Prep hoops: Colony girls need double OT to get by Palmer

March 2, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

PALMER - In early February, the Palmer Moose shocked the Colony Knights with buzzer-beating three-pointer that sent the Valley rivals into overtime.

The Moose rode the momentum of the shot, and slipped away with a three-point win over the Knights.

On Tuesday, the Moose nearly did it all once again.

Palmer junior Matti Cox hit a deep three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation to take Colony into overtime. But Colony guards Jackie Hamann and Hayley Hotchkiss combined for nine points in a second overtime, and the Knights escaped with a 60-59 win over the Moose at Palmer High School.

In the first meeting of the season between the Mat-Su Valley and Northern Lights Conference rivals, in February, Colony held a substantial lead before a Moose comeback. Sophomore Kelsey Campbell capped that comeback with a buzzer-beating, game-tying three-pointer from the corner.

&#8220It was basically the same scenario as the last game,” Colony head coach Don Witzel said. &#8220And again, Palmer hit the shot.”

On Tuesday, Palmer found itself in familiar territory - down by three points to the rival Knights with the final seconds ticking off the clock.

This time around the Colony defense blanketed Campbell. With that shooter covered, Cox pushed the ball over to sophomore Mikaela Bolling, who hoisted up a three-pointer. The shot was off target, but Bolling was able to stretch out and get the rebound before the ball flew out of bounds.

Bolling sent the ball back to Cox, who drained her attempt.

Cox scored Palmer's final five points of the second half. With 22 seconds left, Cox took the ball coast-to-coast and finished with a lay-up to pull the Moose within one possession.

Palmer junior Ashley Swetzof scored four of her team-high 14 points in the first overtime to give the Moose a 49-47 lead, but Colony sophomore Allie Grazulis hit a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left to force the game into a second extra period.

&#8220We responded a little better this time in overtime,” Witzel said. &#8220The first time we played them we were a little shell-shocked. I think that shows the maturity - how these girls have come along.

&#8220They play expecting to win,” Witzel added. &#8220Earlier in the season, it was kind of like we were all hoping to win.”

Hamman and Hotchkiss scored big points in the second overtime to allow the Knights a little breathing room.

Hamman was 5-of-6 from the free-throw line in the four final minutes of play.

&#8220Jackie was real big,” Witzel said. &#8220In a game like that, it's about the kids making plays. We made some plays. Palmer made some plays. But down the stretch we had Jackie, we had Hayley, we had Allie getting a couple rebounds.”

Hotchkiss, Colony's top shooter, saved her first three-pointer of the game for one of the biggest points of the contest. With 1:40 left in the second overtime, Hotchkiss - at least a foot behind the three-point line - drained the shot to put the Knights up by five.

Hamman hit three free throws to give Colony a six-point advantage, but showing they never lack persistence, Palmer made yet another bid to beat the Knights.

Campbell hit a jumper to cut the Colony lead to four with 52 seconds left.

Junior Sarah Svedin hit a three from the corner to pull the Moose within three.

And Bolling hit a deep three in the final seconds of the game. If it weren't for a Hotchkiss free throw with 24 seconds left, the Knights and Moose would have been looking at a third overtime.

&#8220That's a pretty bummed out team in the locker room, but we just fought and fought and fought,” Palmer head coach Paul Reid said of his squad. &#8220Very resilient. We gave ourselves chances.”

Reid said he told his players to take that same persistent attitude into the final stretch of the season, that includes the season-finale at Wasilla and the NLC Tournament.

&#8220It's going to be a dogfight in regions,” Reid said. &#8220That's the kind of energy we have to bring.”

Sophomore Alex Coon paced the Knights with a game-high 22 points. She scored six of her team's eight points in the first quarter, and 13 of Colony's 25 points in the first half.

Campbell scored eight of her 10 points in the first, and helped the Moose to jump out to a 17-8 lead. Campbell hit a pair of three-pointers during a Palmer 10-2 run.

Colony boys top Palmer

The Colony boys extended their NLC winning streak to six games witha 59-52 win over Palmer at Palmer High School on Tuesday.

Junior Grant Niver led the Knights with a game-high 20 points.

The forward scored eight during Colony's 21-point second quarter. He hit all six of his attempts from the free-throw line in the second frame.

Guards Doug Gray (11) and John Palmer (10) also scored in double digits.

Palmer was once again led by its duo in the paint - seniors Quinton Fiscus and Nate Svedin.

Fiscus scored a team-high 18, and was 8-for-8 from the foul line.

Svedin scored 16.

Palmer (2-7 in region play) held a 13-12 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Colony scored 21 points in the second to claim a 33-29 halftime advantage.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.