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Morgan clutch in Cougars’ OT victory

MADISON — Anne Morgan and Janesville Craig High School’s girls basketball team were all about second chances Tuesday night.

After missing an opportunity win in regulation, the Cougars finally overtook Madison Memorial when Morgan rebounded her miss and was fouled with three seconds remaining in overtime. With her team down 46-45, the senior made both free throws for the go-ahead points.

Teammate Amanda Hamilton stole the in-bounds pass and finished off the Spartans with two more free throws with one second left to cap the wild 49-46 victory for Craig in Big Eight Conference action.

“We just kind of improvised our final play, and I was able to get open,” Morgan said. “The rims are pretty tight here, and I was pretty nervous on those free throws.”

Whitney Oliver led the Cougars (3-1, 2-1) with 13 points, which included a clutch three-pointer to tie the game at 36-36 with 26 seconds left in regulation and force the overtime.

Kelsey Kennedy had 12 points for Craig, and Morgan finished with 10, including five in the overtime.

Taryn Olson, an Eastern Illinois recruit, led Memorial with 13 points.

“I’m so proud of this team, because we could have folded,” Craig coach Mark Marsden said of his Cougars. “Last year, we would have lost this game.”

It came down to free throws after Memorial (1-3, 1-3) rallied from 23-15 halftime deficit and overcame 20 first-half turnovers with a 13-3 third quarter advantage for a 28-26 lead heading into the final period.

The Spartans held onto their lead, and with 50 seconds left, Kelsey Beld gave Memorial a 36-33 advantage with a lay-up. Oliver then answered with her three-pointer from the wing to send the game into overtime.

“We needed someone to step up, and Whitney hit a big three-pointer,” Morgan said. “It was just a back-and-forth game.”

After Craig forced a five-second call with 11 seconds left, the Cougars had a chance to win in regulation. However, Hamilton’s off-balance runner from the free-throw line at the buzzer came up short.

In overtime, Beld gave the Spartans a 46-45 lead on a free throw with 31 seconds left. Craig then set up a final play, and Morgan corralled her rebound and was fouled on the putback before making both free throws.

“For awhile there, we felt like nothing was working,” Marsden said. “But the girls just kept working at it.”

CRAIG 49, MEMORIAL 46 (OT)

Craig (49)— W. Oliver, 4-3-13; Hamilton, 1-3-5; Kennedy, 4-4-12; Morgan, 3-4-10; Marshick, 2-1-5; Sroda, 1-0-2; Hinman, 1-0-2. Totals 16-15-49.

Memorial (46)— Graf, 1-3-6; Beld, 2-1-5, Golz, 3-1-7; Henderson, 4-1-9; Olson, 5-3-13; Davis, 1-0-2; McClurg, 1-2-4. Totals: 17-11-46.

Janesville Craig 10 13 3 10 13—49

Madison Memorial 7 8 13 8 10—46

Three-point goals—Craig 2 (W. Oliver, 2). Memorial 1 (Graf). Free throws missed—Craig 4, Memorial 8. Total fouls—Craig 17, Memorial 15. Fouled out—Marshick.

-- La Follette 63, Beloit 45—The Lancers rolled to a 16-9 first-quarter lead en route to a Big Eight victory over the Purple Knights.

Adriana Stephens scored 15 points and teammate Hannah Schwartzer chipped in 12. Megan Slavish scored a game-high 18 points for Beloit.

LA FOLETTE 63, BELOIT 45

La Follette (63)— Sigh 8; Hodge 6; La Plant 6; Baltisberger 5; Gloede 4; Vial 3; Connell 2; Schleif 2; Stephens 15; Schwartzer 12. Totals: 19 21-32 63.

Beloit (45)—Mauel 9; Heidt 5; Hankins 4; Gauvin 4; Ha. Lawver 3; Slavish 18; Gill 1; Marzette 1. Totals: 14 17-26 45.

Madison La Follette 16 18 15 14—63

Beloit Memorial 9 19 6 11—45

Three-point goals—La Follette 4 (La Plant, Gloede, Schwartzer 2), Beloit 2 (Ha. Lawver, Slavish). Free throws missed—La Follette 11, Beloit 9. Total fouls—La Follette 21, Beloit 22.

-- East 60, West 52—Nyakour Deang scored 26 points, including two three-point goals to spark the Purgolders.

EAST 60, WEST 52

West (52)—Cox 9; Dickerson 9; Sieben 7; Ward 6; Jackson 21. Totals: 19 12-19 52.

East (60)—Almou 6; Bading 4; Deang 26; Dyer 23; Clair 1. Totals: 18 22-28 60.

Madison West 8 13 10 21—52

Madison East 16 11 22 11—60

Three-point goals—West 2 (Dickerson, Sieben). East 2 (Deang). Free throws missed—West 7, East 6. Total fouls—West 19, East 18. Fouled out— Dejuenae, Hudkins.

-- Middleton 72, Sun Prairie—Emily Rongstad scored 19 points to lead four Middleton players in double figures.

MIDDLETON 72, SUN PRAIRIE 51

Sun Prairie (51)— Hoffmann 6; Krueger 4; Enger 3; Albi 21; Cimperman 2; Yentz 2; Bartow 13. Totals: 18 11-14 51.

Middleton (72)—Williams 4; McCauley 2; Andrews 2; Rongstad 19; Flynn 18; Eklund 13; Gardner 13; Dolan 1. Totals: 26 16-20 72.

Sun Prairie 15 10 15 11—51

Middleton 15 21 16 20—72

Three-point goals—Sun Prairie 4 (Enger, Albi, Bartow 2), Middleton 4 (Rongstad, Gardner 3). Free throws missed—Sun Prairie 3, Middleton 4. Total fouls—Sun Prairie 17, Middleton 17.