Courtesy of KSHSAA website game recap
HUTCHINSON, Kan. - The ball left Hugoton's Mikyn Hamlin's hand with one-tenth of a second left Saturday at the Sports Arena. Goodland coach Bill Biermann's heart sank.
Leading by a point at the end of the Class 3A state championship game, Biermann and the Cowgirls had good reason to think Hamlin's shot was going to be the game-winner.
On Jan. 14 in Hugoton, Hamlin banked in a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer, sending the game against Goodland to overtime, where Hugoton won.
"Same girl. Same location," Biermann said. "I thought, 'You gotta be kidding me.'"
Hamlin's shot again hit the backboard, bounced on the rim, but this time, didn't go in.
The Cowgirls screamed in jubilation. Hugoton's players dropped to the floor as a classic state championship game ended.
Goodland 48, Hugoton 47
Goodland's defense stymied Hugoton in the second half.
It was Goodland's third state title but first since 1980, and it came against a fellow Great West Activities Conference school.
"It's actually 3A, not just our conference," Biermann said. "Look at all the players here this week going (Division 1). There were a lot of good 3A teams at home this week. It's loaded, and we felt grateful for the opportunity to get here. We wanted to maximize it when we got here."
Goodland was in tight, tense games all week in Hutchinson. Two wins were by a single point, and the six-point semifinal win over Silver Lake must have felt like a walk in the park, by comparison.
Goodland clamped down on Hugoton's dynamic trio of Gianna Vos, Summya Adigun and Hamlin in the second half. Although the three combined for 41 points, the Eagles mustered just 17 in the second half. They made just 7 of 22 shots in the second half.
The Cowgirls also outrebounded Hugoton 30-26 and had two fewer turnovers (17-15).
"They did a good job rebounding the basketball," Hugoton coach Emmanuel Adigun said. "They got us in some foul trouble, and we turned it over some, and those are opportunities we can't give in these types of games."
Hugoton led 30-27 at halftime and doubled that lead to 39-33 after three quarters. But Goodland held Hugoton to just eight fourth-quarter points.
Goodland took its first lead since it was 7-4 when Olivia Lehman scored with 2 minutes, 35 seconds left in the game, giving the Cowgirls a 45-43 lead. The teams then traded baskets, and Summya Adigun's layup with 59 seconds left tied the game.
Then, 28 seconds later, Goodland's Talexa Weeter was fouled for a one-and-one.
An 80% foul shooter suddenly had the weight of the Goodland world on her shoulders.
"I was nervous," Weeter said.
She made the first one, the game's final point.
"That relaxed me a little," Weeter said. "But it was still a one-point game, and if they made a bunny shot, it's over."
Goodland's defense locked down for the final half-minute. Hugoton spent two timeouts to get organized, and Biermann switched the Cowgirls' defense each time.
In the final seconds, Hamlin drove to the basket and missed. The ball pinballed around, before Hamlin tracked it down and launched the shot that had Goodland fans, players and coaches sensing deja vu.
It didn't happen.
Jubilation for Goodland and heartbreak for Hugoton.
"I'm so proud of this team," Adigun said. "We graduated three seniors that played for four years. We started two kids with no varsity experience. Our sixth man had no varsity experience, and our seventh player hadn't played in two years. I'm disappointed we lost, but I'm not disappointed with the season we had."
SILVER LAKE 53, NICKERSON 51
Kaibryn Kruger sank four 3-pointers, including three in the decisive fourth quarter, and Silver Lake ended the season with a win and a third-place trophy.
Down 36-31 after three quarters, Kruger spurred the Eagles in the final eight minutes with 11 points, two coming on a big offensive rebound and putback in the final minute that gave Silver Lake a three-point lead.
Ava Jones led Nickerson with 26 points, 19 rebounds, two steals and two assists.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
GOODLAND 48, HUGOTON 47
Hugoton ... 16 ... 14 ... 9 ... 8 ... -- ... 47
Goodland ... 13 ... 14 ... 6 ... 15 ... -- ... 48
Hugoton (23-3) -- Salazar 0-0 0-0 0, Slocom 0-0 0-0 0, Vos 8-14 2-2 22, Adigun 3-8 5-7 11, Haar 2-5 2-4 6, Hamlin 3-13 0-2 8. Totals: 16-40 9-15 47
Goodland (24-2) -- Biermann 0-2 0-0 0, Mitchek 2-6 2-2 7, Weeter 5-9 4-7 16, Cure 2-7 0-1 4, O. Lehman 5-7 0-0 10, E. Lehman 3-13 4-4 11, Blochlinger 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 17-44 10-14 48
3-point goals -- Hugoton 6-19 (Vos 4-8, Hamlin 2-8, Adigun 0-3). Goodland 4-12 (Weeter 2-4, Mitchek 1-1, E. Lehman 1-6, Biermann 0-1). Rebounds -- Hugoton 26 (Adigun 9), Goodland 30 (Cure 9). Assists -- Hugoton 8 (Hamlin 4), Goodland 10 (Biermann 4). Total fouls -- Hugoton 10, Goodland 13. Fouled out -- Mitchek
CONSOLATION GAME
SILVER LAKE 53, NICKERSON 51
Nickerson ... 9 ... 18 ... 9 ... 15 ... -- ... 51
Silver Lake ... 15 ... 7 ... 9 .. 22 .. -- ... 53
Nickerson (23-3) -- Allen 0-3 0-0 0, McLean 1-8 2-2 5, A. Ontjes 0-0 0-0 , K. Ontjes 4-9 0-1 10, Ponds 1-4 0-1 2, Abernathy 4-4 0-0 8, Jones 10-21 5-8 26. Totals: 20-49 7-12 51
Silver Lake (24-2) -- Wherli 0-0 0-0 0, Farmer 2-6 0-2 5, Deiter 1-3 2-2 5, McDaniel 5-10 2-2 12, K. Kruger 5-10 0-2 14, M. Kruger 2-12 3-8 7, Bolan 0-0 0-0 0, Ross 3-6 4-5 10.
3-point goals -- Nickerson 4-19 (K. Ontjes 2-7, Jones 1-3, McLean 1-4, Allen 0-2, Ponds 0-3). Silver Lake 6-19 (K. Kruger 4-7, Deiter 1-1, Farmer 1-4, M. Kruger 0-7). Rebounds -- Nickerson 37 (Jones 19), Silver Lake 32 (McDaniel 7). Assists -- Nickerson 16 (K. Ontjes 4), Silver Lake 11 (M. Kruger 5). Total fouls -- Nickerson 17, Silver Lake 15.
CLICK HERE to download the Hutch Post mobile app.
CLICK HERE to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.