With the game slipping away, there was Kara to save the day.

Using a buzzer-beating 12-foot shot from the key from Kara Christensen as the clock expired, the Hot Springs Savage Heat stunned the Trotters 45-44 in Plains last Tuesday. In a District 14C contest Saturday, the Heat ran past visiting Noxon 66-21 as Christensen passed the 1,000 points scored mark for her career in the Spa City.

Now 7-2 in District 14C play and 9-3 overall, coach Brady Ovitt and the Heat face a pair of crucial conference games this week, at league-leading Charlo Thursday and with Two Eagle River in Hot Springs Saturday.

“These are two giant games,” Ovitt said. “Charlo is coming off a tough loss so they will be fired up, and Two Eagle will be senior night for Hot Springs.”

First place in final District 14C standings and the top seed into the rapidly approaching conference tournament in Polson could also be on the line. To explain further, Hot Springs is the only team in 14C to defeat Charlo, Superior has defeated Hot Springs twice and Charlo has beaten Superior twice.

This means that Hot Springs, Superior and Charlo could all end up with 10-2 records and, in that event, Hot Springs holds the tiebreaker. That is assuming form holds true these final weeks. And that the Heat will be able to defeat Charlo a second time this season on their floor.

In any event, last Tuesday’s non-conference win over the Trotters in Plains was a memorable one for all parties involved, especially for Christensen, who made shots at the buzzer ending the second and fourth quarters.

Playing with confidence, the Heat came out strong and matched the Trotters basket for basket in the first quarter. Christensen scored the last four points of the period, including the final two on a short jumper with about 10 seconds left to give Hot Springs a 12-10 lead heading into the second.

With Callie Cano, Eleanor Massey, Kora Hensrude and Dakota Slonaker all making vital contributions, the Heat seemed to take control of the game late in the second quarter.

Christensen capped off the first half by hitting a floater shot from the free throw line at the buzzer to send the Heat into the half with a 30-20 lead.

The Heat extended the lead in the third period as the Trotters battled foul problems on their side. Near the end of the quarter, Hensrude grabbed an offensive rebound and found Cano for an open 3-pointer to give Hot Springs its biggest lead of the game at 41-26.

But it wasn’t over yet as Ava Lawyer and Hadyn Rice led a furious Trotter comeback in the final eight minutes. Finally, with only 35 seconds remaining. Lawyer hit Rice with an assist and Rice scored it to give Plains a 44-43 lead, its first lead since early in the game.

After exchanging possessions of the ball, the Heat fouled Plains to send them to the line and the Trotters missed both free throws to give the Heat one more chance. After a jump ball forced by a shared possession gave the ball back to Hot Springs with only three seconds to play, Ovitt called a timeout and set up the play under their own basket.

Already having scored 18 points, Christensen was obviously where Ovitt wanted the ball to go for the final shot. “We had to get the ball to our best player,” he quipped.

Following through on the plan Ovitt devised in the timeout, Christensen found herself free in the middle of the key, caught the fine inbounds pass and smoothly released the game winner, sending the Hot Springs faithful in attendance into a wild celebration.

Christensen finished her memorable night with 20 points for the winners, Hensrude and Massey added eight points each, Cano seven and Slonaker two.

See other story for Plains scoring.

Against Noxon, Christensen scored the 18 points she needed for 1,000 by late in the second quarter and finished the game with 21 to lead Hot Springs, Massey added 14 points, CAno 11, Slonaker and Hensrude eight each, and Mackenzie Johnson and Ziah Hensrude two apiece.

    SAVAGE HEAT FRESHMAN Dakota Slonaker shoots as Noxon’s Brielle MacArthur and Sandy Bonney defend in Hot Springs Saturday. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)