In one of the most entertaining games in Girls State Basketball history, Divine Savior Holy Angels (25-2) outlasted Middleton 86-76 in overtime to advance to the Division 1 State final Saturday evening.
The game was highlighted by a performance for the ages by the Dashers’ Arike Ogunbowale, who smashed a State Tournament record for scoring in a game with 55 points. She also set the State mark for field goals made and field goals attempted in a game on 25-of-41 shooting. In addition to her scoring spree, she hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds and made five steals.
The game remained close throughout with 15 ties and 19 lead changes. Middleton (22-5) held the largest lead in regulation with an 8-point lead at 47-39 at the three-minute mark of the third quarter.
With DSHA leading 72-69 with 22 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Elizabeth Norregaard made a three-pointer to tie the score and ultimately send the game into overtime. Ogunbowale and Rachel Heinrich were instrumental in leading the Dashers to victory in overtime. Ogunbowale scored 10 points and Heinrich sealed the win by going 4-for-4 from the charity stripe in the last minute of overtime.
Records were also set for most points in game by the winning team with 85 and for points by two teams with 162. Middleton’s 76 points was the most scored by a losing team in Division 1 history. In addition, the Dashers made 33 field goals as a team, which also set a Division 1 record.
Divine Savior Holy Angels will be playing in the championship final for the first time in their four trips to the tournament.
D.C. Everest (27-0) will bring its unblemished record into the State final Saturday evening following a 42-32 win over Arrowhead in the semifinals.
Both teams found points hard to come by early in the game. The Warhawks broke a scoreless tie three minutes into the game and led 8-7 at the end of the first quarter. The Evergreens scored early in the second quarter to take the lead before both teams went scoreless for nearly five minutes.
D.C. Everest took control of the game just before halftime and into the third quarter. They stretched their lead to 11 points at the 3:59 mark of the third quarter, thanks in part to a Warhawk scoring drought that spanned six minutes.
Arrowhead cut its deficit to three with just over two minutes to play in the game, but Taylor Hodell converted a three-point play to end the Warhawks’ 8-1 scoring rally. The Evergreens made 9-of-11 free throws in the final two minutes to secure the lead.
Hodell led all scorers and rebounders with 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Evergreens. Ally May led Arrowhead with 10 points and seven rebounds.
The Evergreens reach the State final for the first time since they won the Class A title in 1986.