Denbow Helps Lady Eagles Clinch Share Of FRC Title
Rylee Denbow sank a 3-pointer with nine seconds left, breaking a tie and lifting Sullivan to a 58-55 win on Wednesday against Owensville.
The victory clinched a share of the Four Rivers Conference championship for the Lady Eagles (17-7), who finished 6-1 in league play.
Denbow’s game-winner came after Liana Miller tied the game with 39 seconds remaining. Miller missed a chance to put the Dutchgirls ahead after splitting a pair of free throws.
Owensville packed their defenders near the paint in an apparent effort to deny Mallory Shetley a chance at the winning shot, but they left Denbow wide open on the wing. Denbow took just two shots — both 3-pointers — and nailed both.
Shetley rescued the Lady Eagles with a three-point play with one minute to play, giving Sullivan a 55-54 lead.
The Dutchgirls came into Wednesday’s regular season finale on a three-game winning streak and eyeing an upset against their first round district opponent.
Sullivan built up an early advantage, but Owensville trailed 12-11 after one quarter following a basket by Breanna Diestelkamp, a 3-pointer by Miller and a free throw with just seconds left on the clock.
The Dutchgirls took the lead midway through the second quarter, going up 18-17. A 6-0 run by Sullivan swung the lead. Riley Lock knocked down two free throws and Vittoria Polanowski kicked a pass to Hanna Johanning for 3 with 3:55 left. Shetley split a free throw to give the Lady Eagles a 23-18 lead.
Shetley then grabbed a rebound, pushed the ball down the court and delivered a pass to Lock for a 3 from the corner. Sullivan led 26-20. Kate Angell snapped a lengthy drought for the Dutchgirls when she had a put-back at the 2:32 mark. Sullivan led 26-22 at halftime.
Both teams pushed the pace in the second half. Kya Harbour launched a 3 to start the period and she was matched by Ella Wright, who banked in a triple from the wing.
Sullivan ran off two more 3s, one each by Katie Creek and Polanowski to grab a 37-28 lead. Following a put-back by Diestelkamp, Shetley put the Lady Eagles on top 40-30 with a free throw and a coast-to-coast layup.
Owensville kept up with two straight 3-pointers by Finley. Owensville cut the deficit to 40-36 with 1:27 remaining. After a put-back by Harbour, Owensville ended the period with a buzzer-beating layup by Miller.
Miller’s 3-pointer with 7:30 drew the Dutchgirls within two, 43-41. Shetley answered with a three-point play, but Finley connected on a 3. Miller tied the game at 46 when she stole the ball following a defensive rebound by Sullivan, pump faked and flipped up a shot.
The same sequence played out on the other end when Lock stole the ball and banked in a shot under the basket. Shetley hit a pull-up from the baseline to give the Lady Eagles a 50-46 lead with 5:03 remaining.
Owensville made up the difference almost entirely on free throws. Lock was called for a technical foul with two minutes left. Owensville hit two free throws and got the ball back trailing 52-51. Anna SKornia tied the game with a free throw.
Miller put the Dutchgirls on top when she sank a pull-up jumper in transition at the 1:13 mark. Owensville went up 54-52. Sullivan gave the ball to Shetley, who tore through the Owensville defense for a three-point play and a 55-54 lead.
Owensville tied the game on Finley’s free throw. She left the door open, setting the Lady Eagles up for Denbow’s game-winner.