By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek and Southwest Star Concept mixed it up in a girls' basketball game that lasted the equivalent of five quarters before the Patriots were declared the victors in Hills Monday.
After 32 minutes of regulation play and two four-minute overtime sessions, H-BC was able to celebrate its second straight victory by besting the Quasars 58-50.
In a game that was a tight battle from beginning to end, H-BC outscored SSC 18-6 at the charity stripe and made nine free throws during a 12-4 run during the second overtime period to win by eight.
Both teams had chances to win the game in the fourth quarter, which began in a deadlock at 34.
Becky Broesder, who had 12 points and three steals in the game, gave the Patriots a 44-42 edge with a field goal with 19 seconds remaining.
Quasar Jane Vangsness tied the game at 44 with six seconds remaining in regulation play, and overtime became a reality when Broesder's last-second three-point shot attempt drew iron and caromed away from the mark.
In an uneventful first overtime, SSC led 46-44 before Shanna Tilstra produced a steal followed by a layup with 50 seconds left to tie the game at 46. Neither team could score in the final 50 seconds.
With Cassi Tilstra nailing two free throws and Shanna Tilstra draining one of her four three-point shots in the game in the first 40 seconds of the second overtime, H-BC opened a 51-47 cushion.
SSC climbed to within one point of H-BC at 51-50, but Erin Boeve made three free throws and Broesder and Shanna Tilstra made two each in the final 1:54 to put the game away for the Patriots.
Shanna Tilstra, who had three steals and 21 points, netted 10 counters in a first quarter that ended with SSC sporting a 14-12 edge.
SSC netted the first five points of the second quarter to gain its biggest lead of the game at 19-12, but H-BC went on a 14-6 run capped by Jamie Arp's field goal at the 1:47 mark to give the Patriots a 26-25 edge. The first half ended with H-BC sporting a 28-27 lead.
Tilstra gave the Patriots a 34-29 lead with a three-point shot at the 3:59 mark of the third quarter. SSC, however, battled back to tie the game at 34 by period's end to set up a competitive fourth quarter.
Boeve contributed 11 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots to H-BC's winning cause. Cassi Tilstra, LaDonna Sandstede and Brittney Olson chipped in three assists each.
The 7-10 Patriots host Edgerton and Russell-Tyler-Ruthton tonight and Monday respectively. H-BC plays in Pipestone Tuesday.
Box score
C.Tilstra 0 0 2-3 2, Olson 1 0 0-0 2, Sandstede 0 0 0-2 0, Brandt 0 0 0-0 0, Rentschler 2 0 2-3 6, S.Tilstra 2 4 5-7 21, Broesder 4 0 4-5 12, DeNoble 0 0 2-4 2, Boeve 4 0 3-4 11, DeHaan 0 0 0-0 0, Arp 1 0 0-0 2.
Team statistics
H-BC: 18 of 56 field goals (64 percent), 18 of 28 free throws (64 percent), 30 rebounds, 15 turnovers.
SSC: 22 of 58 field goals (38 percent), six of 22 free throws (27 percent), 42 rebounds, 23 turnovers.