Beaston's clutch free throws lift TC to OT victory

Communication, teamwork and practicing overtime periods in practice certainly helped. Columbian sent Willard back home with an overtime loss 57-55 in non-league play Tuesday.What looked like a win for Willard (12-6) at the beginning of the game, didn't end how it hoped, but for TC (11-6), being able to come back from a 12-point deficit and coming out on top was a feat in itself. For a team that had a hard time communicating at the beginning of the season, it's not the same team now. "As the season has gone on, I think our trust in each other has gotten so much better and we gel a lot better now," sophomore Lexi Beaston said. "I think the communication has gotten better." With improved communication, the team has been playing harder then ever, and a lot of people have taken notice. "I'm just proud of how we fought, especially through the adversity," Columbian coach Morgan Harrigan said. "It's the first time we have come out of a hole and it's the first time we have won in overtime. It's also the first time we have shot really well in free throws and that gave us confidence within ourselves." It couldn't have been more true then in the fourth quarter. At the start, Willard had the lead at 41-36. After Corrin Gettys made a basket and drew a foul from Mia Zeis to then score the bonus, and a jumpshot from Emelia Tallman, the lead was extended out by nine points. TC wasn't about to let the Flashes take the win, and within two trips to the line, sliced the lead. Once Abbie Felske caught the offensive rebound after a missed 3-pointer from Beaston, the teams were four points apart. Two minutes later, Marissa Allen sunk a trey and with 1:12 left on the clock, it was 45-44 Willard on top. "We started pressing at the beginning of the year," Harrigan said. "That was our gameplan, our style. Thanks to some injuries we had, we had to then focus on half-court defense. With this team though, our pressure could be effective at the right time. They didn't score until six minutes left, and it was 45 points for four minutes. It was the right time to bring the pressure and got us hyped up on the ball." It wasn't that way for long as Maggie Rannigan made her own trip to the charity stripe and sunk both of her free throws, bringing the Tornadoes on top 46-45 with 56.9 seconds left to play. As the regulation clock wound down, Gettys stood at the free throw line to shoot for three points for the Flashes. She made the first, but then missed the other two and the buzzer went off. "I just think we made too many mistakes and didn't do a good job," Willard coach Alanna Bedingfield said. "I think we didn't make good decisions, and at this stage of the game, with the experienced players on our team, that we should be able to do this." In front of a thunderous crowd, the game went into overtime. TC got the ball at tip off and Felske scored two points within the first 30 seconds. From there, Zeis capitalized on a steal from Willard and laid it up into the hoop, and within five seconds, was on the charity stripe, making both of her free throws. TC had 13 turnovers, and 23 rebounds. Willard had 14 turnovers and 20 rebounds. The Tornadoes and the Flashes continued to battle back and forth on the free throw line most of the night. While TC was 18 of 24 from the line, Willard was 18 of 23. "We have been practicing overtime ever since we lost in overtime," Harrigan said. "We have been preparing. I think the girls are more confident in a scenario like that since we practice it every single day. That comes through practice, and that comes with confidence in each other, and honing it in. We were down by 12, but then we came back and executed, and what we did in practice happened in the game." It wasn't until Reese Bedingfield fouled out with four seconds remaining that allowed top scorer of the night Beaston one final trip to the line. "I just wanted to win," Beaston said. "We have had a couple of games this season that were so close and we haven't gotten it, and I think we all want it, especially for each other. I think that's why we got the win." She made both of them; it sealed the game for TC with less than four seconds left. Beaston was the top scorer of the night with 20 points. In addition to Beaston, the Tornadoes also had Allen with 10 points and six assists. For the Flashes, their top scorers were Wiers with 18 points, Gettys with 16 points, and Bedingfield with 14 points. The Tornadoes have one tough rivalry coming up Friday as they host Norwalk."We have a big opponent on Friday," Harrigan said. "I know that Norwalk means a lot to us. Columbian and Norwalk is a big rivalry and we will be prepared for them on Friday." Columbian 57, Willard 55 OTWillard (12-6): Camryn Wiers 6-0-18 Reese Bedingfield 5-4-14, Leah Weiss 1-0-2, Emelia Tallman 2-1-5, Corrin Gettys 4-8-16 Totals: 19-13-55 TC (11-6): Mia Zeis 3-2-8, Marissa Allen 3-3-10, Maggie Rannigan 2-4-9, Abbie Felske 4-0-8 Lexi Beaston 5-7-20 Maddy Richie 0-2-2 Totals: 17-18-57 Willard 12-14-12-8-9-55 TC 16-8-12-16-11-57 3 point goals: Willard 6 (Weirs 6) TC 5 (Allen 1, Rannigan 1, Beaston 3) Foul Shots: Willard 13-18 TC: 18-24