By Colin Altevogt
Girls Basketball Coordinator
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Center Grove’s Brittney
Shaner (15) works to get around Columbus East’s Jasmine Stallworth. Photo by Jay Alley |
SOUTHPORT
â??? Columbus East had waited 27 years since its last state championship
appearance. The Olympians waited an extra 20 minutes during a delay
when the lights went out. With the clock winding down, Shelby Ross made
sure East would wait no longer.
Ross
launched a jumper just milliseconds before the buzzer that landed as
No. 9 East avoided overtime and defeated Center Grove, 71-69 in an
emotionally charged semistate championship. East advances to play No. 2
South Bend Washington in the state finals Mar. 3.
The
last-second victory was just the most recent in a long line of close
calls for the Olympians. All of Eastâ??s tournament games have either
been decided by two points or less in regulation or gone into overtime.
â??Experience
helps and we gained experience quickly,â? East coach Danny Brown said.
â??They just have a no-die attitude and theyâ??re an amazing group.â?
Rossâ??
gamewinner culminated an exciting final quarter that saw Center Grove
tie the game twice in the final two minutes but never take the lead.
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Columbus East’s McKayla
Barber shows good form on a short jumper. Photo by Jay Alley |
After suffering an ankle sprain in the regional final victory over
Ross didnâ??t practice until Thursday of this week. Brown said that he
and his staff were not entirely sure that the Louisville-bound senior
would even be able to play.
Not only did Ross play, she scored 37 points, including 15 in the fourth quarter.
â??We
think sheâ??s a Miss Basketball candidate,â? Brown said. â??I think she
proved today that sheâ??s at least in the top two or three in the state
of
Foul
trouble plagued the Trojans for much of the second half. Bowling picked
up her fourth foul with 1:11 on the clock in the third quarter and sat
out some of the fourth. Forward Alex Dewitz, who scored a team high 25
points, fouled out with 4:19 left in the game.
â??She
meant an awful lot, as sheâ??s meant an awful lot every game in this
tournament run,â? Center Grove coach Joe Lentz said of Dewitz. â??When she
wants to play, she can flat out play. She was a huge factor for us.â?
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Center Grove’s Hillary
Bowling (right) looks to unload the ball as Columbus East’s Jorgan Ogle (4) defends. Photo by Jay Alley |
Center
Grove jumped out to a quick 14-10 lead, but East scored nine straight
to close out the quarter. The Olympians continued that streak, scoring
the first six points of the second period for a 15-0 run.
After a fast-paced and physical first half, East led 42-31.
The
lead grew to 13 following a basket on the drive by Ross before Center
Grove responded. The Trojans went on a 16-2 run, taking the lead on a
three from Dewitz.
Center
Groveâ??s momentum was not hampered by a 20 minute break in action. After
Dewitz hit the first of two foul shots, some of the fieldhouse lights
went out. The delay lasted so long that each team returned to the
locker rooms and were given three minutes to warm-up before play
resumed.
Ross
answered with a mid-range jumper to reclaim the lead before Dewitz sank
a pair of free throws to put Center Grove on top again.
Ross,
who was the only Olympian to hit a field goal in the second half, hit a
three with 23 seconds remaining in the quarter. East never trailed
again.
With
2:25 left in the game, Center Groveâ??s Heidi Reisinger scored on a drive
to bring the Trojans within two. Reisinger left the game twice, once
after turning her ankle and another time after being hit in the face,
but returned each time to contribute.
With
the game knotted at 64, East nailed four free throws for a four-point
cushion. Backup point guard Gina Phillips knocked down a three to pull
the Trojans within one with 24.5 seconds on the clock.
Three seconds later, Phillips was whistled for a touch foul on Ross.
â??In
any game like that, you can always talk about a foul here or a foul
there,â? Lentz said. â??If it would have been reversed then they could
talk about a call here or a call there. Thatâ??s just the way it happens
in a close game.â?
A
jump shot from Bowling tied the game with ten seconds left. Ross
temporarily lost control of the ball before firing up a shot from the
right wing that hit nothing but net.
The
loss ends Center Groveâ??s magic carpet ride of a postseason. The
Trojans, who finished fifth in the Metropolitan Conference regular
season, upset No. 8 Ben Davis and No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern in the
regional to reach the semistate.
â??Iâ??m disappointed but Iâ??m not disappointed in our kids at all,â? Lentz said.
So what do you think? Share your thoughts in our Girls Basketball forum.
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