Just as the buzzer sounded, Katie Law hit a desperation shot from three feet beyond the top of the arc, catching nothing but the bottom of the net to knot the score at 40 each and send the Salado Lady Eagles’ area round contest against the La Vega Lady Pirates into overtime Feb. 22.
But the elation was short-lived as the Lady Pirates went to the free throw line six times over the next four minutes and sank nine of their 12 attempts to get past Salado 53-47.
Kiyleyah Parr caused the most damage in overtime for La Vega, hitting five of her eight free throws and dropping in a short shot with 30 second left to put the Lady Pirates up 52-45. Her final free throw with about 20 seconds left was the nail in the coffin for the Lady Eagles.
The two teams scrapped throughout the game, as La Vega used a relentless full court press to cause Salado to turn over the ball and commit fouls to stop break-away points.
Katie Law, who led Salado with 17 points, gave Salado a narrow 8-6 edge with her two-point shot at the end of the first quarter.
La Vega went on a seven-point run in the beginnign of the second quarter to take a commanding lead of 13-8 over Saldao. The Lady Eagles could not close the gap and trailed 19-12 at the half.
Adri’Nae West hit a three-pointer to open the second half for La Vega, the start of another seven-point run, before Lorena Perez, who spent much of the first half in foul trouble, grabbed an offensive board and put it back up for two points, to cut the Lady Pirate lead to 12 points.
Megan Manibusan grabbed an offensive board and put it up for two more points and Kenslee Konarik hit from beyond the arc to bring the score to 19-26 midway through the third.
Reese Preston followed with a three and Law grabbed an offensive rebound for a second-shot to bring Salado within three points with half a minute left in the third.
West would put La Vega up by five with time running out in the third for a 29-24 lead going into an explosive fourth quarter for both teams.
Salado went to the free throw line six times in the fourth quarter and converted eight of 11 shots there to keep within striking distance.
With under a minute left in the game, West made a two-pointer for La Vega to put the Lady Pirates up by five 40-35.
With 18.1 left on the clock, Perez nailed two free throws, while Parr missed two opportunities at the free throw line with 8.1 left to play.
Salado took the ball in-bounds and got it across midcourt, despite the swarming defense. With three seconds left, Law took the ball just past midcourt, dribbled past a defender and sank the buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the game into overtime.
The overtime period proved to be all La Vega at the free throw line as only four of their 13 points came from the field.
In addition to hitting the buzzer-beater, Law led the Lady Eagles with 17 points. She also grabbed nine rebounds and had a steal, a deflection and a block defensively.
Konarik also had double figures, getting six points from long range and two from the field for 10 points. She also had 14 rebounds and six steals. She blocked three shots and deflected a pass.
Perez had 9 points for Salado. She led the girls with 16 rebounds and had an assist, two steals, five deflections and two blocked shots.
Also scoring for the girls were Amanda Cantu, 4 points, six rebounds, three assists, a steal and six deflections; Preston, 3 points, four rebounds, two steals, three deflections; Manibusan, 2 points, a steal and two deflections and Priscilla Torczynski, 2 points, two steals, a deflection and a blocked shot.