Winnipeg second year guard Amy Ogidan showed nerves of steel sinking
two free throws with no time left on the clock to give the Wesmen a
dramatic 62-61 victory over the Manitoba Bisons in the third and
deciding game of the Great Plains Division semi-final Saturday night at
the Duckworth Centre.
Ogidan went to the foul line thanks to a Bison foul on an inbound pass with one second left in regulation time.
The teams came out focused and put everything on the line in this game. Manitoba gained control early on in the first quarter scoring nine unanswered points to take a 18-8 lead with 1:40 left in the opening quarter. The Wesmen fought back and thanks to three pointers by Jessica Stromberg and Randie Gibson, Winnipeg went on a 8-2 run to cut the Bison lead to 20-16 after the opening frame.
Manitoba held the lead into the second quarter but Winnipeg came back once again closing the gap to 28-27 in the Bison's favour. Tessa Klassen sparked the Bisons in the final 3:45 scoring seven striaght points to give Manitoba a 35-31 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter the Bisons led by as much as seven points on two occasions only to have Winnipeg close the gap every time. The Bisons led 43-36 with 6:40 to play, when Catie Gooch completed a four point play to close the gap to 43-40. The teams exchanged baskets and the Bisons held on to a 47-45 lead after three quarters.
Manitoba held their biggest lead of the night (nine points) 57-48 with 5:22 left to play in the final quarter when Winnipeg responded going on a 8-0 run to cut the Manitoba lead to 57-56. Kait Flett drained a jumper with 1:07 remaining to extend the Bison lead to 59-56. Amy Ogidan sank two free throws with 52 seconds left to pull Winnipeg to within a point at 59-58. Manitoba answered right back with Mubo Ilelaboye scoring a short jumper to give the Bisons a 61-58 lead with 38 seconds left. Ogidan scored a basket with 29 seconds left to narrow the score to 61-60 setting up her last second heroics to make the final score 62-61 in Winnipeg's favor.
Caity Gooch led Winnipeg with 15 points and six steals. Ogidan and Jessica Stromberg each finished with 12 points. Kaitlin Rempel had a solid game finishing with a double-double 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Tessa Klassen led Manitoba with a game high 19 points, including three-three pointers and eight rebounds and six steals. Kait Flett finished with 10 points.
Winnipeg will move on to the Great Plains Division final series against the Regina Cougars in Regina starting next Thursday night.
two free throws with no time left on the clock to give the Wesmen a
dramatic 62-61 victory over the Manitoba Bisons in the third and
deciding game of the Great Plains Division semi-final Saturday night at
the Duckworth Centre.
Ogidan went to the foul line thanks to a Bison foul on an inbound pass with one second left in regulation time.
The teams came out focused and put everything on the line in this game. Manitoba gained control early on in the first quarter scoring nine unanswered points to take a 18-8 lead with 1:40 left in the opening quarter. The Wesmen fought back and thanks to three pointers by Jessica Stromberg and Randie Gibson, Winnipeg went on a 8-2 run to cut the Bison lead to 20-16 after the opening frame.
Manitoba held the lead into the second quarter but Winnipeg came back once again closing the gap to 28-27 in the Bison's favour. Tessa Klassen sparked the Bisons in the final 3:45 scoring seven striaght points to give Manitoba a 35-31 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter the Bisons led by as much as seven points on two occasions only to have Winnipeg close the gap every time. The Bisons led 43-36 with 6:40 to play, when Catie Gooch completed a four point play to close the gap to 43-40. The teams exchanged baskets and the Bisons held on to a 47-45 lead after three quarters.
Manitoba held their biggest lead of the night (nine points) 57-48 with 5:22 left to play in the final quarter when Winnipeg responded going on a 8-0 run to cut the Manitoba lead to 57-56. Kait Flett drained a jumper with 1:07 remaining to extend the Bison lead to 59-56. Amy Ogidan sank two free throws with 52 seconds left to pull Winnipeg to within a point at 59-58. Manitoba answered right back with Mubo Ilelaboye scoring a short jumper to give the Bisons a 61-58 lead with 38 seconds left. Ogidan scored a basket with 29 seconds left to narrow the score to 61-60 setting up her last second heroics to make the final score 62-61 in Winnipeg's favor.
Caity Gooch led Winnipeg with 15 points and six steals. Ogidan and Jessica Stromberg each finished with 12 points. Kaitlin Rempel had a solid game finishing with a double-double 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Tessa Klassen led Manitoba with a game high 19 points, including three-three pointers and eight rebounds and six steals. Kait Flett finished with 10 points.
Winnipeg will move on to the Great Plains Division final series against the Regina Cougars in Regina starting next Thursday night.