Tinora Lady Rams 44 Liberty Center 43

Tinora Senior Nova Okuley hit a free throw with 1.6 seconds of the clock capping the Tinora Lady Rams comeback win over the Liberty Center Tigers in the OHSAA Sectional Final Saturday afternoon.

The two teams met back on December 14 with Tinora coming away with their first win over the Tigers since 2018, a 45-40 win at Tinora.

The Lady Rams, who trialed by six with three minutes remaining in the game, captured the Sectional Championship, and will move on to play Ottawa Hills at Napoleon’s Grand Canyon on Thursday at 7:30 pm.

Tinora, 12-9, having last played nine days ago, came out a little rusty as they hosted the Liberty Center Tigers, 10-12 in the Sectional Finals Saturday afternoon from Tinora High School, but, after 29 minutes of play, the Lady Rams offense finally found their groove.

Tinora and Liberty Center both struggled early in the initial quarter, a quarter plagued by held balls and turnovers. After the eight minutes were over, the Lady Rams held a early 11-10 advantage.

The second quarter saw more of the same, but in the second eight minutes of play, Tinora started to get into foul trouble as three starters had two fouls each.

After the Tigers grabbed a three point lead 14-11, Nova Okuley’s three pointer tied the game at 14-14 with 5:30 remaining in the initial half.

The game would remained deadlocked over the next 3 minutes before Liberty Center’s Hope Atkinson would give the Tigers a 17-13 advantage at the 2:30 mark. Macie Krugh’s right side three increased the Liberty Center lead to 20-14 with 1:40 in the half. Tinora responded as Nova Okuley’s third three pointer of the half closed the gap to 20-17 with 1:20 in the second quarter.

The Tigers took a 20-17 lead to the half.

Liberty Center would grab an early 22-17 lead on a Aletha Fausnight jumper to start the third stanza. The lead would grow to as many as six at 26-20 on another Fausnight bucket with just under five minutes in the third period.

Tinora’s Eowyn Blanchard would cut the Tigers lead to 26-25 with a jumper in the lane with 2:35 in the third quarter, at the time, Blanchard, 11.8 PPG, was limited to just two points by the Tigers defense.

The Tiger offense would immediately respond, taking a 31-25 lead on Krugh’s left wing three at 1:36 in the quarter. Liberty Center would take a 31-28 lead at the end of three.

The final eight minutes would decide who’s season would continue, and who’s would end. The first five minutes of the quarter was very physical, as neither team wanted this day to be their final game this season.

Macie Krugh’s bucket would get the Tigers off and running, her eighth point of the game gave Liberty Center a 33-28 lead to start the final quarter. After both defenses dug deep, only one point was scored, a Tiger free throw, over the next our minutes, before Aletha Fausnight’s layup on a perfect inbound pass by Chloe Mohler gave the Tigers a 36-30 lead with 3:20 remaining.

The next 90 seconds would be a deal maker for the Lady Rams. Julia Durfey started the Tinora comeback with a left side three pointer, that bucket cut the Tiger lead to 36-33 with 3:10 remaining.

On the ensuing inbound pass, senior Eowyn Blanchard came up with a steal, her steal led to another three pointer by Durfey, a steptback left wing jumper that tied the game at 36-36 with 2:55 on the clock.

Chloe Mohler would split her free throws after a Tinora foul, he backet game the Tigers a 37-36 lead with 2:29 remaining.

Tinora’s three point barrage continued, this time a deep left three by Blanchard, the three pointer gave Tinora a 39-37 advantage with 2:05 remaining.

Just when the Lady Rams were able to finally breathe, the Tigers Faugsnight nailed a deep two pointer to cut the Tinora lead to 41-39 with 1:26 remaining. Brooklyn Mohler’s steal and score knotted the game at 41-41 at the one minute mark.

Mohler would come up with another steal on the next Lady Rams possession, her steal led to a Addie Zientek bucket, and in a snap, the Tigers grabbed a 43-41 lead with just 29 seconds remaining. The basket led to a Tinora timeout.

On the next Tinora possession, Tatum Creps came up with the biggest basket of her career, and the game with a jumper in the lane, tying the game at 43-43 with 15 seconds in the contest.

Liberty Center had a chance at the lead, but a runner in the lane was no good with seven seconds remaining, coming out with the rebound was Tinora’s Nova Okuley. Okuley jetted down the right sideline and darted to the basket, trying to split a upcoming double team, Okuley was fouled with 1.6 seconds in the contest.

Okuley, a four year starter, with 1069 career points, stepped to the free throw line with her and her teammates season in her hands. Okuley calmly nailed the initial toss, giving Tinora a 44-43 lead. A lane violation negated the second free throw, giving the Tigers the ball with 1.6 seconds on the clock.

On the ensuing inbound play, Liberty Center was unable to handle the ball, the final second ran off the clock, the Lady Rams emerged with a 44-43 come from behind win.

Coach Thiel and the Lady Rams captured their second straight Sectional title.

Liberty Center 10-10-11-12 = 43
Tinora Rams 11-6-9-16 = 44

Liberty Center scoring: Zientek 2, Bailey 4, Atkinson 6, B Mohler 7, C Mohler 3, Fausnight 10, Krugh 9, Fuller 2

Tinora scoring: Meyer 3, Spangler 0, Blanchard 8, Creps 4, CVoy 0, Durfey 13, Okuley 16, Bailey 0

Liberty Center seeing their season end at 10-13.

Tinora improves to 13-9. The Lady rams will continue their season on Thursday as they will play Ottawa Hills in Napoleon at 7:30.

The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game went to Lady Rams senior Julie Durfey, congratulations, Julia. What a performance in her final home game as a Lady Ram.