Northeast Nodaway got their usual output from Baylie Busby (21 points, 16 boards) and Dalanie Auffert (8 points, 12 boards), but it was Hadley DeFreece who took over the game in the fourth after Northeast had fallen behind in the third and Sasha Deardorff who got a key steal at the end to preserve Northeast Nodaway’s 47-45 win over Princeton to give them the third place trophy in the South Harrison Tournament.
The Bluejays got an early lead as putbacks from Baylie Busby and Dalanie Auffert put them up 4-0. But a lot of missed shots allowed Princeton to hang around, and by the late part of the first quarter, a steal put the Blue Tigers in front 10-9. A pass from Busby to Auffert inside put Northeast back in front 11-10 after one.
Princeton put on the press and threatened to pull away, using some Bluejay turnovers and baskets from Grace Kelly to put them ahead 17-12. But then Busby shot the Bluejays back into the game starting with a drive and pullup that cut it to three. She had eight points in the period and Mylee Wilmes added a shot from the wing. Finally, with 1:42 left, Busby took a handoff from Dalanie Auffert and made a circus shot, flipping it up and in as she went down and drawing a foul, converting a three point play to put Northeast up 21-19 at the half.
Busby’s 3-pointer put the Bluejays in front at the 4:57 mark at 28-26, but then Addy Henke threatened to take over the game for Princeton, scoring 15 points in the period and beating everyone down the floor on defense. The Blue Tigers led by as much as 37-30 before Busby got a steal late in the third, pushed it up the floor, and found Sasha Deardorff at the top of the key at the third quarter buzzer for two to cut it to five and stop the bleeding.
Princeton still appeared to be in control through much of the fourth despite DeFreece’s first 3-pointer of the quarter as Grace Kelly was working the post to get them some points. But all of a sudden, Hadley DeFreece hit a 3-pointer with 3:23 left, Dalanie Auffert took a charge on defense, and Hadley struck again to put the Bluejays in front 43-42 out of nowhere. Hadley forced a backcourt violation and Baylie Busby hit one of two at the line to make it 44-42, and then jumped a Princeton pass to make it 46-42 with 1:23 left.
Baylie Busby got a tip on defense and there was a scramble for the resultant loose ball, but Jill Boswell picked up her fifth foul in the scrum and Grace Kelly hit both free throws to cut it to 46-44 with 1:12 left.
A bizarre play happened as Princeton apparently stole the ensuing inbounds pass off the press and converted a layup to tie it, but without any whistles or signal from the officials, the points were wiped off and the ball given back to Northeast.
Given the new lease on life, Northeast ran it down to 54 seconds. Baylie Busby missed a 1-1, but got a tieup and the ball went back to Northeast. Princeton stole the ball, but Henke, who had made almost everything up to that point, finally missed one and Baylie Busby rushed the other way. She found Hadley DeFreece, but she missed a contested look. Henke missed again, but Northeast lost it out of bounds with 20 seconds left.
Klaire Buckler missed a three that would have put Princeton in front by one. After a scramble, the jump ball went back to Princeton. But on the ensuing inbounds play, Sasha Deardorff stole it and was fouled immediately. She made one out of two with 10 seconds left to make it 47-44. It was Deardorff’s only steal all night, but it came at the biggest possible moment.
Grace Kelly missed a contested three, but with three tenths of a second left, Randa Shahan grabbed the offensive board and was fouled. With Princeton down three, they had to make the first, miss the second, and get a putback to tie. Shahan made the first, missed the second, but Baylie Busby leaped to secure the board and fell to the floor as time expired.
For Northeast, Baylie Busby had 21, Hadley DeFreece 12, Dalanie Auffert 8, and Mylee Wilmes and Sasha Deardorff 3 each.
Dalanie Auffert had 3 blocks.
Baylie Busby went into beast mode on the boards, getting 16. Dalanie Auffert had 12, Sasha Deardorff 4, Jill Boswell 3, Hadley DeFreece 2, and Mylee Wilmes 1.
Sasha Deardorff had 4 assists. Dalanie Auffert and Jill Boswell had 3, and Baylie Busby and Hadley DeFreece had 2 each.
Baylie Busby had 4 tips. Hadley DeFreece and Jill Boswell had 3, and Sasha Deardorff 1.
Baylie Busby and Hadley DeFreece had 5 steals each. Dalanie Auffert had 2, and Mylee Wilmes and Sasha Deardorff 1 each.
After the tournament was concluded, Baylie Busby was named to the All Tournament Team.
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