Terrell Lester

Sports Editor



The student turned the tables on the teacher Monday night.

Chouteau’s girls, under the direction of Denisha Pease, defeated Inola, under the direction of by Pease’s high school basketball coach, Rick Ott.

The 48-46 win at Chouteau, only the third for the Wildcats this season, deprived Ott of his 500th career win.

For Pease, it was her first decision over her mentor in her first season as a high school head coach.

“I was with him when he got 200,” Pease said Monday night. “I knew he was at 499. I was stressing a little bit about that.

“I wanted to see him get it, because he deserves it so much. But I didn’t want him to get it on me.”

When they met in Inola earlier this season, Ott’s team prevailed, 46-25.

Inola took a 31-30 lead into the fourth quarter Monday night. The lead bounced back and forth for seven minutes before Inola’s Stevie Rutherford hit a 3-pointer to tie the score.

“I thought, ‘Here we go. I’m about to learn something right here. He’s about to show me what he’s got,’” Pease said.

Instead, her team showed what it had.

Jocelyn Couch broke the tie seconds later with a basket. Then it was up to Chouteau to convert its free throws down the stretch to preserve Pease’s impressive win over her former coach.

In the fourth quarter, the Wildcats converted 9-of-10 free throws. Couch and Carra Wilson hit four each and Karlee Alberty added one.

“It’s good to get the third win,” Pease said. “But to win against somebody I respect so much, it’s kind of humbling.”

Pease and Ott embraced after the game near mid-court.

“I had some tears in my eyes,” Pease said.

“He said that the kids worked really hard for me and that I’ve got them playing well. He said we deserved it.”

When Pease made her way to the lockerroom, she had her emotions pretty well in check.

“I knew that they could do it and they finally showed that little bit of fight that I’d been talking about in practices,” she said.

“The girls have really come together. They play more as a team now, instead of individuals.

“They’re more comfortable with the ball. They were shooting the ball well. They were handling the pressure.

“They were just really excited to play (this game). They were ready to show people how good they can be,” she said.

Couch led the way with 18 points, twice her production in the first game at Inola. Wilson, who did not score in the first game, contributed 13 points.

Chouteau sealed its victory at the free-throw line, hitting 15-of-17 shots.

“I hope they liked the feeling (of winning), because this is the perfect time to keep on rolling,” Pease said.

The Class 2A district playoffs begin on Feb. 17, with Chouteau playing at Fairland.

In the boys game Monday night, Dwight McElroy and Jason Couch accounted for 24 points each as Chouteau dropped Inola, 61-54.

Like the girls game, Chouteau reversed the outcome from its first meeting.

At Inola, Chouteau suffered a 47-39 defeat. In that game, McElroy and Couch combined for 11 points.

They turned things around Monday night. Inola led, 24-22, at halftime before the Wildcats stepped up the pace.

It was a blue-ribbon win for the Class 2A, No. 15 Wildcats, coming against the Class 4A Longhorns.

But on Tuesday night, the Wildcats were toppled, 64-60, in overtime at Keys.

It was the third overtime loss in the last four games for Chouteau.

Chouteau rallied from a 30-28 halftime deficit to tie at 53 at the end of regulation.

Trevor Eubanks dominated the four-minute overtime for Keys, scoring eight of his 31 points. McElroy scored 19 for Chouteau.

CHOUTEAU 48, INOLA 46

Girls

Inola            7  14  10 15 — 46

Chouteau    5  16  9  18 — 48

Inola — Rutherford 16, Mootry 15, McDaniel 8, Riddle 2, McDaniel 2, Cox 2, Williamson 1.

Chouteau — Couch 18, Wilson 13, Atchley 8, Alberty 6, Chupp 3.



CHOUTEAU 61, INOLA 54

Boys

Inola          15   9  17 13 — 54

Chouteau   11  11  21 18 — 61

Inola — Hall 12, Buck 8, Yocham 8, McFeeters 6, Davis 5, Gill 5, Powers 4, Proctor 3.

Chouteau — Couch 24, McElroy 24, Chupp 6, Josh Shive 2, Jordan Shive 2,  Vance 2, Oberg 1.



KEYS 64, CHOUTEAU 60

Boys

Chouteau15 13 11 14  7 —60

Keys        14 16 12 11 11 —64

Chouteau — McElroy 19, Josh Shire 11, Jordan Shire 10, Oberg 8, Couch 6, Chupp 6.

Keys — Eubanks 31, Releford 12, Parks 8, Ragsdale 6, Guider 4, Turman 2, Nolan 1.