Dansville, MI. – The Gator girls of Ypsilanti Arbor Prep fought back from a 9-point deficit in the Division 3 quarterfinals and were able to take down the New Lothrop Hornets 38-34. It was a hard-fought battle but the Gators were able to achieve victory and get back to the Breslin Center in East Lansing again.
It was a predominantly New Lothrop crowd in attendance and the noise level was very loud for the Gators but with the solid coaching unit they have they were able to focus and drown out the crowd.
Dansville started strong & took an early lead and the Gators couldn’t get the baskets but Gator Senior Taylor Wallace hit a big 3. Stacy Utomi then drove deep to give the Gators a lead but it wouldn’t last and the Gators had to play catch up most of the night.
As always the Gators played a strong, solid defense forcing bad shots and getting rebounds but they just couldn’t get the ball to fall their way in the first half but as the half expired Junior Eliza Bush hit a long three-point shot at the end of the half so the Gators went into the half down by 3.
After the half, it was more of the same for the Gators and they fell behind by 9 but they kept fighting and clawing their way to get back into the game. In the fourth quarter, the Gators turned up the heat. With 5 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Sophomore Angela Meggisson stole the ball drove hard underneath, and hit to cut the Hornets lead to 1. The Hornets kept fighting hard to maintain the lead.
With less than 2 minutes to go, Stacy Utomi tied the game up at 32 and the Hornets reached the 5 foul mark putting the Gators at the line where they excel. With 1:36 to go the Gators had the lead Autumn Pernell broke up a play and recovered the ball and the Gators called timeout to maintain possession. With time running out and the Gators with the bonus Eliza Bush went to the line and under heavy pressure and a loud opposing crowd sank both shots giving the Gators a 3-point lead.
The Hornets inbounded the ball and drove upcourt looking to tie the game on a three-point shot but Stacy Utomi stole the ball and with 32 seconds left was fouled and hit her free throw putting the game out of reach with no time left.
The Hornets finish the season 20-8 with Lily Bruff leading her team with 10 points.
The Gators advanced and were led in scoring by Stephanie Utomi with 15 points with 8 in the fourth quarter as she played with 4 fouls. Taylor Wallace had 11 points, and Eliza Bush had 5.
“In the first half, we were making things complicated,” Gators Head Coach Scott Stine stated after the victory. “This team throughout the year can frustrate the heck out of us coaches but they don’t quit and they never believe that they’re out of the game. New Lothrop outworked us 3/4 of the games and hats off to them, they’re a great team and they played a great game. In the fourth quarter, we made enough plays we made free throws down the stretch we’re just we’re really lucky.”
The Gators will play at Breslin Center Thursday, at 2 P.M. against Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest ( 18-9). They defeated Sandusky 38-16.
