Mount Pulaski is now 0-2 in overtime games to start the season.
The Lady Hilltoppers had a 17-10 lead at halftime, but as Coach Eric
Leever put it, “We were just out hustled tonight.” Riverton came out
of the locker room reenergized and went on a tear as Mount Pulaski
fans sat and watched their lead quickly disappear.
Chloe Babbs tied the score at 19 apiece after she launched a three
with 4:20 on the clock in the third quarter.
Skylar Hayes answered back with a three of her own to give Mount
Pulaski the lead back. Hayes extended the lead on a layup after a
beautiful pass down court from Fikirte Mott and Mount Pulaski looked
alive again with the lead, 24-19.
Senior Ashley Houser padded the lead with her nothing but net jumper
for two with just under :30 seconds to play in the third and just
like that Mount Pulaski was up 26-19.
Sophomore Macy Lingleo knocked the wind out of Mount Pulaski’s sails
a little bit with her long three with :02 seconds left that closed
the gap, 26-22.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Nov/18/images/ads/current/farmers_bank_sda_prom_050614.png) Mount Pulaski played solid to start the fourth quarter with Morgan
May stepping up to connect on a couple free throws and then muscling
up under the basket for two points to extend the Lady Hilltoppers
lead to 30-25.
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Mount Pulaski’s
Shelby Bailey connects for two points in the fourth quarter in
Thursday night’s game versus Riverton in the Turkey Tussle.
Shelby Bailey’s jumper just inside the lane with 2:10 left to play
in the game gave Mount Pulaski a 32-27 lead.
Mount Pulaski was looking good at this point but then the foul
trouble set in. May fouled Mackenzie Payne following a basket and
for May it was her fifth of the night. The sophomore had to take a
seat, leaving a big hole to be filled on the court.
Then Babbs stole the ball midcourt from Bailey and the Lady Hawks
were off and running. Bailey made sure Babbs missed the shot but
Babbs made both free throws and the Mount Pulaski lead was a slim
32-31 with 1:31 left to play.
But then Riverton’s Addie Pals fouled Mott on her drive to the
basket and Mott very calmly tossed in two free throws to extend the
late game lead, 34-31.
With just around a minute to play, Lingleo missed a three attempt
and the ball was rebounded by Mount Pulaski, but then quickly went
out of bounds off the purple.
Once the ball was back in the hands of the home team, Emma
Aylesworth was called for a quick foul that allowed Kady Reavis to
sink two free throws for Riverton and the small but mighty loud Lady
Hawks cheering section was on their feet.
With the score 34-33 now, Mount Pulaski began to panic. Turnovers,
fouls and timeouts ensued and with 33.6 seconds on the clock Pals
hit two free throws for Riverton to give them the lead, 35-34.
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[to top of second column] |
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Mount Pulaski’s
Skylar Hayes tosses up a shot in Thursday night’s game at Riverton.
Hayes finished with 18 points in the tough overtime loss.
Hayes got one more shot at the charity stripe for Mount Pulaski and
she sank one of two free throws to tie the game at 35 apiece as 23
seconds rested on the clock.
Riverton missed a last shot attempt and as the buzzer sounded, with
the score knotted at 35-35, to overtime we go.
The momentum of the Lady Hawks carried over into the overtime in a
big way. Within the first 30 seconds of overtime Riverton had ran
off seven quick points that left Mount Pulaski stunned.
Finally Isabella Wade stopped and popped for two points for Mount
Pulaski, but still the Lady Hilltoppers were down 43-37 at the 2:00
minute mark.
Emily Wakeman added to the Hilltoppers woes when she fouled out
around the 1:00 minute mark with the score 46-38 in favor of the
Lady Hawks.
Not to count out the rest of the Lady Hawks team, but it was Babbs
and Pals combining to score 16 points in overtime to dominate Mount
Pulaski and come away with the 51-38 victory. Pals lead the way for
the Lady Hawks with 22 points while Babbs chipped in 15 points in
the win.
For Mount Pulaski Hayes led the way with 18 points and both May and
Houser contributed 6 points apiece.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Nov/18/images/ads/current/grieme_lda_farm_2015.png)
Mount Pulaski will continue action in the Turkey Tussle this
weekend, however they will switch to Clinton High School for the
remaining games.
Tonight Mount Pulaski plays Olympia at 7:30 p.m. and tomorrow the
Lady Hilltoppers meet Decatur LSA at 4 p.m.
Mount Pulaski scoring
Hayes 18
Houser 6
May 6
Wade 2
Wakeman 2
Mott 2
Bailey 2
Riverton scoring
Pals 22
Babbs 16
Lingleo 6
Atkins 3
Reavis 3
Payne 2
[Teena Lowery] |