Sladjana Rakovic scored six of her game-high 16 points in overtime as the Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball survived in overtime in downing Northwest College 74-70 in the Region IX Women's Tournament at Cougar Palace Thursday evening.
Eastern Wyoming College also earned a spot in the semifinals, receiving 41 points from Emily Evans and Anna Perez while earning a big 75-66 win over the No. 1 North seed Western Wyoming Community College.
In other quarterfinal action Trinidad State earned a defensive battle over Miles 44-37 and then Gillette College overcame a first-quarter deficit to register a 72-64 win over Otero Junior College.
Friday's semifinals will pit Trinidad State against EWC at 5 p.m. and WNCC against Gillette at 7 p.m. The winners advance to the finals Saturday at 5 p.m. at Cougar Palace.
The nightcap between WNCC and Northwest was a battle. Sladjana Rakovic, who finished with a double-double, said they know it wasn't their best game, but they found a way to win.
"I don't think we played our best game today and played how we expect to play," the sophomore said. "But then we haven't played for two weeks and we know tomorrow will be harder and we have to come more ready than what we did today."
Several times during the game, WNCC looked as if their season was about to come to an end, but the Cougars found a way to move on. Rakovic said they keep fighting no matter what the score is.
"We never think in our heads that we are down. We just know that we need to execute better. I hope we come back tomorrow and be better at shooting."
WNCC held a 10-4 lead after one period before the Trappers outscored the Cougars 22-12 in the second quarter to take a 26-22 lead at halftime.
WNCC trailed by as much as seven in the third quarter, 37-30, before going on a 11-0 run that was aided by 3-pointers by Melisa Kadic and Anastacia Johnson to help WNCC to a 45-39 lead after three.
That was when things heated up in the fourth period. WNCC held a 55-48 lead on a Bree Paulson bucket only to watch Northwest come back to tie the game at 55. WNCC took a 62-60 lead on two Rakovic free throws with 3.1 seconds left before Northwest's Dallas Petties hit a bucket to force overtime.
In the extra five minutes, Northwest went in front 66-64 before WNCC went on a 6-0 run to go up 70-66. Rakovic then scored two final buckets to help the Cougars to their 26th win of the season.
WNCC had four players in double figures. Rakovic had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds. She also had three steals and played much of the fourth and overtime period with four fouls.
Bree Paulson also finished with 16 points, including hitting two clutch 3-pointers. Jaleesa Avery and Kadic each had 11 points.
Northwest was led in scoring by Julynne Silva with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Dallas Petties finished with 13 points, while Southeast Goshen's Jesse Lessard had nine points and Torrington's Dani McManamen had seven.
While WNCC needed overtime, the Lancers played one of their better games all season in topping Western Wyoming to advance. A big reason for the win was rebounding, where the Lancers out-rebounded the taller Mustangs 53-36. Shooting was also a big factor as the Lancers buried seven 3-pointers, led by four from Emily Evans.
Evans finished the game with 20 points, including going 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. Anna Perez paced the Lancers with 21 points, going 8-of-10 from the field.
Perez said this was a big win for her team.
"It was a tough game because they are really good because they had a good record," the sophomore from Spain said. "All of us just played good. We are really happy and we will go into tomorrow [Friday] and see what happens."
Perez said the key was
"The key was we all were really motivated because last year they beat us by like 30 points at regionals. We just wanted to play good and we had a lot of energy. We just need to play like we did today because all of us did a really good job."
The Lancers led 13-10 after one period before Western Wyoming came back to go in front 16-15. It stayed close until EWC went on an 8-0 run to lead 29-20 and 29-25 at halftime.
EWC forged ahead by nine twice in the third period before settling for a 48-42 lead after three. The fourth quarter saw Evans hit two big 3-pointers for a 62-52 lead. Western Wyoming came back to cut the lead to 66-60 and later 68-63 with under a minute to play, but Evans nailed 7 of 8 free throws down the stretch to get the win.
In earlier action, Trinidad State led from start to finish and played tough defense in holding Miles Community College to just 37 points. The Trojans led 12-5 after the first period and led 21-14 at halftime.
Trinidad kept strong in the third period, outscoring Miles 11-9 to hold a 32-23 lead after three. Miles started a comeback in the fourth, cutting the lead to six, 38-32 on a Jennifer Burnham bucket. Trinidad answered as they hit some clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the game.
Trinidad shot just 27 percent from the field and connected on just four 3-pointers in the win. Miles was 28 percent from the field but only 2 of 17 from beyond the arc.
Trinidad was led in scoring by Alaynna Latimore with eight points followed by seven each from Jenny Hugins and Annette Warner. Hannah Faulks led the team on the glass with 10 boards.
Miles was led in scoring by Kyra Flaherty with a double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds.
The Otero and Gillette contest started out defensive as well. Otero held a 14-12 lead after the first quarter. After that, Gillette headed up, outscoring Otero 21-11 in the second. Early on in the frame, Otero held a 20-14 lead before the Pronghorns went on a 13-0 run to lead 27-20 behind two 3-pointers. Gillette had a 33-25 lead at halftime.
Gillette outscored Otero 21-15 in the third period for a 54-40 lead after three quarters. Otero sliced the lead to single digits at 67-59 on a Savannah Madrid-Andrews 3-pointer and got to within six, 70-64 on a Cydney Kreutzer trey. But Angie Murmion hit two free throws to seal the win.
Madrid-Andrews led all scorers in the game with 35 points for Otero. Madrid-Andrews buried nine 3-pointers and pulled down five rebounds. She was the only Rattler in double figures.
Gillette had three in double figures. Shy'Tyra Powell finished with 27 points, including dishing off four assists and getting four steals. Also in double figures were Murmion and Julia Robarge each with 10 points.
First Game
Trinidad 12 9 11 12 – 44
Miles 5 9 9 14 – 37
MILES
MARIA Delgado 3, Isidora Tasovic 3, Jennifer Burnham 4, Tia Torio 5, Colleen Katoa 8, Kyra Fleharty 11, Savannah Weidauer 3.
TRINIDAD
Nyece Smith 2, Alaynna Latimore 8, Tammarrah Gothard 7, Kaila Gabriel 5, Brittnee Coloradoberly 3, Jenny Hugins 7, Hannah Faulks 5, Annette Warner 7.
Second Game
Otero 14 11 16 24 -- 64
Gillette 12 21 21 18 -- 72
OTERO
Danielle Freeman 1, Lucia Serrano 5, Savannah Madrid Andrews 35, Brooklyn Waddles 6, Cydney Kreutzer 7, Adrianna Rios 4, Heather Estrada 6.
GILLETTE
Rickie Engesser 3, Dawnee Keckler 3, Angie Murmion 10, Julia Robarge 10, Shy'Tyra Powell 27, Zoe Richards 8, Azhane Buffard 8, Haley Urbatsch 3.
Third Game
EWC 13 16 19 27 – 75
W. Wyoming 10 15 17 24 – 66
EASTERN WYOMING
Emily Evans 20, Sarah Bersang 15, Carna Prokic 10, Anna Perez 21, Ijeoma Ezikeoiisa 2, Katrina Terrell 1, Jessica Rossi 2, Pamela Bethel 4.
WESTERN WYOMING
Dora Goles 16, Marlee Machon 6, Lexi Smith 6, Ozge Yarga 6, Olivia James 2, Julia Hanni 4, Irene Garrido-Perez 21, Cara Thomas 5.
Fourth Game
Northwest 4 22 13 23 8 – 70
WNCC 10 12 23 17 12 – 74
NORTHWEST
Jesse Lessard 9, Domenica Gomes 8, Mattie Dreager 2, Jessica Lohrenz 2, Charri McArthur 5, Kira Marlow 5, Dallas Petties 13, Dani McManamen 7, Julynne Silva 19.
WNCC
Melisa Kadic 11, Sladjana Rakovic 16, Jaleesa Avery 11, Olivia Wiberg 3, Zeynep Canbaz 6, Bree Paulson 16, Anastacia Johnson 3, Giovanna Silva 8.