(Carroll) McKenzie Waters knocked two-free throws with four- seconds left to play to give Atlantic a 55-54 win on the road over Kuemper, Catholic, Carroll, on Tuesday night, in a game that featured 18-lead changes.
Waters led the Trojans with 17-points and Lauren Nicholas added 15. Haley Rasmussen scored 7-points, Taylor McCreedy and Maycie Waters finished the game with 6-each, and Corri Pelzer pitched in four.
Mallory Badding led the Knights with 21-points, Catherine Mayhall, 14, Sarah Steffes and Brooklyn Gifford, six each, Akuet Malek, 2, and Sophie Badding added one.
Kuemper played a box and one zone defense on Haley Rasmussen. The junior, who entered the contest averaging 18.7 points per game, was held to just 7-points. But the Trojans supporting cast stepped up and picked up the slack. Lauren Nicholas sparked the Trojans in the second quarter by connecting on 4-6 shots from three-point range, and Maycie Waters hit two key long-range shots to keep the Trojans in the game.
“We’re not going to get obsessed with getting her (Rasmussen), the shot and running her ragged, we’re going to let others step up and make plays,” said Atlantic Head Coach Dan Vargason. “Lauren Nicholas played a huge part in the game tonight. When we saw they were going to key on Haley, we put Maycie Waters in one corner and Nicholas in the other and said game-on. They had the green light and we told both of them-don’t think just shoot-and did Lauren shoot tonight.”
The Knights led 11-8 at the end of the first quarter. Atlantic held a 26-25 advantage at the break and a 42-38 lead at the end of the third period.
Mallory Badding knocked down a three-point basket with, :09 seconds left to put the Knights up 54-53. But, McKenzie Waters drew a shooting foul with four -seconds remaining. The senior connected on both attempts to give the Trojans the 55-54 victory.
“Isn’t this what every kid lives for,” said Vargason, when asked about Waters’s two-game winning free throws. “She stepped up to the line with ice in her veins. You can’t say enough about someone going to the line with confidence and winning the game.”
Atlantic now (8-7) hosts Glenwood on Thursday night. Kuemper, (4-12), is at home against Lewis Central.
