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Corner sharpshooter sparks narrow Tiger victory
CAMBRIDGE, Neb. — Go stand in the corner!
Never has that phrase sounded better than when Dundy County-Stratton junior Ava Peterson enters a Tiger basketball game this season.
Petersen was a perfect three-for-three from three-point range Tuesday night — and every shot helped the Tigers withstand Arapahoe’s D1-11 semifinal upset attempt.
“She’s the first to practice to get out there and start shooting threes,” D-CS coach Matt Thomas observed. “She likes the corner, and a lot of times she’s gonna make them from there.”
Petersen’s corner shot capped a 17-16 first half where the top-seed Tigers (12-9 record) overcame Arapahoe’s 9-2 early lead.
Teammate Mica Donohue promptly hit her own “cold hearted” clutch shot to ignite a great Tiger third quarter.
When senior McKinzie Baney whipped another pass to Petersen, her next shot put DC-S in front 34-26.
Baney (14 points), seniors Maggie Lutz (eight points, six rebounds) and Kaylin Brown (two blocked shots) are three more reasons why the Tigers have reached another subdistrict title game.
“They were a calming influence for sure, because we got a little bit rattled,” Thomas said about facing the surging Warriors. “Arapahoe brought a four-game winning streak into this one, and it’s always scary to play a team with so much confidence.”
“But our seniors have played in so many games,” he added. “And they don’t like to lose.”
Lutz swished a long two-point shot after Arapahoe (7-16) closed within 41-40.
Moments later, she struck again from the baseline and suddenly it was 45-40.
The Warriors never quit, getting a late three-pointer from junior Tracy Roskop to pull within 48-46.
DC-S did miss two final three throws, but there wasn’t enough time left for Arapahoe to launch a decent game-tying shot. The Tigers meet No. 3 Southwest (10-10) tonight which determines a district finals spot.
“It doesn’t matter whether you win by two or 20 at this point,” Thomas concluded. “Just survive and advance. Plus we don’t have wildcard points to rely on this year.”
DUNDY COUNTY-STRATTON (48) — McKinzie Baney 14 points, Ava Petersen 11, Alyssa Schneider 11, Maggie Lutz 8, Mica Donohue 3, Kaylin Brown 1. 3-pointers: Petersen 3, Baney, Donohue. Rebound leaders: Lutz 6, Baney 5. Assists: Schneider 4. Steals: Schneider 4. Blocked shots: Brown 2.
ARAPAHOE (46) — Hope Koller 11 points, Tracy Roskop 10, Emerson Swanson 10, Hilary Downey 8, Berkley Warner 6, Gentry Warner 1. 3-pointers: Roskop 2. Rebound leaders: Koller 13, Roskop 8. Assists: Koller 4. Steals: Koller 2, Swanson 2. Blocked shots: Koller 2.