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Girls’ overtime thriller falls Comets’ way
by Norv and Mary Coblentz · Sports · February 23, 2017
The West Branch girls’ basketball team lost in overtime to the Bellevue Comets at Bellevue Feb. 17 51-45.
The Bears scored in single digits the first three quarters then fought back hard in the fourth quarter to force an overtime period.
“We weren’t making shots obviously,” West Branch Head Coach Jarod Tylee said. “We missed a lot of shots. We were down by 10, and went on a 14-4 run to put the game into overtime. And had a freshman step up and make a free throw to put the game into overtime. It just speaks to the toughness, the guts, the character of our kids. That’s what’s best about West Branch kids —they’re as tough as anybody. They work hard, and they’re just outstanding people. I couldn’t be more proud of our basketball team.”
The Bears outpaced the Comets in the first quarter 9-6. Abbey Fryauf’s tipoff went to Tatum Koenig.
A jump ball was called on the rebound with possession going to Bellevue. Fryauf tipped the ball to Koenig, and Haley Mullinnix scored the first points of the game on a three-point basket at the seven-minute mark. Bellevue scored with 6:15 on the clock for a 3-2 score. The Bears missed two free throws, and Paige Miller got the rebound. Each team was called for a travel. A jump ball went to West Branch, then Mackenzie Heise scored, assist Mullinnix.
The Bears had a 5-2 lead. The Comets scored a basket then got a defensive rebound. The Bears fouled the Comets, and Bellevue made the first of two free throws to tie the score at 5-5. Heise got the rebound, Bellevue got a rebound, and Riley Vaughan grabbed a defensive board. Heise got a putback basket with 1:24 on the clock. Koenig got a steal and layup with a minute to go in the quarter for a 9-5 score.
Each team turned the ball over, then the Comets were fouled on a shot and made the second of two free throws. The score after one quarter was 9-6, Bears.
Bellevue had possession to begin the second quarter, but the first points were scored on two free throws by the Comets after the Bears picked up their seventh team foul at the 6:29 mark. West Branch was called for a travel. Bellevue took a time out then made a basket in the paint for a 10-9 lead. Each team turned the ball over, then Koenig drove to the hoop for an 11-10 West Branch lead with 4:45 on the clock. Bellevue made a three-point basket with 3:21 on the clock. The Comets got a defensive rebound then got fouled on a shot. The second of two free throws was made for a 14-11 Bellevue lead with 3:02 to go in the first half. Koenig made a basket. Abby Knoop got a defensive rebound, and Paige Miller scored. West Branch had a 15-14 lead.
Bellevue drove to the basket and scored, then Miller scored, assist Mullinnix. A three-point basket by the Comets with a minute on the clock, a West Branch foul, and a jump shot by the Comets made the score 21-17. A Bears’ shot at the buzzer missed, so the halftime score was 21-17.
The Bears’ deficit grew in the third quarter as Bellevue outscored them 13-9. It was the Comets’ ball to start the quarter, and they drew a foul on a putback try. The Comets made the first of two free throws, and Abby Knoop got the rebound. Each team turned the ball over multiple times, then the Comets made a basket for a 24-17 score. The Bears were fouled and missed both free throws. Knoop got the rebound, and Heise scored, assist Koenig. Bellevue was called for a charge, and Koenig made a three-point basket for a 26-22 score. Bellevue scored in the paint, the Bears turned the ball over, and Koenig got a defensive rebound. Heise scored, assist Koenig, to pull the Bears to within two baskets at 28-24 with 2:15 left in the quarter. Mullinnix scored, and the Bears were within one basket.
But the Comets made a three-point basket and completed a three-point play in the final 1:11 of the quarter to take a 34-26 lead.
It was Bellevue’s ball to start the fourth quarter, and they scored a quick basket to take at 10-point lead. It was the Comets’ only basket of the quarter. At the 6:26 mark, Mullinnix made a three-point basket for a 36-29 Bellevue lead. Bellevue turned the ball over on a pass, and Mullinnix made another three-pointer for a 36-32 score with 5:48 on the clock. Heise got a defensive rebound, the Comets got a defensive board, then Fryauf knocked the ball loose, and Koenig got a steal. Koenig was fouled and made the second of two free throws for a 36-33 score. Fryauf got a block then an offensive rebound. A jump ball went to the Bears, then a jump ball went to the Comets. Bellevue called a time out, then Koenig got a steal on the inbounds pass and made a layup. Bellevue turned the ball over, and Koenig got another layup for a 37-36 West Branch lead.
With 1:12, the Bears took a time out. Knoop fouled out with 1:02 left in regulation. Bellevue missed the free throw. Heise got the rebound.
With 52.9 seconds left, the Bears called another time out. The Comets picked up two quick fouls trying to get to seven fouls, and thus to put the Bears on the line with bonus. Miller inbounded the ball to Heise, and she scored for a 39-36 West Branch lead. The Bears fouled, and Bellevue made both free throws for a 39-38 score with 39.3 seconds on the clock. The Bears were fouled, the Comets’ seventh team foul of the half. The free throw was missed, but Bellevue got the ball. Bellevue took a timeout with 27 seconds to go. The Bears fouled, and Bellevue made both free throws for a 40-39 Comets lead. With 10.2 seconds left in the quarter, the Bears called a time out. Heise got a couple of offensive rebounds then the buzzer sounded.
After a discussion by the officials, a foul on the rebound was called, and 0.2 second was put on the game clock. Heise made the second of two free throws for a 40-40 tie, forcing overtime.
The first three minutes of the four minute overtime period was all Bellevue. The Bears got the tip but turned the ball over, and Bellevue made a three-point basket. Bellevue got a defensive rebound then got fouled on a shot. The Comets made both free throws for a 45-40 lead.
The Comets were fouled again and made the second of two free throws for a 46-40 score with 1:34 left in the game.
Bellevue got a defensive rebound and drew another foul. The Comets made the first of two free throws, and Heise got the rebound. After another defensive rebound by the Comets, the Bears fouled, and the Comets made both free throws for a 49-40 score with 40.6 seconds on the clock. Koenig was fouled and made two free throws, the Bears’ first points of the overtime period. Bellevue scored with 12 seconds left for a 51-42 score. Koenig made a three-point basket for a 51-45 score.
West Branch took a time out, and Bellevue’s long pass to inbound went out of bounds to West Branch. The Bears’ shot at the buzzer missed, and the Comets won 51-45.
The Bears faced the Comets earlier in the season with very different results. Jan. 20, West Branch defeated Bellevue 57-39 at Bellevue.
“We’ve been looking forward to this,” Bellevue Head Coach Rick Reeg said. “No excuses, we didn’t play well at all the last time we played, so we really did want to get a second chance at them. They’re a very good quality team. It’s something we can take pride in knowing that we can compete with anybody. The first time we played them, we tried to match up with (Koenig). She’s probably the best guard in the state. She’s awesome. So we moved more to a 3-2 where we could bump off and switch off on her a lot and try to keep her from driving the lane so much. When she did, we tried to slam her with the bottom post. That was basically the game plan.”
1 2 3 4 OT T
WB 9 8 9 14 5 45
Bell. 6 15 13 6 11 51
West Branch stats: Abbey Fryauf 5 rebounds, 2 blocks; Riley Vaughan 1 rebound, 1 assist; Paige Miller 2 0-0 4, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal; Abby Knoop 6 rebounds; Tatum Koenig 7 3-6 19, 2 3-pointers, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals; Haley Mullinnix 4 0-1 11, 3 3-pointers, 2 rebounds, 2 assists; Mackenzie Heise 5 1-6 11, 9 rebounds
Bellevue stats: Kailey Miller 0 2-4-2, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks; Camryn Reeg 4 6-7 16, 2 3-pointers, 2 assists, 1 steal; Rebecca Schroeder 3 3-5 9, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal; Giana Michels 2 1-2 7 2 3-pointers, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal; Emma Kelchen 6 5-6 17, 10 rebounds, 1 steal
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