MONTICELLO - Monticello girls basketball coach Tom Eveland knew that the Ponies made a 52-46 win over Pecatonica more dramatic than it should have been.
Monticello (4-7, 2-4 Six Rivers East) almost let an eight-point lead slip away in the final 1 minute, 10 seconds.
"My exact words were it was ugly, but we got the 'W,'" Eveland said.
Pecatonica seniors Alisha Esselstein and Ellie Gifford spearheaded the rally for the Vikings. Esselstein, who scored 15 points, hit a jumper with 49.1 seconds left to cut the lead to 48-42. The Ponies were called for a double dribble violation and Gifford hit a running layup to slice the lead to 48-44.
The Ponies then were called for traveling and the Vikings responded. Pecatonica sophomore Shanne Krueger scored on a putback with 22.6 seconds to go that cut the Ponies' lead to 48-46. The Vikings (1-13, 1-5) were a defensive stop and 3-pointer away from an improbable comeback.
"We got away from our ballgame," Eveland said. "We had a few costly turnovers and that hurt us. We went back to playing our game and not their game."
The Ponies made 7 of 9 free throws over the last 2 minutes that helped seal it. The Ponies finished 14 of 21 from the charity stripe.
Eveland said one of the keys to pulling out the win was the free-throw shooting.
Pecatonica coach Tom Wilkins understands that Esselstein and Gifford made some tough shots down the stretch. Gifford finished with 12 points.
"They are the seniors," Wilkins said. "We rely on them. They are the ones in tough times we expect to carry us."
The Ponies erased an eight-point, half-time deficit with a big third quarter. The Ponies used a 19-4 third quarter run to take control of the game. Monticello senior Taylor Klitzke scored 10 of her game-high 18 points during the surge. She drilled a 3-pointer to start the run and scored on a layup and putback. The Ponies led by as many as 12 points after freshman Marissa Berg hit a shot at the end of the third quarter to give them a 41-29 lead.
"When I was open, I didn't hesitate," Klitzke said. "I was feeling it. I knew when I got the ball, I was going to shoot it. I was pretty hot."
Eveland liked the way Klitzke was stepping up and making plays during the run.
"They were giving her the jumper from the free-throw line and she kept draining it," he said.
Berg finished with nine points and eight rebounds for the Ponies. Monticello senior Taylor Pfeuti scored nine points. Junior Becky Nelson scored eight points and had 10 rebounds.
"We were playing tough and coming hard," Wilkins said. "The last three minutes of the fourth quarter were super. The only problem was that third quarter we couldn't get on track. We were missing quite a few open looks. We went kind of cool. That's the way it is."
The Ponies now gear up to host Benton and then a conference game at Argyle Feb. 1.
"It's really good considering the fact that once we start winning, we are the kind of team that keeps winning," Klitzke said. "We are shooting with more confidence. Our shooting will be a plus in the next few games."
Monticello (4-7, 2-4 Six Rivers East) almost let an eight-point lead slip away in the final 1 minute, 10 seconds.
"My exact words were it was ugly, but we got the 'W,'" Eveland said.
Pecatonica seniors Alisha Esselstein and Ellie Gifford spearheaded the rally for the Vikings. Esselstein, who scored 15 points, hit a jumper with 49.1 seconds left to cut the lead to 48-42. The Ponies were called for a double dribble violation and Gifford hit a running layup to slice the lead to 48-44.
The Ponies then were called for traveling and the Vikings responded. Pecatonica sophomore Shanne Krueger scored on a putback with 22.6 seconds to go that cut the Ponies' lead to 48-46. The Vikings (1-13, 1-5) were a defensive stop and 3-pointer away from an improbable comeback.
"We got away from our ballgame," Eveland said. "We had a few costly turnovers and that hurt us. We went back to playing our game and not their game."
The Ponies made 7 of 9 free throws over the last 2 minutes that helped seal it. The Ponies finished 14 of 21 from the charity stripe.
Eveland said one of the keys to pulling out the win was the free-throw shooting.
Pecatonica coach Tom Wilkins understands that Esselstein and Gifford made some tough shots down the stretch. Gifford finished with 12 points.
"They are the seniors," Wilkins said. "We rely on them. They are the ones in tough times we expect to carry us."
The Ponies erased an eight-point, half-time deficit with a big third quarter. The Ponies used a 19-4 third quarter run to take control of the game. Monticello senior Taylor Klitzke scored 10 of her game-high 18 points during the surge. She drilled a 3-pointer to start the run and scored on a layup and putback. The Ponies led by as many as 12 points after freshman Marissa Berg hit a shot at the end of the third quarter to give them a 41-29 lead.
"When I was open, I didn't hesitate," Klitzke said. "I was feeling it. I knew when I got the ball, I was going to shoot it. I was pretty hot."
Eveland liked the way Klitzke was stepping up and making plays during the run.
"They were giving her the jumper from the free-throw line and she kept draining it," he said.
Berg finished with nine points and eight rebounds for the Ponies. Monticello senior Taylor Pfeuti scored nine points. Junior Becky Nelson scored eight points and had 10 rebounds.
"We were playing tough and coming hard," Wilkins said. "The last three minutes of the fourth quarter were super. The only problem was that third quarter we couldn't get on track. We were missing quite a few open looks. We went kind of cool. That's the way it is."
The Ponies now gear up to host Benton and then a conference game at Argyle Feb. 1.
"It's really good considering the fact that once we start winning, we are the kind of team that keeps winning," Klitzke said. "We are shooting with more confidence. Our shooting will be a plus in the next few games."
