USC beat NRHEG 65-56 in overtime, create tie atop Gopher Conference

WELLS — With less than a month left in the Gopher Conference regular season schedule, the United South Central Rebels and New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Panthers girls’ basketball teams’ remaining games just became a lot more important.

One and a half games behind the Panthers (15-3, 10-1 Gopher) in the conference, the Rebels (13-5, 9-1) beat the Panthers 65-56 in overtime Thursday and pulled into a virtual tie atop the standings.

“We now have to play each game with the same intensity and enthusiasm we played with tonight,” Rebels senior forward Val

Sahr said. “We have to push it because we know New Richland is working just as hard.”

Sahr, who’s known more for her rebounding ability than her shooting skills, was 6-for-6 from the free throw line in overtime and 13-for-14 for the game. She scored a game-high 25 points and broke her own school record with 21 rebounds.

“She came to play tonight,” Rebels head coach Stu Hendrickson said, of Sahr. “She was a key factor in the win.”

The Rebels, who lost to the Panthers 72-59 on Dec. 17, jumped out to an 11-2 lead and held the Panthers without a field goal for the first eight minutes of the game. They led 27-18 at halftime, and never allowed the Panthers to score more than four unanswered points in the first half. Still, a Panthers run felt imminent.

The Panthers’ Carlie Wagner opened the second half with a fadeaway jumper and fed Kristina Cole for a layup on the following possession to pull within 27-23.

The Rebels then went on a 14-6 run over the next six minutes to pull ahead 39-29 with 10 minutes left in regulation.

But the Panthers didn’t go away.

Jade Schultz made an open 3-pointer, Raelin Schue made two free throws and Cole hit a 3-pointer to pull the Panthers within 41-37. Then Schultz hit Wagner on a full-court pass for a layup and Anna Schlaak scored a layup off a steal to tie the game for the first time before the Rebels called a timeout with 6:26 left in regulation.

On the Panthers’ second possession out of the timeout, Schultz drove the lane and made a layup to give NRHEG their first lead of the game 43-41. The two teams then traded baskets until the Panthers pulled ahead 50-46 with less than a minute left.

Both teams missed on opportunities at the free throw line before Sahr made two free throws to pull the Rebels within 50-48 with 18 seconds left. Schultz stepped on the inbounds line attempting to put the ball into play under the Rebels’ basket, giving the ball back to USC. Katie Ovrebo made a long two-pointer with 14 seconds left and the Panthers couldn’t answer before the buzzer sounded.

Ovrebo led off overtime with a 3-pointer and the Rebels dominated the extra four minutes, outscoring the Panthers 15-6. Sahr scored six of the Rebels final eight points.

“USC came to play,” Panthers head coach John Schultz said. “They were on fire but our half court defense had a little to do with that. It was lacking. We shot poorly, got frustrated and some of our layups that usually go in didn’t.”

The Rebels shot 50 percent from the field, 80 percent from the free throw line and 40 percent from the 3-point line.

Ovrebo had two 3-pointers but more importantly, the long two-pointer to end regulation.

“I wanted the ball and knew I could make it,” Ovrebo said. “The entire game was exciting. There were a lot of runs and we just happened to have ours at the end.”

Hendrickson called the game a boxing match.

“Punches were thrown from both sides,” he said. “I’m proud of our effort but it’s just one game. If we stub our toes against another conference team than this game doesn’t mean as much.”

The Rebels and Panthers both play at the Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Bucaneers, (11-7, 8-4) the third-place team in the conference, before the season ends. The Bucaneers have beat the Rebels at home for the past three seasons.

Ovrebo scored 16 points and Kayla Stenzel chipped in 15 points.

The Panthers had two players with double-doubles. Wagner had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Schultz had 14 points and 15 rebounds. Cole had 13 points and nine rebounds and Anna Schlaak had eight points and 16 rebounds.

With the win, the Rebels extended their winning streak eight games and snapped the Panthers’ winning streak of nine games.

The Rebels play again at 7:15 p.m. tonight against Randolph (7-11, 3-8) in Wells. The Panthers play again at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday at Blooming Prairie (7-8, 5-3).