Girls end district drought with overtime win

Please visit our Photo Store to view all images available for this event.

Platteview (5-14) 6 6 11 14 8 45
Gross (4-15)         6 7 13 11 5 42

Game Stats

Platteview's third overtime victory of the season netted the girls their first district basketball win since 2004.

The fourth-seeded Trojans rallied in the fourth quarter to get the game tied, then outscored fifth-seeded Omaha Gross 8-5 in overtime to advance to Thursday’s B-2 district semifinals with a 45-42 win.

"Our kids kept fighting and believing which was key," Platteview coach Shawn Ekwall commented about his team's toughness late in the game. "Even when we got down four points with under two minutes to play, our kids kept battling."

After a quiet first three quarters, Annie Benson took over the game when the Trojans needed her most. The senior post player scored 12 of her game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter, and five of the Trojans' eight overtime points.

Gross held a 36-32 lead with 1:10 to play following a 3-pointer by sophomore Kaitlin Johnson. Benson then hit a pair of free throws to pull the Trojans within 2.

The Cougars’ Gina Scarpello had a chance to give Gross a 4-point lead from the free throw line with 32 seconds left in regulation, but the senior missed the second of two free throws to produce a 37-34 edge.

Benson then put back her own miss underneath the basket and was fouled. She made the free throw to tie the game, and Gross’ Sadie Sidzyik missed a shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

"Our girls did a nice job of recognizing when Annie was open inside and getting her the ball," Ekwall said. "Her 3-point play towards the end of regulation was huge."

Benson tied the game at 39-39 with 1:47 left in the extra 4-minute period before giving Platteview the lead for good by connecting on one of two free throws with 1:16 to go. Sophomore Lauren Kreifels then went 1-for-2 from the line, followed by a 3-foot runner, to pad the Trojans’ lead at 43-39.

Scarpello pulled Gross within 43-42 when she buried a 3 from the right side in front of her bench with 14 seconds to play. Following a time out by the Cougars, Platteview lost the ball in its own end and fouled Gross’ Johnson in the scramble for the ball.

Johnson then missed both free throws in the double bonus. Benson grabbed her 13th rebound of the game and was fouled. She hit both free throws with six seconds left, then Scarpello missed a forced 3 to end the game.

"Free throws in the overtime period, and Lauren Kriefels penetration to score a hoop, were keys in the extra period," Ekwall said.

Platteview outrebounded Gross 38-25 and shot 39 percent to 33 percent for the Cougars. The Trojans made 16 of 31 free throws, including Benson’s 13-of-18 from the line.

Sadie Sidzyik scored 13 points in the season-ending loss for Gross.

Platteview advances to Thursday's semifinals against Class B No. 3 Gretna (19-2), the top seed in the tournament.


GAME STATS (Points, Rebounds, Assists, Steals, Blocked Shots)

Benson 25, 13, 3, 2, 0
Granville 6, 3, 2, 1, 0
Green 0, 1, 0, 0, 0
Groves 4, 8, 0, 2, 0
Keyes 0, 2, 1, 1, 0
Kreifels 7, 1, 0, 1, 0
Moore 0, 8, 0, 1, 0
Nelson 0, 0, 0, 3, 0
Webster 3, 2, 0, 0, 0

Totals 45, 38, 6, 11, 0