Cromwell wins in Overtime

George Bailey – NSO

The Cromwell Cardinals Wednesday night escaped with a 73-70 overtime victory against the Cherry Tigers in the semifinals of the Section 7A Girls Basketball Tournament at the Hibbing Memorial Arena.
“It was a heck of a battle,” said Gronner. “For most of the game I thought they outplayed us, but we just kept at it,  and a nice run in the second half put us in position to win, and then we tightened up in the end.”
The game went back-and-forth with both teams having the upper hand at times in the game. Cherry led by six points at the half, and the Tigers still held a 43-39 lead with just under 10 minutes left in the game.

The Cardinals then caught fire as they rattled off the next 12 points to take a big 51-43 lead.
Joely Roberts of the Tigers sank five free throws in a span of 56 seconds to pull the Tigers to within 56-53 with 2:10 left and free throws by Diana Clement drew Cherry to within 56-54 with 1:30 remaining.
Teana Hakamaki hit four straight  free throws for Cromwell, but Cherry’s Makayla Goerdt hit a pair of baskets for Cherry as Cromwell led 60-58 with under 40 seconds remaining.

Abby Mayry hit a 3-pointer to put the Tigers into the lead at 61-60 with 22 seconds left, but the Cardinals’ Kiera Anderson hit one of two free throws with 10 seconds left to tie the game at 61-61.
In overtime, Cherry jumped out to a 65-61 lead, but a three-point play by Andrea Hakamaki pulled Cromwell to within one 65-64.  Alexis Kudis put Cherry ahead 67-64 with 2:24 left, but a bucket by the Cardinals’ Kelly Susa cut the Tiger lead to 67-66.

Cherry built the lead back to 4 at 70-66, but it was Bailey Gronner who hit two free throws with 44 seconds left to cut the Cherry lead to 70-68, and she returned to the free throw line with 31 seconds remaining to make two more free throws to tie the game at 70-70.

Andrea Hakamaki then stole the in bounds pass for the Cardinals and scored an easy layup to put Cromwell ahead 72-70, and Gronner closed the game with a free throw with 1.2 seconds left to seal the win.
Gronner finished with 18 points to pace Cromwell in scoring while Rachel Hutar added 13, Andrea Hakamaki chipped in with 12, while Kiera Anderson and Teana Hakamaki both scored seven.
Joely Roberts led Cherry with 18 points Alexis Kudis scored 15 points, while Clement and Haley Hansen both scored 11 in the loss
Cherry                       33   28    9 — 70
Cromwell                 27   34   12 — 73
Cherry: Diana Clement 11, Abby Mayry 5, Rayanna Peterson 4, Joely Roberts 18, Alexis Kudis 15, Haley Hansen 11, Makayla Goerdt 6.
Cromwell: Andrea Hakamaki 12, Kiera Anderson 7, Teana Hakamaki 7, Bailey Gronner 18, Kelly Susa 4, Kaylan Risacher 6, Rachel Hutar 13, Chelsea Swatek 2, Olivia Cahoon 4.

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