Hornets Win Thriller, Advance to Friday's District Final

Thanks in part to a clutch three-pointer from senior Kelsey Pelletier, the Saline Hornets have lived to fight another day.

Pelletier’s three pointer from the top of the circle with 2.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter sent Saline and Lincoln into overtime tied at 39. Playing in front of , the Hornets pulled out a 49-42 victory to advance to Friday’s district final against Bedford.

Pelletier led the Hornets with 12 points—all on three pointers. Down by three, coach Jeff Waltz wanted the ball in her hands, so he drew up a play to get the ball to her.

Melissa Needham inbounded the ball to Alison Rentschler near half with 10 seconds to play. Rentschler fed the ball to Pelletier, who made a beeline for the top of the arc, going right through two Railsplitters in her way.

“I didn’t want this to be the last play of my senior year so I knew I had to make the shot. I came around, I saw the open shot, so I just went ahead and took it,” said Pelletier, who barely noticed the two Railsplitters in close proximity. “It was just me and the basket in my mind. I didn’t see anybody else.”

Waltz explained why he drew up a play for Pelletier.

“The other day in practice she shot a 100 successful three-pointers. She wouldn’t leave the gym until she did it,” Waltz said. “She earned that moment and she capitalized. The original look wasn’t there She made a great move, pump fake, got around the defender to get open and then hit the biggest shot of her life.”

Early in overtime, Saline’s seniors took control. Amanda Price (eight points, 11 rebounds), who won the jump ball to start the extra stanza, opened overtime scoring with a layup. Katelyn Morris cut into the lead by making one of two free throws.

Saline took a 43-40 lead when Price was fouled grabbing an offensive rebound. She made both free throws.

On the next possession, the Railsplitters missed three shots in the paint before the Hornets grabbed the rebound and moved up the floor. Britten Clark (7 points) sank a 12-foot jump shot to give the Hornets a 45-40 lead with 1:49 to play.

Saline’s clutch shooting in OT was in stark contrast the ice cold fourth quarter that allowed the Railsplitters to come back from seven points down and take a three-point lead in the final seconds.

“Amanda got a couple of big offensive rebounds and Britten hit a big shot from the corner. Once we got the ball down and hit that first bucket, you could see our confidence growing,” Waltz said.

From there, the Hornets took over a the free thrown line. Melissa Needham (10 points, seven rebounds, four assists) and Rentschler (four points) both went 2-for-2 down the stretch to put the game away.

The Hornets opened the game by taking a 6-0 lead on baskets by Price and Caitlin Ellis. Clark and Rentschler each scored a free throw.

After two baskets by the Railsplitters Katelyn Morris made it 6-4, Pelletier hit her first three-pointer of the night. After Morris made a layup and a free throw to close the gap, Pelletier sank another three pointer to make it 12-7. Lincoln’s Arielle Cargor made it 12-10 with a three pointer late in the first quarter.

The Railsplitters tied the game early in the second with two free throws from Morris. Saline took the lead with an eight-foot jumper by Randi Bennett. The Railsplitters took their first lead of the night, 15-14, with a three by Cargor. She added to the lead with two free throws.

Clark made a powerful move to the basket for a layup and then the Hornets regained the lead after Price scored a 12-footer after nice movement around the perimeter.

Cera Smart scored a long field goal from the corner and Clark made a free throw to account for the rest of Saline’s scoring as the Hornets entered halftime up 21-20.

The Hornets appeared to take control of the game in the third. Needham opened scoring with an eight-foot jumper. After a Railsplitter basket, Needham made two free throws.

Up 25-24, Clark missed two free throws, but Price grabbed the rebound and passed to Clark, who made a short jumper for a 27-24 lead.

Jill Borowski traded baskets with a Railsplitter for a 29-27 lead. Pelletier’s third three of the night with 1:42 to put Saline up by five. Needham finished scoring in the quarter by steamrolling a Railsplitter on the way to the hoop for a layup and a 34-27 lead.

The fourth opened with Asia Youngblood making two free throws for Lincoln. Needham answered with two points on a layup.

But from there, the Railsplitters took over, going on a 10-0 run as the Hornet shooters missed basket after basket.

Saline hosts Bedford Friday at 7 p.m. for the district championship.

Saline fell to Bedford 54-33 at Bedford Jan. 10. The Hornets turned the tables Jan. 21 with a 52-34 victory was the highlight of the regular season.