	Talia Vann, Junior, Center, 6-3
Coach: Melody Stewart (19th season, 9th season at LC)	Coach: Eric Sailer (11th season, 7th season at Bethany)
Last Five Games	Last Five Games
March 8: beat Glenpool, 53-40 (State)	March 8: beat Douglass, 78-68 (State)
March 7: beat Stilwell, 56-38 (State)	March 7: beat Tuttle, 53-32 (State)
March 1: beat Tuttle, 41-31 (Area)	March 1: beat Stilwell, 72-45 (Area)
Feb. 24: beat Mannford, 48-32 (Regional)	Feb. 24: beat Purcell, 78-45 (Regional)
Feb. 22: beat Skiatook, 69-26 (Regional)	Feb. 22: beat Elk City, 101-34 (Regional)