MIDWEST CITY — Putnam City North will have a chance to defend its 6A girls basketball state championship after a 71-53 win over Bixby Thursday (March 12) at Carl Albert.
North pulled ahead in the second quarter after both teams scored 20 points in the opening quarter.
The Spartans cut the lead 51-43 by the end of the third quarter. The Panthers outscored Bixby 20-10 for the win.
Senior guard Da’Nae Jefferson led North with 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Jefferson hit two 3-pointers and grabbed seven rebounds. Jefferson hit all nine of her free throws.
Fellow senior Jayla Constant added 15 points and eight rebounds. Constant also hit all nine of her free throws.
Senior Paige Williams followed with 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Williams had four rebounds.
Senior Tehlia Kutsoati and junior Demy Howard each added nine points. Howard had six rebounds while Kutsoati grabbed two boards.
MOORE REACHES 1K POINTS
North senior Makiya Moore reached 1,000 points in her career in the contest. Moore came to North this season after three years at 5A Classen S.A.S.
Moore entered Thursday’s game one point shy of the mark. She scored four points in the win.
GRAY GOES FOR THREE-PEAT
Gray will go for her third straight state title Friday. She won with Putnam City West as a sophomore in 2024. She added a title as a junior with North last year. Over a three-year span, Gray is 85-3. She did play in two games early in the season as a freshman, when West went 23-5 before falling in the state semifinals.
TIP-INS
- The Panthers shot 42 percent from the field. North shot 87 percent from the free throw line.
- North outrebounded Bixby, 31-22.
- Bixby senior Kate Wernil scored a game-high 22 points with three 3-pointers. Wernil hit 8 of 15 shots from the field. She also six rebounds and three assists.
- North has now won 22 straight games since its lone loss to Bishop Gorman (Nev.) on Dec. 22.
- The Panthers are averaging 68.1 points a contest and have an average margin of victory of 32.1 points.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam City North (29-1) | 20 | 18 | 13 | 20 | 71 |
| Bixby (25-6) | 20 | 8 | 15 | 10 | 53 |
BIXBY – Wernli 22, Datel 11, Campbell 9, Wright 4, Jewell 3, Scarborough 3, Iliff 1.
UP NEXT
The Panthers (29-1) will face Muskogee (23-6) Friday at 1 p.m. for the 6A title.
The Roughers advanced with a 68-52 win over Mustang on Thursday.
Both North and Muskogee are in District 6A-3 so they’re very familiar with each other. The Panthers won a 58-55 road contest in overtime on Jan. 3. North won at home against Muskogee, 44-37, on Feb. 3.
PANTHERS VS. ROUGHERS – PART THREE
| Team | Record | Avg Points Scored | Avg Points Allowed |
| Putnam City North | 29-1 | 68.1 | 37.6 |
| Muskogee | 23-6 | 60.5 | 40.2 |
CLASS 6A GIRLS OKLAHOMA STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2026 (At Lloyd Noble Center)
Putnam City North 48, Edmond North 39
Bixby 50, Choctaw 43
Mustang 62, Bartlesville 55
Muskogee 65, Westmoore 50
THURSDAY, March 12, 2026 (At Carl Albert High School)
Muskogee 68, Mustang 52
Putnam City North 71, Bixby 53
FRIDAY, March 13, 2026 (At OG&E Coliseum)
Putnam City North vs. Muskogee, 1 p.m. (Championship Game)
West Metro Sports 