Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Last-second shot pushes H-M-S past Wolverines, 49-48
Successfully splitting two South O'Brien defenders, Emily Mutombo prepares to take a shot during the game at Paullina.
Taya Mason is ready to take a shot over a South O'Brien defender. The senior led H-M-S with 16 points in the 49-48 win.
Hawk coach Lester Tessum positions the defense for the final possession of the H-M-S girls' 49-48 win on Dec. 22.
The girls' basketball matchup between Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn and South O'Brien on Dec. 22 proved that it doesn't matter how long a team leads during the game; it only matters who's leading at the end.
The Hawks lost the lead late in the first half and trailed by seven during the third quarter and again early in the fourth. Still down one with 15 seconds to play, H-M-S got its chance to pull out the win after a South O'Brien player was unable to rebound a missed free throw. The Hawks ran a play that resulted in Olivia Grooters scoring the go-ahead basket with 1.1 seconds remaining, giving them a 49-48 win.
Hawk coach Lester Tessum said the last offensive set was a screen and roll for Jasmine Lux whose shot attempt went off the rim. The ball fell into the hands of Grooters who was alone on the opposite side of the lane for the rebound.
South O'Brien's last gasp shot attempt never got to the basket and the Hawks were able to celebrate their second War Eagle Conference win.
"The girls played hard and they played well. They never quit," Tessum noted.
Taya Mason paced the Hawks with 16 points, including eight in the first quarter that gave them an 11-3 lead. She also had four steals. Grooters scored 13 points, including five straight in the fourth quarter. Eight of her rebounds, including the one that resulted in her winning shot, were on the offensive end of the court.
Among Lydia Harders' 13 points was a three-pointer with 3:15 left in the game that pulled H-M-S to within 48-47. She also had 10 rebounds and two steals. Elise Haack also made a three-pointer in the final period that kept H-M-S in the game.
The Hawks made 18-of-49 shots from the floor. Most importantly, they made all eight of their free throws, including two by Mason in the fourth quarter that prevented South O'Brien from building on a six-point advantage.
"We had a real balanced attack either from the inside or outside. Our offense was working pretty well," Tessum said. "Our defense was pretty good. We really never gave up anything easy."
H-M-S evened its conference record at 2-2 and improved to 2-6 overall. The win gives Tessum reason for optimism when the season resumes at home on Jan. 5 against Harris-Lake Park.
"The teamwork on offense has come a long ways and our defense has stiffened up and we're not giving up easy drives to the basket," he said. "If we can handle the ball in the press break, we have a chance of competing in every game."
