TOLONO -- Looking at a 15-point deficit with 5:15 left to go in the third quarter against an aggressive Bloomington Central Catholic team, the Unity girls' basketball team was going to have to wait a few days for that 18th win of the season. The Saints almost had the door shut until the Rockets clawed their way back into the game to trail by two with 1:05 left to play in the game.
Forty seconds later, Unity got possession of the ball on a rebound after Central Catholic missed a free throw and called time out. The last 21 seconds of the game are worth watching over and over.
After getting the ball past the half-court line, a couple of passes put the ball in the hands of Unity's Lauren Miller at the top of the key. Miller dribbled past three BCC defenders for a layup under the basket and missed. Teammate Raegan Stringer chases down the rebound and tosses the ball back to Miller.
Miller and every fan in the Rocket Center watched the ball after she launched it from in front of the Rockets' bench back in three-point territory. As the ball passed through the net, the backboard lit up. And then the final buzzer sounded. The junior guard was then mobbed and deservingly while head coach Dave Ellars celebrated with three victory hops, arms high above his head. The junior guard had just sealed the Unity's come-from-behind effort with the double-U, 45-44.
Dropping in 14 points for the night, Taylor Henry was the Rockets' leading scorer. The senior also had four rebounds and was credited with three steals.
Katey Moore, who had a solid night defensively, also finished the game in double figures with 12 points. The talented sophomore nabbed five boards and slapped down four shots in addition to her two assists and a team-high four steals.
Raegan Stringer and Maddie Reed rounded out the top three scorers for Unity with six points apiece. Stringer, whose rebound and pass helped make the game-winning shot possible, contributed four rebs and four assists to the comeback effort. Reed's six-point effort was from two 3-point shots converted in the third period.
The Rockets play their next two games on the road this week. Thursday, the team travels to Prairie Central for a conference match with the Hawks. Twenty-four hours later, Unity is back on the road again, this time to Mt. Zion.
Box Score
Final: Unity 45 - Central Catholic 44
| |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
F |
| Unity |
7 |
10 |
15 |
13 |
45 |
| Central Catholic |
8 |
16 |
17 |
3 |
44 |
Unity --
Ray 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0,
Flesch 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0,
Renfrow 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0,
Miller 1 (1) 0-0 -- 5,
Steinman 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2,
Stringer 3 (0) 0-0 -- 6,
Moore 5 (0) 2-3 -- 12,
Reed 0 (2) 0-0 -- 6,
Alagna 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0,
T. Henry 5 (0) 4-6 -- 14,
Chandler 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0,
B. Henry 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0.
Central Catholic --
M. Uhren 0 (0) 2-2 -- 2,
Evans 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0,
Becker 3 (0) 1-4 -- 7,
S. Shanks 0 (1) 4-4 -- 7,
Schnierle 1 (1) 0-0 -- 5,
C Uhren 0 (0) 2-4 -- 2,
L. Shanks 0 (0) 2-2 -- 2,
L. Emm 1 (0) 0-0 -- 2,
E. Stenger 5 (2) 1-3 -- 17,
I. Metzdorff 0 (0) 0-0 -- 0.
