Lady Badgers Fall In OT Thriller

Photo: Bella Abt gets fouled on her way to the basket by Lizzie Norton

It was just not meant to be is what some might say after the Lady Badgers fell to the Mesquite Lady Wildcats 58-54 in a wild and thrilling overtime semifinal game.

Photo: Prescott coach Jami Johnson talks to her team during a timeout in the second half

The Division 4A state semifinals drew a large enthusiastic crowd to the Badger Dome to see the Prescott Lady Badgers one final time at home. A win would have sent Prescott to the championship game in Phoenix, but Mesquite had other plans.

Photo: 3 Lilly James calls out a play as she dribbles at the top of the key

The nerves and the energy was quite apparent from the start as both sides missed some good shots. It took nearly two minutes before the first basket of the game. A four point play by Mesquite’s Aven Melhberg on a three plus one made it 4-0. Prescott seemed to need that wake up call and responded with a 12 zip run. Bella Abt was aggressive from the get go, especially in the paint, as she scored 7 points and pulled down 5 rebounds. Addie Priscandaro’s three pointer and a basket by Bentlee Crocket gave Prescott a 12-4 lead with about three minutes left in the opening quarter and the home crowd was loving it.

The Lady Wildcats took a timeout, settled down, and proceeded to run off 9 in a row to lead 13-12 after one quarter. Aven Mehlberg knocked down a pair of threes and Jensen Cowart had two rebound putback baskets..

Prescott regained the lead 14-13 on a give and go from Kylee Murdock to Bentlee Crockett.

Melhberg took advantage of a second chance after an offensive rebound by drilling a three pointer as the shot clock expired. Another three followed to put Mesquite up 19-14.

Photo: 1 Addie Priscandaro dribbles around Sky Gonzalez

Prescott would come back to tie the game at 20 when Abt fed Priscandaro cutting to the basket. Once again the Lady Badgers tied the game at 22 when Abt spun her way inside for the bucket. In the final seconds of the second quarter, Mesquite took advantage of a pair of Lady Badger turnovers and scored twice to lead 26-22 at the half.

Photo: 1 Addie Prisciandaro’s final basket came from the free throw line in overtime

Priscadaro came out and sank a three to make it 26-25. Abt and Priscandaro scored again and Prescott led 31-30. The Lady Badgers would extend their lead to 38-35 at the end of the third quarter. Both teams were beginning to show some signs of fatigue in this highly contested game as Prescott would just use six players and when Bentlee Crockett went down at the 4:51 mark, the other five remained in the game till the end.

Prescott held a 40-37 lead but Mesquite picked up a bucket by Sky Gonzales and it was 40-39. A turnover was turned into a basket and Mesquite led 41-40. Cate Jones scored off a rebound putback and Prescott led 42-41 with just 50 seconds to play.

The Lady Wildcats  got a layup from Lizzie Norton to lead 43-42. It was Abt again who scored off an inside shot off the glass for a 44-43 lead. A foul sent Cowart to the line who made one of two, tying the score at 44 with 11 seconds left.

Prescott had a golden opportunity to win the game in regulation. The Lady Badgers nearly turned the ball over but Lilly James saved the ball from going out of bounds getting it to Abt who saw Cate Jones down the court by herself just outside of the key in front of the Lady Badger bench. Avri Mehlberg came flying across in front of Jones a split second after the shot was released. It missed and came back towards Jones who fought for the loose ball and passed it to Prisciandaro for a last second three that missed as the buzzer sounded.

Photo: 10 Bella Abt with a fall away jump shot

Relieved to get into overtime, the Lady Wildcats took a quick 47-44 lead. Jones scored to get within one at 47-46. After Mesquite scored again, Bell Abt nailed her only three of the game to tie the score at 49. The Lady Wildcats converted an old fashion three point play to go on top 52-49 with just under two minutes to play. A fast break bucket increased the Mesquite lead to 54-49 with 1:17 to play. After a pair of Addie free throws, James stripped the ball away and when Jones hit a three from the baseline, the game was tied at 54.

Mesquite once again scored on an inside bucket by Mehlberg to lead 56-54 with :23 left. Prescott turned over the ball and had to foul with :09 remaining. As the Lady Wildcats went to the line, the crowd noise grew very loud. The result was two straight misses, giving the Lady Badgers a chance to tie. Bella Abt drove through the lane and was fouled with :03 remaining as the layup attempt rimmed out. In a very high pressure situation the first free throw went around the rim and fell off. Having to miss the second on purpose, the ball came off the rim and three players battled for it, but a foul was called on Prescott with just a half a second left. Mesquite made both and that was it.

As Mesquite celebrated, a shocked and disappointed home crowd slowly gathered themselves to leave the Badgers Dome one final time this season.

Bella Abt closed out her career with another double-double with 20 points and 16 rebounds said. “I am very proud of all of us. Everybody went out with the attitude like we are not going to lose. Then Bentlee got injured and we thought we could do it for her.” Did you think you had to do more tonight than usual, “Not really, I just felt I needed to go out and play and not let the refs or their crowd get to me.” About overtime, “ I thought we were going to do it, but those free throws really got to me.” About the atmosphere, “It was the loudest in all my four years here. Coach J even said that she didn’t think it was even that loud when Uriah was here.”

Addie Prisciandaro led Prescott with 21 points said, “ I think there’s nothing for us to be sad about, I mean playing in a overtime playoff game. It was so intense. We gave it everything we could and even with everyone here, we just couldn’t get it done. I am super grateful but sad that we lost, but I think that’s the best way we could’ve gone out because it was such a great game, the atmosphere was just so amazing.”

What was the discussion about at halftime? “We were positive. We knew we were only down by four and were still completely in this game if we just come out with the intensity. I think we did that because we got into overtime but in the end, it just didn’t go our way, and that is the way it goes sometimes.”

Prisciandaro leaves with the school record in scoring and added, “I’m super happy for all the years I spent here and everything that we accomplished.”

Lilly James said, “It was really a tough game and even tougher to lose it. I thought we battled hard coming back late and when we got down but couldn’t get the shots to fall at the very end. Sometimes you just get beat. We had a great year and that is what I am going to remember the most.”

Coach Jami Johnson ended her best season in five years leading the Lady Badgers said, “We left it all on the court tonight. They didn’t want to go out with any regrets. I told them all I would not choose to be a part of any other team than this team right here because it shows what kind of people they are not just basketball players.” About the Badger Dome jumping, “ It was amazing. I told them at one time I thought I could feel it shaking. We made this community believe in girls basketball again. It was unreal and I could not be more proud.”

Mesquite coach Candice Gonzales said, “We have had the motto this week that slow and steady wins the race and when we got down to Mica Mountain by 11 and we just kept chipping away, you know slow and steady like. We won the race tonight because we took our time to spread the floor. We were patient. I feel like we didn’t really do a lot of that in the first half. We just kinda let our nerves get to us. Obviously we had to travel to Tucson and then two days later travel up here, so we had a bit of travel legs on us, but you know we really persevered, slow and steady, definitely won that race even though we had lots of mistakes.”

“They had the last shot and fortunately they missed and we lived to play in overtime. I felt pretty good about our chances then. They are a tough team. They have some tough players and play tough defense and we just knew that we had to somehow get one out of the game. (Referring to Addie Prisciandaro) I think she had 12 points and was hurting us so we put Avery on her, jumped every screen, and shut her down.  I’m just proud of them for getting through it, persevering, and coming out on top.”

Mesquite (21-9) moves into the championship game versus Paradise Honors who upset #1 Salpointe Catholic. Prescott ended their most successful girls basketball season at (27-5).

MESQUITE LADY TIGERS 58, PRESCOTT LADY BADGERS 54, OT

MESQUITE (58)-Gonzales 5 2-2 15, Willis 0 0-0 0, Cowart 6 0-1 13, Mehlberg 5 7-10 20, Norton 2 0-2 4, Anthony 1 0-0 2, Ricario 0 0-0 0, Fisher 2 0-0 4, Solis 0 0-0 0. 21 10-16 58.

PRESCOTT (54)-Prisciandaro 6 6-6 21, James 0 0-0 0, Abt 8 3-8 20, Jones 3 0-0 7, Crockett 2 0-0 4, Murdock 0 2-2 2. 19 11-16 54.

Score by Quarters – 1      2      3      4      OT   –    T

Mesquite                 13    13     9      9      14    –   58

Prescott                   12    10   16      6      10    –   54

Fouled Out-None

Total Fouls-M 16, P 13

Three Pointers-M (7)-Mehlberg 3, Gonzales 3, Cowart 1. P (5)-Prisciandaro 3, Abt 1, Jones 1