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Boys Basketball: Neuqua Valley edges rival Metea Valley
Updated: December 8, 2011 10:36PM
When the game is on the line Neuqua Valley senior guard Megan Doody wants the ball in her hands.
With Doody and her teammates coming up with one big play after another, the Wildcats overcame a five-point deficit with a little over a minute to play and send it into overtime.
And that’s where the Wildcats took over and won the game 57-55 Thursday night in Naperville.
“It wasn’t a pretty game,” said Doody, who finished with 13 points. “We were fighting from behind the whole night. But once we got it to overtime I was confident because we had the momentum. And I’m a senior, and I have confidence in games like this. We finished with the win and that’s all that matters.”
The Wildcats (7-1, 2-1 Upstate Eight Valley) were down 50-45 with 1:05 to go in the fourth period, when Shay Robinson scored on a putback and then hit a clutch foul shot to make it 50-48.
On Metea Valley’s next possession Doody stole the ball and went the length of the court to tie it at 50.
Amira Turner then scored at the other end with 11 seconds to go to put the Mustangs (4-6, 2-2) back in the lead.
But then Doody came right back and fed Najee Smith, who scored the tying basket with time running out.
In overtime, the Wildcats scored first on a layup by Amber Smith, who then hit a foul shot to make it 55-52.
The Mustangs then tied it at 55 with 38 seconds to go and then it was Doody time.
With 10 seconds on the clock, Doody hit a short jumper for the winning basket.
It was the second year in a row that Metea Valley and Neuqua Valley went to overtime before the Wildcats came away with the win.
“We should have beaten them tonight,” said Metea Valley coach Kris Kalivas. “We gave away the ball game on bad free throw shooting and turnovers. I’m not taking anything away from Neuqua, but they should be thankful they’re walking out of here with the win. We just haven’t matured enough to where we can put together a full four quarters.”
Megan Geldernick led the Mustangs with 16 points, while Bria Walker hit 15 including a trio of three-pointers in the third quarter. Anna Petersen scored 12 and Lori Obendorf pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked three shots.
For Neuqua Valley Najee Smith was the high scorer with 19 points and Amber Smith scored eight including a basket and two free throws in the exciting fourth quarter. Amarah Coleman also scored eight.
“You never know what’s going to happen when you play your crosstown rivals,” said Neuqua coach Mike Williams. “It doesn’t matter what the records are. But good teams find a way to win. Tonight we couldn’t find our rhythm, but several of our players did some good things near the end and we gutted it out.”
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