Lady Broncs outlasts Scott City in overtime
Lain, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Friday night’s sub-state semi-final game between Scott City and Lakin featured a pair of teams who had not been in this position in quite some time. The Lady Beavers hadn’t won a sub-state game since 2009, and the Lady Broncs since 2008. Friday’s hype of what many thought would be anyone’s game lived up to it, and then some. It took 11 ties and 12 lead changes and an extra four minutes to fill the final spot of the sub-state championship game. In the end, Lakin wins the thriller 40-39.
Scott City never led in the first quarter, as the Lady Broncs broke a pair of ties, and led by as many as seven at 13-6 with :14 seconds left in the first quarter. The Lady Beavers would take their first lead of the game, using an 8-0 run at the end of the first quarter, and in the opening 75 second of the second frame to lead 14-13. That would be short lived, as Lakin eventually pulled ahead to lead 21-18 at the break.
Just like the beginning of the second quarter, Scott City (7-15) started off with the first five points of the third quarter to take a 23-21 lead in the opening two minutes of the half. The Lady Beavers were unable to get a lead bigger than three and Lakin one in the entire second half.
While the scoring was slower in the second half, the atmosphere was at a high level.
Scott City took a 31-29 lead going into the fourth quarter on Nicole Latta’s second three of the year. Lakin (12-10) responded with three straight, all from the line, to begin the fourth quarter to lead 32-31 with 6:50 left. The Lady Broncs only hit one field goal in the in the last 12 minutes of the game. Their last field goal came with 3:14 remaining to give them a 36-35 lead, on a shot from Molly Hendrix. Scott City would eventually take the lead nearly three minutes later. The Lady Beavers broke a nearly four-minute drought, when Kiana Yager hit a right wing three-pointer, her second of the year, to give them the 38-36 lead.
Lakin had one more chance, and they took advantage. When it looked like they were going to throw it away in the back court, they were able to save it, and caught Scott City out of position on defense, drawing a foul with 7.1 seconds left in regulation. Hendrix drilled a pair of free throws to tie the game at 38, and forced overtime.
Both teams were without a field goal in the extra session. Scott City was only one of two from the line, While Lakin hit two of their first four, but missed their last four down the stretch. After their last miss, the Lady Beavers took it the length of the court, as Taylor Goodman had a great look at the potential game winner, only to see the ball crawl off to the left as time expired, sending the Lady Broncs to a sub-state final game for the first time since 2004.
Three Lakin players finished in double figures, led by Lizzy Webb with 12 points off the bench, while Robin Ritsema and Kaylee Line added 10. Scott City got 12 points from Kiana Yager.
The Lakin win over Scott city was their fifth straight in the series.
Saturday night’s sub-state championship game will feature the third-seeded Lady Broncs against 21-1 Sterling Lady Black Bears at 6 pm. Sterling cruised past rival Lyons 63-28 to put themselves in the sub-state final game.
As for the Lady Beavers, they will say goodbye to two seniors Nicole Latta and Madison Orr, as they saw a four-win improvement from a year ago, and had plenty of streaks snapped.
Coach Sarah McCormick Postgame
