GB: Granite locks down second in D13 with win over Drummond

DRUMMOND – It might have looked like a chance basket to end the half. But when Granite’s Gretchen Hill grabbed a missed free throw by her sister Amelia with 1.5 seconds on the clock and tossed it back in for two points, it gave the Lady Prospectors a lead and momentum that they would never relinquish.

Granite beat Drummond 49-40 Wednesday night to secure second place in District 13 play. The loss leaves the Lady Trojans needing one win in their final two games to stay in third place with the postseason looming next week.

The game opened with a litany of injuries between the two clubs. Granite was missing Lucia Lee to an ankle injury but Drummond was down two starters in Sydney Phillips and Hannah Bradshaw, the latter suffering a knee injury the night before in a win over Victor. That forced the Lady Trojans to rely on a number of younger players to step up and fill the void.

And step up they did.

From the opening tip Drummond took a quick 8-0 lead that held until the 4:40 mark when the Lady Prospectors finally got on the board. They closed the gap but still trailed the hosts 14-10 at the end of one quarter. Granite started to find its offensive footing in the second, eventually tying the game with 1.5 seconds remaining when Amelia Hill was fouled. She made the front end of a two-shot foul before missing the second and her sister Gretchen scooping up the rebound for the bucket as time expired.

“That was a good shot and its always good to go into halftime with a lead,” said GHS Head Coach Brandon Piazolla. When asked about what adjustments his team made at the break, he continued, “We just told the girls to go out and play and be aggressive and that seemed to do it.”

When the teams returned to the floor for the third period, it didn’t take long for Granite to start taking control and establishing a lead with a 17-5 run. Drummond challenged in the fourth but were unable to make up enough ground before the final buzzer.

“Being down four players I had to ask all of the girls to step up, and step up they did,” said DHS Head Coach Nate Bignell of his team. “I put a lot of pressure on my freshman tonight. They came out and played great.

“On Friday and Saturday I'm looking for the same effort but just continue to get better.”

Amelia Hill led all scorers in the game with 23 points for Granite with Asha Comings adding 12. Holly Hauptman was the lone double figure scorer for Drummond with 14.

The Lady Trojans will now try and hold onto their third place seed, needing a win in one of their final two games. They play Friday night at home vs. Darby and Saturday at Valley Christian. The latter is one game behind Drummond in the standings and holds the tiebreaker over the Lady Trojans.

Meanwhile, Granite will get a pair of games in starting Friday at Twin Bridges and followed up by a Saturday game at Lincoln.

SCORING

Granite – 10/12/17/10 – 49

Drummond – 14/6/5/15 – 40

Granite – AHill 23, Ward 5, Pitcher 7, GHill 2, Comings 12

Drummond – DParke 6, Weaver 4, Struna 8, Hauptman 14, Nelson 6, BParke 2