The West Central Trojan girls won a triple-overtime thriller against the Aberdeen Roncalli Cavaliers at the Dak-12/NEC Clash in Madison on Saturday, February 7th. West Central took the win 56-53.
The first quarter featured runs by both teams. The Cavaliers started with a 5-0 run. West Central then went on a 6-0 run to take a 6-5 lead. Roncalli finished the quarter with the final three points for an 8-6 lead. West Central held the Cavaliers to just five points in the second quarter and took a 16-13 lead into halftime.
The Trojans kept the momentum going in the third quarter. They pushed the lead to 23-14 with 3:15 to play in the quarter and aded the quarter with a nine-point lead, 27-18. Things looked to be going the Trojan way at that point, but Roncalli started chipping away at the lead. The Cavaliers eventually tied the score 33-33 with 3:00 to play in regulation. Each team scored just two more points to send the game to overtime, 35-35.
The teams went back and forth in the opening overtime, and the game was tied 42-42 after the first extra period. Kacey Jaton kept the hopes alive for West Central in the second overtime. Trailing 46-44, Jaton hit two free throws with just :04 on the clock to tie the game 46-46 and force a third overtime. The Cavaliers gained some momentum in the third overtime and went on a 5-0 run to take a 51-46 lead with 2:20 to go. The Trojans, however, would end the game on a 10-2 run to earn the exciting win.
West Central shot 28% (19-67) overall, 19% (4-21) from three-point area, and 67% (14-21) from the free-throw line. Roncalli finished the game shooting 31% (15-48) overall, 35% (9-26) on three-point shots, and 52% (14-27) from the free-throw line.
Jaton, named the game’s MVP, finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and five steals. Ellie Knight had 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Kaylie Schultz had seven points. Bailey Stallman and Abbi Thornton both had three points and six rebounds each.
