by BasketballMind » Mon Feb 27, 2012 8:50 pm
Game 9 - #3 Hatton/Northwood vs. #5 Dakota Prairie (Region Qualifier - Loser Out)
Dakota Prairie: 58 (Brandy Messner 22 points, 18 rebounds, six assists)
Hatton/Northwood: 67 (Steph Iverson 22 points, 8 rebounds)
F/OT
This was a very back and forth game. Dakota Prairie had the lead at halftime after a stellar start from their senior leader, Brandy Messner. Messner finished the game with an outrageous stat line (22 pts, 18 reb, 6 ast) in what would be her final high school game. Messner fouled out with 2 minutes left on, let's just say, touchy call to foul out a senior. Aside from it being one of the favorites for senior POY. Not a good way to end her career on that call.
Hatton/Northwood had a two point lead, a double bonus free throw situation, and their senior leader Abby Sletter at the line with three seconds left. Didn't look good for the Knights at the time. Sletten missed both free throws and Shelby Gillett was fouled during the rebound process. Gillett went to the line, knocked down both free throws and sent the game to overtime. In overtime the Knights didn't have enough firepower as Messner and Sam Bye had already fouled out. The Knights were outscored 7-1 in overtime. Great game to watch and good gut check by Dakota Prairie, who played without the best player in the district for the last seven minutes of the game.