By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
SALEM, Ore.– The Sprague Girls Basketball team found themselves down 37-30 with about three minutes remaining in regulation to Central on Sunday afternoon in the Capitol City Classic Camry Bracket matchup.
Nothing was going for the Olympians in their rematch with the Panthers. Shots weren’t falling, they were for Central that put Sprague in the unique situation.
But then. The Olys found another gear.
Slowly they got the stops. Their shots were falling and next thing they knew it was a tied ballgame.
They had a chance to win it in regulation, but a foul against Sprague allowed the game to go to overtime.
And they didn’t let it get by them as they found a way to defeat the Panthers 48-44 to advance to the consolation finals on Monday.
In practice, they work on a drill call situational Basketball where they’re faced with crutches time jams and how to they respond. And their finish to the game was just what they’ve been practicing in practice coming to fruition.
“I told them, while they were on the court, we’re doing situationals right now,” said Sprague Head Coach Rodney Nelson. “I think the main thing we need to work on is being going hard consistently that’s all.”
Central, who returns three girls from last year squads, it was a tough pill for them to take, but it’s been growth for them. Marc Burleson has seen positive moments out of his young squad the last two days against Grants Pass and now Sprague going into Monday’s game against Newberg.
“It’s growing every day and they bounce back quiet a bit. We played really tough yesterday against Grants Pass, who’s a great team and i think we played as well as I hoped and a couple of things, that’s it. It’s the little things and we would’ve been right in the game” saod Burleson. “But I’m super proud of the girls for battling and fighting. We got one more game tomorrow against Newberg, so we’re going to come out and fight and get prepped for league.”
Sprague’s Carly Skogstad led all scorers with 28 points. Isabella Names and Natalie Bell both led the Panthers with ten points.
Central will play Newberg at 10am at Chemeketa Community College while Sprague plays North Eugene at 2:30pm for fourth place.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
