BETHANY — Hydro-Eakly coach Jeremy Tharp wasn’t gentle with his team at halftime.
“I just felt there was a need to wake them up,” Tharp said.
Whatever he said worked.
Trailing by six, Hydro-Eakly changed up its pressure defense at halftime and took control in the second half to beat Kiowa 66-37 in the opening round of the Class A girls state tournament at Southern Nazarene’s Sawyer Center.
Hydro-Eakly (28-1) will play the winner of Thursday’s late game between Okarche and Vici at 7:30 p.m. Friday at State Fair Arena.
Kiowa was able to get through Hydro-Eakly’s press much of the first half, repeatedly taking advantage at the free-throw line.