As Day 1 leader Jason Christie was answering questions from the media last night, he was receiving reports from the the Class 4A senior high girls basketball game between No. 1-ranked Fort Gibson, where his 5-foot-11 daughter, Ali, is a junior starting small forward, and No. 5-ranked Hilldale.
And, just like Jason’s Day 1 leading total of 20-lbs., 14-ounces, the news was good. An 11-2 first quarter start propelled Fort Gibson to a 44-34 victory and a berth in the state tournament. Ali’s team is now 27-0, and 26 of those victories have been by double-digit margins. Hilldale dropped to 23-4, and three of those losses were to Fort Gibson.
The acorn didn’t fall far from the oak for Ali Christie. Jason starred as a 6-foot-3 slam-dunking, 3-point-shooting guard at Tahlequah (Okla.) High School, Bacone Junior College and Northeastern Oklahoma University.