LOWER LAKE — Veronica Wilder buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key in the final seconds of regulation to tie it and the Lower Lake Trojans went on to beat the Willits Wolverines 59-53 in overtime in a North Central League I North varsity girls” basketball thriller Tuesday night in Lower Lake.
It was the first league loss for the Wolverines (5-1), who beat Lower Lake 53-45 on Jan. 22 in Willits. The Wolverines would have clinched the league title with a victory and can still do so if they win their final two games against Fort Bragg and Middletown. Lower Lake (5-2) improved to 17-8 overall under first-year coach Jim Salmina, the longtime Kelseyville coach who is no stranger to big games.
“I can”t remember a bigger one in a long time,” Salmina said. “I”ve got to commend my players. No matter what happens from here on it”s been a successful season. They did a great job.”
Lower Lake and Willits could meet again in the North postseason tournament next week in Middletown.
“I can”t remember a game I”ve been so worked up in,” Salmina said of the back-and-forth contest, one in which the Trojans were on the verge of losing in the final seconds of regulation.
Willits led 42-39 with eight seconds remaining when the Trojans brought the ball inbounds. They worked it to Wilder, a junior guard, at the top of the key and she caught all net on a 3-pointer that knotted the score and brought the crowd to its feet.
“She let it go and snap,” Salmina said of the game-tying shot.
The Trojans fell behind early in the overtime but a 3-pointer by April White, who fouled out a short time later, and back-to-back 3-pointers by Amber Daniels put Lower Lake ahead to stay. Wilder sealed the victory by hitting three of four free throws in the final seconds.
Wilder led the Trojans with 19 points, White finished with 13 and Jonesha Beasley had 10.
Elizabeth Foltz”s 15 points powered the Wolverines.
“We hung in there with them this time and didn”t fade like the first time we played them,” Salmina said. “I”m really proud of the girls.”
