Western High School basketball player Alyna Lewis had a solid game for the Panthers against Northwest. Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.
By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports
Western High School basketball player Hillary Griffin looked as though she was going to have a big night.
The sophomore scored 12 points in the first quarter against their rivals from Northwest on the road.
But the next three quarters the Mounties held her in check.
It wasn’t until overtime that the Panther player took control of the game.
Griffin scored 19 points and hit a key free throw in the final seconds of a 61-58 win over Northwest in overtime.
Both teams were 10-2 overall, 6-1 in the Interstate-8 Conference coming into the contest. Harper Creek beat Marshall Friday night to remain tied with Western for the I-8 lead at 7-1.
The game between the two crosstown rivals was an instant classic from the start.
Griffin scored 12 points including a 3-point shot at the buzzer giving Western a 16-15 lead after eight minutes of action.
“My teammates were just feeding me the ball,” Griffin said about the first eight minutes of action. “I thought I would pay them back.”
The Panthers maintained the lead in the second quarter as fellow freshman Alyna Lewis scored five points for Western. They led 29-25 at halftime.
It appeared as if the Panthers were going to blow the game wide open in the third quarter. They scored the first seven points of the third quarter, five coming from Chelsea Hurt.
Northwest did not score until the 3:15 mark of the quarter. Jozie Bontrager scored six points in the quarter as the Mounties crept back into the contest.
Western led 40-37 heading into the final quarter.
Northwest took its first lead since early in the first quarter at 44-42 on a basket by Mary Crowley. She scored seven points in the quarter including the game-tying basket on a nice feed by Morgan Hanchett with seconds remaining in the contest.
The Mounties were sky high after tying the contest.
But Western wasn’t finished.
“I told them the team that was going to win the game would be the one with more desire,” WHS Coach Gina Fortress said.
Griffin and Hurt scored all seven points in the overtime period for Western.
“We have four sophomores on the squad, but also four seniors,” Fortress said. “We are going to miss those girls next season.”
Hurt, a senior, finished with 17 points for the game after scoring only two points in the first half. Griffin scored 19 points to lead all scorers and dished three assists.
Lewis was the stat-sheet stuffer for Western. She scored seven points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished six assists, and made three steals in the contest.
Northwest was led by seniors Hanchett with 18 points and Bontrager with 11 points. Bontrager and Brooklynne Bevier each tallied seven rebounds for Northwest (10-3 overall, 6-2 I-8).
Western (11-2 overall, 7-1 I-8) will host Battle Creek Pennfield next Friday beginning at 6 p.m.
Northwest will travel to St. Johns High School on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. tipoff. They will travel to Harper Creek next Friday for another big I-8 contest beginning at 6 p.m.
