Ottawa Hills edges NL for title

NAPOLEON — The situation wasn't new. In fact, the New London girls basketball team had been in the same spot just three days earlier. The Wildcats were in a one-point game in the final minute against Ottawa Hills on Saturday in a Division VI district championship matchup at Napoleon High School. On Wednesday, New London rallied to beat Woodmore in overtime of a district semifinal at Fremont Ross. But this time, the ball didn't bounce New London's way. Down a point, the 'Cats turned it over twice in the final 23 seconds of a 44-41 loss to the Green Bears. New London closed the season at 21-4 overall, while Ottawa Hills (17-8) advanced to face SBC Bay Division champion Margaretta (24-1) in a regional semifinal next week. "We forced some things, and you could see us tense up a little bit," NL head coach Eric Mitchell said. "But I get it; this was the biggest game they've played in, and unfortunately we came up a little short. "We did some uncharacteristic things, and the way Ottawa Hills shot the ball is really the difference." New London had led 27-17 at halftime, only to see the Bears erase that lead midway through the third. Ottawa Hills took its first lead, 30-29, on a pair of free throws from sophomore standout Kendell Skiver with 4:16 left in the third. Gracie Thomas grabbed the lead right back for the 'Cats, but then the Bears did the same thing on a 3-pointer from Brodi Kale just 12 seconds later to make it 33-31. Teammates Pailee Wilson and Olivia Yetter then split free throws to tie the game at the 3:12 mark. After NL missed three point-blank shots at the rim, it was Yetter coming through and finishing off a putback on her missed free throw at the 3:01 mark for a 35-33 lead. But back came Skiver with another 3 for Hills — it made nine triples in the game — for a 36-35 lead. Valery Henry was fouled taking the final shot of the quarter for New London. She split those two shots to tie the game at 36 entering the final eight minutes. "I don't say we got complacent, but I thought we took our foot off the gas a little," Mitchell said of the 19-9 scoring edge for Hills in the third. "And missing so many inside shots, that has been something that has hurt us all year. We just weren't putting it in, and we had to do a better job of finishing around the rim in a game like this. "But the way they shot the ball was impressive. In scouting them, we certainly didn't think they'd come out and hit nine threes like they did. The way they shot it was definitely the difference. And I thought we started to play not to lose instead of to win with some of our decisions with the basketball." Again the Bears made a 3, this time from Sophie VanSlooten, to grab a 39-36 lead to start the fourth. Thomas scored inside at the other end with 7:01 left to make it 39-38, then the game ground to a halt at both ends of the court. The next basket didn't come until Wilson scored with 4:45 left to give New London a 40-39 lead. From there, the two teams combined for just one field goal the rest of the way. It was still 40-39 with under a minute to go when Henry was fouled trying to shoot from the left block with 52.3 seconds left. She missed the first foul shot but made the second for a 41-39 lead. At the other end, however, Skiver got her own missed shot on a rebound and made it and was fouled with 40.2 seconds left. She added the free throw for a 42-41 lead. Out of a timeout, New London tried a cross-court pass from the left corner to the right wing that was thrown away with 22.5 seconds remaining. The Wildcats were then called for an intentional foul on hard contact with 20.8 seconds left. But amazingly, the Bears missed all the free throws, and Thomas grabbed the rebound and got the ball to half-court for a timeout and a chance to win with 16.5 seconds left. But the 'Cats again turned the ball over, and Skiver was fouled from behind with 1.7 seconds to go. She made both for the final margin. "They extended that 1-2-2 zone a little bit and were taking away our middle and Raeann (Mitchell) at the top," Eric Mitchell said. "We were trying to get one of our sets that is a flare screen, and getting over the top to it, it was just a breakdown, and we didn't know how to respond. I'm at a loss for words for it. "It was just … uncharacteristic of us. I hate to say the moment got too big because these girls have been in a lot of tight games, but this time we just didn't capitalize on it. We had two good chances but didn't get anything good out of it." Thomas finished with 13 points and seven rebounds with three steals for New London. Yetter had 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while Henry scored eight points. When the five senior starters were in eighth grade, New London went 1-21 overall and 1-13 in the Firelands Conference. Over their four years, the Wildcats finished 76-22 overall and 54-2 in the FC. In that stretch, New London won an FC record 43 consecutive games with three outright league titles. The two losses when they were freshmen came by a combined six points. NL also won three sectional titles and reached two district title games. "Obviously it was an emotional locker room afterward," Mitchell said. "But their legacy is set at New London by doing things that haven't been done before. I hope we see it again one day, but it's incredible what they've done. "This one game doesn't define them. The effort they gave this season with basically only six girls playing was impressive. Our girls played with emotion, and I thanked them for everything they gave for me and this program. We will always cherish this team and the seniors from these four years." NEW LONDON (21-4) Raeann Mitchell 2-0—5; Valery Henry 3-2—8; Olivia Yetter 4-1—10; Pailee Wilson 2-1—5; Gracie Thomas 6-0—13. TOTALS 17-4—41. OTTAWA HILLS (17-8) Brodi Kale 4-0—12; Alexa Potts 1-0—3; Kendell Skiver 6-9—23; Sophie VanSlooten 2-0—6. TOTALS 13-9—44. New London 15 12 9 5 — 41 Ottawa Hills 11 6 19 8 — 44 Three-point FGs: (NL) Mitchell, Thomas, Yetter; (OH) Kale 4, Skiver 2, VanSlooten 2, Potts.