:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/3POTIGRUVIQ5RZY26OGOJ6YLUM.jpg)
WOODSTOCK – With the final moments ticking off the clock during a tie game late in overtime, Marian Central junior backup point guard Kelsey Miner didn't have time to think.
She just reacted.
Miner's jumper from about 15 feet to the right of the basket – with a hand in her face – found nothing but net with 1.5 seconds remaining. It wound up being the dagger in the Hurricanes' pulse-pounding, 47-45 nonconference win over Wauconda on Monday night.
After Miner's basket, Marian's bench erupted in celebration, and an ensuing desperation heave from beyond midcourt by Wauconda fell short, putting an end to a wild night of basketball inside Landers Pavillion.
It was Miner's first game-winning shot at the varsity level.
"Those are usually the shots I like to take," Miner said. "I take a lot of mid-range shots. Nothing was going through my head when the ball came to me. I was just focused on making that shot."
During a timeout just before Miner's basket, Hurricanes coach Ephraim Lee called a play that was intended for junior forward Morgan Laudick (nine points), but it didn't go as planned. The ball wound up in the hands of senior center Janelle Allen, a Division I Holy Cross commit.
Allen, who had a 20-point, 14-rebound night, drove from the top of the key to the right side of the court and, predictably, drew multiple defenders. She whipped the ball to Miner (four points) in the corner, who broke a 45-all tie.
"I tried to set a screen for Morgan, but in the moment, it was just chaotic," Allen said.
The moment was also a bit of redemption for Allen and her teammates. The Hurricanes (6-12) lost to the Bulldogs (9-5) by a point in the third-place game of the Northern Illinois Holiday Classic a few weeks ago.
In that game, Allen had the ball under the rim with less than five seconds left to play in regulation, with a chance to win the game, and felt she was fouled without a call.
"That's in the past," Allen said. "But I'm not gonna lie, to have this game end the way it did sure felt like a bit of revenge."
During OT in Monday's game, Wauconda missed all eight of its field-goal tries, including several opportunities to take the lead in the final minute. Mackenzie Arden (17 points) and Ella Karg (13 points) led the way for the Bulldogs.
"We put ourselves in a big hole in the first half falling behind [9-0 to start the game]," Wauconda coach Jaime Dennis said. "And I think we only had like seven rebounds in the first half. We just needed a few more shots to fall for us down the stretch, and unfortunately, that didn't happen."
Lee, meanwhile, was happy with his team's effort.
"These girls just battle, and I couldn't be more proud of their effort," Lee said. "Every time these girls face adversity, all season long, they keep showing there's no quit in them. This was a moment they all deserved to have."
STAR OF THE GAME
Janelle Allen, Marian Central, sr., C
Allen had a huge 20-point, 14-rebound night, but her assist with 1.5 seconds left in overtime helped send the Hurricanes home winners.
THE NUMBER
8: Wauconda missed all eight of its shots in OT.
AND ANOTHER THING …
Julia Hogel, Jenna Golembiewski and Morgan Laudick each had three steals for the Hurricanes.
BOX SCORE
Marian Central 47, Wauconda 45, OT
Wauconda 10 8 10 15 2 – 45
Marian Central 14 2 14 13 4 – 47
Marian Central (47)
Allen 9 1-3 20, Laudick 3 2-2 9, Hogel 2 0-0 4, Santopadre 2 0-0 4, Maurer 2 0-2 4, Miner 2 0-0 4, Golembiewski 1 0-0 2, Saxelby 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21 3-7 47.
Wauconda (45)
Arden 6 3-3 17, Karg 4 3-4 13, Pakaski 3 3-3 9, Lang 1 0-0 2, Szmajda 1 0-0 2, Jerard 1 0-0 2, McGraw 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 9-10 45.
3-point field goals: Wauconda 4 (Arden 2, Karg 2), Marian Central 2 (Allen, Laudick).
Total team fouls: Marian Central 9, Wauconda 8. Techincal fouls: None. Fouled out: None.