Grizzlies Overcome Adversity, Knock Off Coffeyville to Advance to Region 6 Title Game

GREAT BEND, Kan. – Shorthanded but unshaken, the No. 1 seeded Butler Grizzlies battled past No. 4 seed Coffeyville on Friday afternoon, earning a gritty 65–62 victory to advance to the Region 6 Championship.

Playing without 2025–26 KJCCC Defensive Player of the Year Aliyah Green, the Grizzlies needed a collective effort—and they got exactly that.

Sophomore Keegan Yarick erupted for 26 points and played all but one minute of the game. Yarick also had 10 rebounds to secure a double-double. Elina Syniakova had 11 points and six rebounds off the bench, and Mya Mayberry finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. 

Coffeyville led for nearly the entirety of the game, until the 4^th quarter, where the Grizzlies scored 25. With 4:19 to go in regulation, sophomore Mya Mayberry buried a three to give the Grizzlies their first lead of the day, 56-53, a lead that they never lost. 

Leading 63-62, sophomore Ashley Singhateh nailed a jumper to put the Grizzlies up 65-62 with 38 seconds to go. 

On the ensuing Coffeyville possession, the Red Ravens attempted a contested layup that was off the mark and the Grizzlies grabbed the rebound, forcing Coffeyvile to foul with 13.8 seconds left. 

With only their third foul of the quarter, Coffeyville was forced to foul the Grizzlies two more times to put them in the bonus and send Butler to the free throw line with 11 seconds to go. 

Singhateh missed both free throws and Coffeyville grabbed the rebound and called timeout. 

Out of the timeout, Coffeyville's Esme Smith attempted the game tying three but drew only iron, and Singhateh grabbed the defensive board and sealed the Grizzlies 65-62 victory, sending them to the Region 6 title game.

The Grizzlies pick up win number 31 on the year, now 31-1 overall and have won 22 straight games. Coffeyville's season ends at 23-9 overall. 

Butler will face the No. 3 seed Hutchinson Blue Dragons on Saturday at 3 p.m. for the Region 6 Championship. 

The Grizzlies will look to win their third Region 6 title under head coach Mike Helmer. The Grizzlies went back-to-back in 2019 and 2020.

Butler shot only 36.2 percent from the floor and were an abysmal four of 28 from deep. The Grizzly defense kept them in the game, forcing Coffeyville to shoot only 38.2 percent from the field and had 12 turnovers. Butler had 16 points off turnovers to Coffeyville's two.