02/23/05
Rams win thriller in double-overtime
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL — SECTION FOUR CLASS D SEMIFINAL
By Jeff Vella
Staff Writer
DELHI — If it wasn’t T
| | | DELHI — If it wasn’t THE best girls basketball game in recent history, it had to be close. |
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HE best girls basketball game in recent history, it had to be close.
Second-seeded South Kortright overcame a tying, half-court shot at the end of regulation Tuesday to defeat third-seeded Milford, 62-57, in double-overtime in a Section Four Class D semifinal at Delhi Tech.
In a game featuring the first meeting between the area’s top two girls scorers — Rams junior Jessica Laing and Wildcats senior Shannon Weir — neither disappointed.
Laing tied her season high with 32 points, including a tying three-pointer with five seconds left in the first overtime.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Weir finished with a team-high 19 points before fouling out late in regulation. She came in averaging 23.9 points to Laing’s 21.0.
"That was a (heck) of a basketball game," Milford coach Jim Weir said. "If people balk at paying $4 for that basketball game, they ought to be shot. That was a great game."
SK (19-3) advanced to face top-seeded Downsville (21-2) in the sectional final at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Broome County Arena. It will be the fourth meeting between the teams, with the Eagles winning two of the first three.
"We know we can beat them," Laing said of Downsville, which her team defeated, 53-47, on Jan. 5. "I really don’t want to lose to Downsville again."
Laing made sure the Rams would get another chance at the Eagles by hitting a tying three late in the first overtime, but her shot was easily the second-most dramatic of the night.
The No. 1 spot, hands down, goes to Milford sophomore Corinne Ketzlick.
The Tri-Valley League champion Wildcats (19-4) appeared finished when SK’s Julie Many rebounded her missed free throw with three seconds left and drew a fifth foul on Weir. Many hit both foul shots, putting her team up, 47-44.
But Ketzlick took the inbound pass and weaved around several defenders before throwing up a baseball-style shot from just past the half-court line. The ball floated high in the air before cleanly going in as the buzzer sounded, tying the score at 47. The Milford players rushed the court and tackled Ketzlick near midcourt in a scene reminiscent of NCAA Tournament time.
"I was ready to start crying as she shot," Shannon Weir said. "I was like, it’s over. Just kidding. No it’s not."
Said Laing: "I didn’t even see it. I was cheering with Karyn (Tucker) in the center because I thought we already won it, and all of a sudden I hear ’Go Milford! Go Milford!’ And I was like, ’What happened?’ That was crazy."
Tucker’s view?
"I was up because we wanted to press," she said. "I saw her throw it up, and I said, ’Oh no way.’ And it went in."
The Rams, though, were still in a good position with Weir out for overtime. But after scoring the first four points to go up, 51-47, the Rams started missing shots and turning the ball over.
"We got up by four and lost our composure," said Rams coach Harry Nissen, whose team lost in overtime to Downsville in last winter’s sectional semifinals. "They were obviously stunned by the (Ketzlick’s) shot. (As a coach) you’re trying to keep your composure so the kids keep their composure. I don’t think we were doing what we had to do early in that overtime."
Milford scored the next seven points. Two free throws by Logan Campbell put Milford up, 52-51, with 32.6 seconds left. A Jenn Allen free throw made it 53-51 with 21.6 seconds left, and Kassie Tiller missed a runner on SK’s next possession.
Campbell rebounded and Tiller plowed into her, getting called for an intentional foul with 13.3 seconds left. Campbell hit 1 of 2, giving the Wildcats a 54-51 lead, and Milford retained possession.
Sedona Ward received the inbound pass and was fouled, going to the line with 12.2 left. Ward missed both, and Laing grabbed the rebound off the second miss.
Needing a three-pointer to tie, Laing dribbled up the right sideline as two Milford defenders backpedaled. When Laing reached the wing, she pulled up and swished a three-pointer with five second left to tie it at 54.
"I prayed, let this go in," Laing said. "I wanted to make the crowd a little more excited. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do. I knew I needed a three somehow. The girl started to back off a little bit, so I just threw it up."
Said Nissen: "She got her feet under her and got it in the right spot. To me, that wasn’t a lucky shot. She makes that three out of 10 times. It could have rimmed out and we’d be crying right now. It was a huge shot. She’s been our team leader all year. She’s the kid you want to be taking that shot."
Milford’s Allen never got a shot off on her team’s final possession, sending the game into a second OT. It was then that Weir’s absence really began to hurt the Wildcats, as the Rams dominated the offensive glass.
Nicole Venth and Tucker hit jumpers to give SK a 60-55 lead with 1:25 left, and Milford never recovered. Venth put back a missed free throw by Tucker with 14 seconds left, and Milford’s Liza Hendricks finished the scoring on an inside basket with 2.4 seconds left.
"I don’t know if we were even supposed to be on the same court as these guys, seriously," said Jim Weir, Shannon’s father. "They’re a good team, and they’re deep. They have everything. Here we are, the lone Tri-Valley League representative. On paper, we’re not even supposed to compete with these guys. I thought my kids did a heck of a job defensively.
"It’s hard to think my daughter’s career is over," he continued. "My team gave me everything. I’m so proud of them. I’m happier than (heck) the way my team played."
Campbell finished with 12 points for Milford and Hendricks nine.
"I’m not upset," Shannon Weir said. "With the way my team played, I don’t feel like we can put our heads down at all. We weren’t supposed to play with this team. We were the underdogs."
Many and Emily White had eight points each for the Rams. White also guarded Weir for much of the game.
"It’s such a good feeling," said Tucker, who was a JV call-up in 2001-02, when SK last played in a sectional final. The Rams beat Afton, 48-44, for the crown.
"People tell us this was our year," Tucker continued. "We worked really hard. I’m so happy all these girls get to experience. ... If we pull it together and play like we did that last overtime, nothing can stop us."
SK 62, MILFORD 57 (2OT)
3-MILFORD (19-4): Sarah Kessler 0 0-0 0, Shannon Weir 7 4-5 19, Sedona Ward 2 0-2 4, Jenn Allen 1 1-3 3, Emily Livshin 2 0-0 4, Logan Campbell 3 5-9 12, Kate Lane 0 0-0 0, Corinne Ketzlick 2 0-0 5, Liza Hendricks 3 3-4 9. TOTALS: 20 13-23 57.
2-SOUTH KORTRIGHT (19-3): Jessica Laing 10 9-11 32, Kassie Tiller 2 0-2 4, Jordan Nichols 1 0-0 2, Nicole Venth 2 0-0 4, Emily White 3 2-2 8, Julie Many 2 4-5 8, Karyn Tucker 2 0-2 4. TOTALS: 22 13-20 62.
Three-point field goals: Milford 3 (Weir, Campbell, Ketzlick); SK 3 (Laing 3).
