OKLAHOMA CITY — Putnam City North used a familiar recipe to win its second straight title in 6A girls basketball Friday (March 13) at OG&E Coliseum.

When the Panthers were challenged this season, they turned up the defensive pressure which often leads to an offensive spark. North used that playbook with a similar result, a 62-40 win over Muskogee and a 30-1 season.

Late in the first quarter, Muskogee was the aggressor and the Panthers’ struggled shooting-wise. But even despite that, North’s deficit never grew too much (six points, 15-9).

Midway through the second quarter, there was a glimpse of what was to come. North trailed 15-11 at the 5:47 mark when senior Paige Williams forced a jump ball after Muskogee sophomore Elexis Holmes lost control of the ball due to heavy defensive pressure in front of the North bench.

The Panthers were fired up and the Roughers were frustrated.

The North pressure began affect Muskogee and score tightened. North took a 23-22 lead on a 3-pointer from senior Da’Nae Jefferson.

The Roughers took a 25-23 lead to the locker room.

“We were trying to generate more turnovers and chaos, trying to get them out of rhythm,” North coach Logan Martin said. “We talked about how that would help generate our offense.”

North took control for good in the third quarter and it started with a trey from senior Kiana Gray.

The Panthers took off an 11-4 run to start the quarter with Gray’s shot and two 3-pointers from senior Jayla Constant.

Muskogee junior Kashae Brown stopped the run with a bucket. Jefferson answered with a step-back trey over Brown for a 39-31 lead.

The turnovers piled up for Muskogee and North began to run in transition. Muskogee turned the ball over 16 times and North scored 14 points off of the miscues.

The run continued into the fourth quarter and the Panthers grew the lead to 25 points (62-37) late in the game.

“We just had to lock in on defense. We just had play our game,” Constant said. “Just play fast and lock in on defense.”

North senior Tehlia Kutsoati saw the change with her team.

“We were just trying to play ISO ball and one-on-one ball. Coach Martin told us it all definitely starts on defense for us.”

Jefferson finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. The Northern Colorado signee was 6-of-10 from the field.

Constant added 16 points and five rebounds. The UNLV signee hit 5-of-9 from the field and 2-of-3 from the 3-point line.

Junior Richiya Miller scored five of her seven points in the second half. Miller came off the bench and hit a 3-pointer in the win.

Gray and Williams each scored six points.Williams had two rebounds and Gray grabbed three boards. Gray had two treys,

ALL THREE TIMES WERE CHARMS

North beat Muskogee for the third time this season. Both teams were in District 6A-3.

The Panthers won a 58-55 road contest in overtime on Jan. 3. North won at home against Muskogee, 44-37, on Feb. 3.

“It’s hard to beat a team for a third time,” Jefferson said. 
”We know them very well. 
They changed a little bit, but not as much. We just stayed us and adjusted to what they were doing.”

Gray said her team took the third meeting as a challenge.

“This time, (Muskogee) said they had some for us,” Gray said. “We took that to heart and we came out here and then we had to do.”

TIP-INS

• North shot 37.5 percent in the first half. In the second half, the Panthers improved to 46.9 percent.
• North had just one trey in the first half. In the second half, the Panthers drilled seven 3-pointers, including five in the third quarter rally.
• Muskogee outrebounded North, 28-26, but the Panthers won the second-chance points battle, 8-6.
• North won in points off the bench (12-5) and in the paint (32-26).
• The Panthers were 6-of-8 (75 percent) from the free throw line and Muskogee was 5-of-9 (55.6 percent).
• Muskogee only scored 15 points in the second half. The Roughers scored 15 points in the second quarter alone.
• Constant had a scare in third quarter when she went down to the court while dribbling. It turned out to be a ankle injury. She returned to the ball game.
• Kutsoati added five points off the bench on 2-of-4 shooting. She also had two rebounds.
• Senior Makiya Moore scored four points on 2-of-3 shooting. She had two rebounds.
• Muskogee had two players score in double figures. Brown scored 18 points and Elexis Holmes added 12 points. Elexis Holmes was scoreless in the second half.
• The Roughers shot a blistering 55.6 percent in the first half but cooled off after the break. They were 6-of-26 (23.1 percent) in the second half.

Photographs courtesy of Richard T. Clifton.

	1	2	3	4	F
Putnam City North (30-1)	9	14	21	18	62
Muskogee (23-7)	10	15	7	8	40

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 62, Muskogee 40 (Championship Game)