Owensville Upsets Lady Eagles

With her team trailing by two and just 17 seconds left on the clock, Ella Wright stole the ball in the backcourt and converted a three-point play, sending sixth-seeded Owensville to a 39-38 upset victory over Sullivan on Saturday in the first round of the Class 4 District 10 Tournament.

The Lady Eagles (17-10) had come all the way back from a 14-point deficit early in the third quarter. Rylee Denbow, who hit a game-winning 3-pointer just three nights earlier against the Dutchgirls, nailed a go-ahead 3 with 3:57 left in the fourth quarter to give Sullivan a 31-30 lead, their first of the game.

Momentum was on Sullivan’s side and Mallory Shetley’s three-point play with 1:02 remaining put the Lady Eagles ahead 38-34 and seemingly on their way to a win.

Instead, Liana Miller cut the deficit to two with 26 seconds to go, which was followed by Wright’s steal of Shetley.

Owensville was priming an upset from the start. The Lady Eagles turned the ball over on their first three possessions and struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first half. Kya Harbour and Shetley had back-to-back jumpers to give Sullivan their first field goals with nearly seven minutes into the game. Sullivan trailed 6-5 after Shetley’s jumper from the elbow with 57 seconds left. Anna Skornia was fouled with four seconds left and gave the Dutchgirls a 7-5 lead.

Johanning connected on a jumper to begin the second period, but Owensville went on an 11-1 run, capped off by Breanna Diestelkamp’s long 3-pointer with one minute left. 

Shetley and Vittoria Polanowski each hit a pair of free throws to cut Owensville’s lead to 18-12 with just 14 seconds remaining. Sullivan applied a full-court press and Owensville broke it. Skornia drove in for a layup to beat the buzzer. The Dutchgirls went up 20-12 at the half.

Owensville started the second half on a 6-0 run. Anna Finley stole the ball and streaked in with a fast-break bucket to establish a 26-12 lead.

Katie Creek sparked the Lady Eagles with the team’s first 3-pointer with 5:15 left. Shetley followed with another 3, but it was matched by Miller. Sullivan would get the deficit to single digits when Harbour dropped in a put-back at the buzzer. They trailed 30-22 going into the final period.

Shetley initiated a 9-0 run that was all 3-pointers. Harbour followed at the 6:08 mark. She drove the baseline and kicked it to Denbow in the corner for a 3, putting the Lady Eagles up 31-30. Diestelkamp tied the game with a free throw, but Riley Lock’s fast-break and Creek’s second chance jumper gave Sullivan a 35-31 lead. 

Diestelkamp had a free throw and Finley drove in for a basket with 1:19 to cut Sullivan’s lead to 35-34. Shetley made it a two-possession game with a three-point play, but it wouldn’t be enough.

Sullivan Independent News

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