Fort Gibson has built quite a tradition in girls basketball in reaching the Class 4A state championship game three straight times and the semifinals last year.

“Not many schools have had the opportunities we’ve had to go back to the tournament and as deep as we have,” coach Jerry Walker said. “We’ve got a lot of playoff experience and that’s one thing that will help our team.”

Not many schools also can say they have one of the top players in the state.

Carissa Crutchfield, a 5-foot-6 guard, returns for her senior year and ranks among the state’s elite.

Chosen as the Class 4A Most Valuable Player by Oklahoma Tipoff and first team 4A All-State in the Vype Oklahoma Basketball Preview, Crutchfield averaged 12.5 points, 9 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 4.5 assists per game last season. She has already committed to Oklahoma State and has said she will sign with the Cowgirls this spring.

Even Walker, who has coached her for four years, becomes impressed with Crutchfield.

“The thing you don’t know about her unless you watch her play a lot is that she’s a great competitor,” he said. “She gets after it. Carissa rarely comes off the floor and when she grabs her shirt to come out, she’s dead tired. The fundamental skills of handling and passing the ball are as good as anyone we’ve had.”

But Crutchfield wanted to get better. She worked tirelessly on her 3-point shooting going into the season.

“I would always drive to the basket, but coach Walker and (Oklahoma State coach Kurt) Budke said I needed to step back and shoot the 3 in case other teams take the drive away,” Crutchfield said. “I watched tapes of myself where other teams would back up when I started driving. I had a trainer who helped me with my 3-point shooting. He’s taught me a lot.”

Walker has seen the difference in Crutchfield on the floor.

“I see her form is so much better,” he said. “She made two of three shots from the 3-point line the other day when we scrimmaged Midwest City. That makes her extremely dangerous.”

But Crutchfield isn’t the only Lady Tiger returning with any kind of experience. Other starters back are 5-9 junior Nana Walace and 5-5 senior Mikki Stone. Other returnees, who got playing time last season, include 5-5 Jodi Glover, 5-6 Julia Hill, 5-9 Kia Lyons and 5-10 Brooke Walker. Walker is Jerry Walker’s daughter.

Though undersized as a post player, Wallace averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game last season. Glover, the daughter of superintendent Derald Glover, averaged 10 points as a freshman.

The thing that stands out about the rest of this team that no one literally stands out with their size.

“We’re not very big. That’s for sure,” Jerry Walker said. “We’re not going to walk on the floor and intimidate anybody. We’re pretty much guard-oriented. We have to scrap and fight for everything. I’m looking forward to the year.”