Vikings force OT, but fall to No. 4 Sasquatch
CONNOR VANDERWEYST | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 10 months AGO
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Big Bend forward Madison Wilcox puts up a shot against Spokane.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Big Bend’s Haily Garrity looks for space against Spokane.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Big Bend guard Emily Allan throws a pass.
Connor Vanderweyst/Columbia Basin Herald Big Bend guard Callie Gronning fights off contact.
MOSES LAKE — Free throws and a last-second heave kept Big Bend from completing a major upset.
Fourth-ranked Spokane led by as much as 18 points in the second half before Big Bend roared back to force overtime. However, missed free throws doomed the Vikings in the extra period and the Sasquatch survived 60-57.
Big Bend shot a worse percentage, lost the turnover battle and was out-rebounded, and yet still had the ball with an opportunity at double overtime. But Emily Allan’s 30-foot prayer was off the mark.
“We were right there,” head coach Preston Wilks said. “As many close ones (shots) we missed, we also hit some big ones too — a couple and-ones down the stretch. Free throws are critical and you’ve got to figure out a way to hit them if you want to pull off the upset and we were right there ready to pull off the upset, but we just couldn’t get those free throws to drop.”
Spokane opened up an 18-point lead in the third quarter, 37-19, before Big Bend put together a 12-0 run. The run was capped by a runner from Allan — two of her eight points.
Spokane looked to have the game in hand early in the fourth quarter, opening up an nine-point lead early on.
Sunnie Martinez scored five of her 11 points in quick succession to pull the Vikings within four points and Hailey Garrity added a lay-up, cutting the deficit to two points.
Spokane’s Cali Moscrip split a pair of free throws with 13.6 seconds to play.
Down three points with the ball, Wilks called Kelsey Foster’s number. Foster set a pick then popped back to the three-point line. She received the pass and let go a high, looping shot that nestled through the hoop to tie the game 49-49.
The momentum did not extend into overtime as the Vikings missed three free throws that kept Spokane ahead for good.
Despite the loss, the competitiveness was a good sign for a Big Bend team that is in the same region as No. 4 Spokane, No. 5 Yakima Valley and No. 7 Columbia Basin.
“We really believe that we belong there and it’s just a matter of playing with heart and focus and effort,” Wilks said.