Coach Mark Bottom waits for the three-point verification as his players celebrate the shot Lauren Gockley just hit. Her trey tied the game with Hershey, and Chase County took the win in OT. (Johnson Publications photo)
Allison Owings defies the defense put up by Hershey’s Emily Barr. Owings scored 10 points in the Lady Longhorn win. (Johnson Publications photo)
Mallie McNair had a career night on offense, scoring 30 points in her team’s overtime win against Hershey. Two Hershey defenders Ashley Hassett, left, and Raychel Banks try to stop her on this drive. (Johnson Publications photo)
Lauren Gockley was one of the Chase County heroes Saturday after hitting this trey with 20 seconds left in regulation. It tied the game and Chase County won in OT. (Johnson Publications photo)
Girls break Hershey’s 12-game streak with overtime win
Coach Mark Bottom believes beating Hershey over the weekend will be a big confidence-builder as the Lady Longhorns start post season play in a week and a half.
Bottom’s varsity team upended Hershey, 53-46, in an exciting, come-from-behind overtime contest on the Longhorn court Saturday.
Bottom said his team never had any doubt they could erase an 11-point deficit, tie the game then win in overtime against the 14-4 Lady Panthers.
“By no means was it a fluke,” he said of the win.
Hershey was just named SPVA tourney champs in an upset over top-seeded St. Pat’s, and were on a 12-game winning streak before coming to Imperial. With Saturday’s win, Chase County has also beaten all four of the other teams in their C1-11 subdistrict.
“We played good basketball. We were down, but fought back and they had the confidence they could win,” he said.
The game was a tale of two halves. Chase County had a mere 3-2 lead at the end of the first, then Hershey led by one, 10-9, at the half.
Bottom believes the first half performance was likely a combination of a couple things—both teams hadn’t played for a week. And, Chase County pressed the Lady Panthers, and they weren’t ready for it, he said.
“For us, we had multiple good shots, we executed our possessions, had good looks—they just didn’t go in,” he said.
But, the offense for both teams picked up considerably second half.
Hershey had its success first after halftime, scoring 19 third quarter points, including four treys, some well beyond the arc, Bottom noted.
“We were still sluggish in the third,” he said as Hershey outscored them 19-9.
Heading into the fourth, trailing 18-29, the biggest deficit of the night, Chase County started to fight back.
Early in the fourth, Mallie McNair, who scored just three first half points, started Chase County’s offense, hitting a pair of free throws and back-to-back baskets.
Another bucket from Andrea Page pulled them within four, 26-30, with 4:36 left.
Hershey extended its lead to eight with a pair of free throws and a two-pointer, leading 34-26 at the quarter’s halfway point.
In a span of two minutes, McNair scored Chase County’s next six points, as Hershey went without a point, pulling her team within two, 32-34.
After a foul, Hershey hit the front end of two free throws, then led 35-32.
Ragan Nickless fouled out of the game when her fifth was whistled with 1:11 left, but Hershey missed both free throws.
On Chase County’s next possession, Allison Owings hit a key bucket, as the Lady Longhorns crawled within one again, 34-35.
After Hershey inbounded, McNair stole the ball, only to get it picked by Hershey’s Ashlyn Banks, and Chase County was forced to foul. Banks connected on both free throws, and Hershey led 37-34 with 0:34 left.
Lauren Gockley got her hands on the ball with 0:20 left, and hit a three, tying the game 37-37. The game headed to overtime as neither team scored in the waning seconds.
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