After losing to the Rebels in their own holiday tournament back in mid-December, the Terriers looked to rain on the Rebels' parade by spoiling their senior night. Things certainly looked to be heading that route throughout most of the game as the Terriers maintained a steady lead throughout the first three quarters, heading into the fourth quarter with a 25-20 lead.
But the Rebels finally put an end to the trail game early in the final quarter as senior captain Alex Morrow made a jumper followed by senior captain Ashley Goddard and junior Haley Buffum who each made a free throw to cut the deficit to 25-24. After another stolen ball, Goddard was fouled again on the shot but this time made both of her foul shots to get the first Rebel lead of the night, 26-25.
After a follow-up jumper by Buffum, the Terriers had to get a move on. Their savior finally came with senior captain Chelsea Wilder who hit a three to tie the game at 28-28. Although Goddard countered with a put back to regain the lead, the Terriers rallied in the final minute of the quarter to put up a free throw and another deadly three by Wilder. With a little over thirty seconds to go, down 33-30, the Rebels had one last play under their belt - the "hail Mary".
Morrow in-bounded the ball to senior captain Chelby Nystrom who passed the ball to Goddard who then swung it cross-court to Buffum. Buffum lined up and took the three, a laser that went in perfectly (see video below). The game was tied at 33-33 and the late quarter heroics allowed the Rebels to have another shot in overtime.
In overtime, the hero of the game shifted towards Goddard, who made both pairs of her free throws to get an early 37-33 lead. The Terriers went 3-4 with their free throw opportunities thereafter, cutting the deficit to a close 37-36. Buffum made both of her foul shots followed by a foul shot made by Nystrom to give the Rebels a 40-36 lead with jut seconds to go.
Wilder stormed down the court and pulled up an improvised, successful three to put the game back into nail-biting mode, 40-39. As the final seconds dwindled down, Goddard made a layup to clinch at least a double overtime for the Rebels who now led 42-39. In the words of Yogi Berra, it was "deja vu all over again" as Wilder raced down the court in the same fashion as when she hit her three just moments ago.
However, junior Elizabeth Gallup takes the credit of fouling Wilder before she could put up a shot, therefore clinching the game regardless of whether Wilder made both free throws. Gallup's intuition paid off as Wilder went 1-2 at the line, ending the game in a final 42-40 score.
The players of the game were Goddard and Buffum. Goddard led the team with fifteen total points on the night with a clinching layup in overtime. Buffum had thirteen points on the night with two three pointers, one being the heroic, late-quarter comeback shot. For Bellows Falls, notable players of the game were Wilder and junior Emily Dufault, who had a combined twenty-eight points for the Terriers. Dufault had thirteen points total and went 8-9 at the free throw line whereas Wilder had fifteen points with three three pointers.
Buffum spoke on her game-tying play, "[Coach] had set the play up during the timeout that the ball would go outside the three to Ashley, Chelby or I, where we would take the three. When Ash passed it, I shot it as I was told. Honestly, the ball felt like it came off my hand completely wrong, and I thought it would be an air ball. I ran back on defense because I felt sort of bummed out because I thought I missed our only shot at tying, but when it went in and I heard the crowd screaming, I was completely shocked."
The big win tonight against a Division II school help the Rebels who are now 8-10. They are currently in eighth place which will grant them at least one home game in the playoffs. Their mission now is to win their last two games to secure the eighth place ranking. Probable candidates for the first round of playoffs include, Windsor, Green Mountain, Richford and Winooski. The Rebels' next game is against the Twin Valley Wildcats on Tuesday, February 26.
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