Jensen comes through for the Lady Bulldogs in double OT
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THOMPSON FALLS — The Lady Bulldogs won a thrilling overtime victory in the final seconds and this time no one could take it away from them.
In the game following a 31-29 loss to Seeley-Swan, where Katie McDonald’s game-winning shot was taken away because of a traveling call, Mission forward Rachel Jensen put the Lady Bulldogs up 42-40 over the Trotters with two free throws with seven seconds left in double overtime and this time the Lady Bulldogs’ lead stuck.
“We just kind of persevered,” Mission coach Les Rice said. “We were behind in the fourth quarter, we were behind in the first overtime, we were behind in the second overtime, but we kept hanging in there.”
The Lady Bulldogs went 16-for-34 from the line in the game and were 1-for-9 from the stripe in the first overtime period. They had a chance to end the game at the free-throw line in regulation. After holding onto the ball for more than a minute and a half, Bella Dally was sent to the line with just 11 seconds left to play in regulation. Dally, who finished with three points and six rebounds, hit one of two free throws to give the Lady Bulldogs a 32-30 lead, but Trotter Kayla Revier banked in a shot at the buzzer from the elbow to send the game into overtime.
With her two clutch free throws, Jensen finished tied with Adessa Durglo for the team-lead in scoring, with 12 points. It was the first time this season that both of the Lady Bulldogs’ post players finished in double figures in the same game. Jensen went 6-for-8 at the line and was the only Bulldog to shoot above 50 percent at the charity stripe.
Durglo finished with a double-double, leading Mission with 11 boards. McDonald added nine points for the Lady Bulldogs and three steals.
With the double-overtime victory over Plains, Mission improved to 4-4 in District 7-B play and could’ve wrapped up the third seed at the district tournament in Libby this week with a victory over the Lady Bluehawks in Thompson Falls Saturday, but fell to the Lady Bluehawks 52-29.
“They just shot lights out. I thought we got as many good looks as them, they just made more of their shots,” Rice said.
The Lady Bulldogs went 8-for-57 (14 percent) from the field, including 0-for-11 on 3-point attempts, while the Lady Bluehawks connected on 18 of their 48 attempts (38 percent). The Lady Bluehawks also went 14-for-15 at the line and made their first 11 foul shots.
Rice said that besides the shooting accuracy, the game was pretty even. Mission made 13 free throws, Thompson Falls made 14, Mission committed 27 turnovers, Thompson Falls committed 22. Mission hauled in 31 rebounds, Thompson Falls pulled down 34.
“They just outshot us. I thought we had just as many good opportunities, we just didn’t make our shots,” Rice said.
Kyla Mitchell led the Lady Bulldogs with 12 points and also had seven rebounds and four steals. Durglo added six points and five rebounds.
With the loss the Lady Bulldogs will be the fourth seed at the tournament and will start the tournament with a rematch against Plains at 1 p.m. Thursday. The top four teams at the six-team district tournament will advance to the divisional tournament in Pablo Feb. 24-27.
Summary
Mission 42, Plains 40 2OT
Plains 7 9 8 8 5 3–40
Mission 7 3 11 11 5 5–42
PLAINS - Lacey Hermiston 6, Cassie Ross 8, Heather Earhart 14, Kayla Revier 7, Kelsey Beagley 3, Laurel Danhof 2.
MISSION - Kyla Mitchell 4, Adessa Durglo 12, Rachel Jensen 12, Katie McDonald 9, Bella Dally 3, Ashley Courville 2.
Thompson Falls 52, Mission 29
Mission 5 10 9 5–29
T. Falls 11 14 12 15–52
MISSION - Ashley Courville 3, Kyla Mitchell 12, Adessa Durglo 6, Rachel Jensen 2, Ontequa Matt 1, Katie McDonald 2, Bella Dally 3.
THOMPSON FALLS - Makayla Becker 4, Karli Cavill 10, Kyla Molzohn 20, Kelsey Fitchett 12, Hope Reid 2, Hannah Peters 3, Allison Vaught 2.
