All Versailles does is win…Tigers beat Anna – again
By Tim Langevin
The Anna Lady Rockets proved invincible after four tournament wins by an average margin of 43 points. But once again, tournament savvy Versailles toppled the Rockets 41-40 in overtime Wednesday at Springfield High School.
The Lady Tigers have won five straight regional semifinal games, including three against Anna. And once again, the black and orange starlets are one victory away from a fourth straight trip to the Final Four.
Next for Versailles (18-6) is Middletown Madison (25-0), a 56-53 winner over Columbus Africentric in the first game. The regional finals will start Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
It took 36 minutes to settle the score and even though Versailles led this game for less than two minutes, Megan Campbell rolled in a six-footer with five seconds left, when it counted the most, to slam the door on Anna. The senior standout, held scoreless in the first half, finished the evening with a game high 17 points.
Talk about a tale of two quarters. The first quarter had the pace and pulse of the Kentucky Derby. Both teams raced up and down the floor scoring with ease. Anna led 20-16. Carrie Watkins paced the Anna attack with 14 points on 4-of-4 shooting from three-point-range. Bethany Ahrens guided her squad with 11 points on mid-range jumpers.
The second quarter came to a screetching halt as only six points were scored. Both coaches made big time defensive adjustments. Jacki Stonebraker switched to a match up zone and Jack Billing mixed man to man with a box and one. Anna led 24-18 at half.
Campbell scored her first points of the game on a three-point-play to open the third quarter, which cut the Anna lead 24-21. Megan Fogt responded with a 15-footer, but then Campbell nailed a baby 8-footer. Natalie Billing drained two free throws and then Campbell answered again with an inside bucket. Ahrens scored on a fast break lay up and the Tigers trailed 28-27 with 3:07 left in the quarter.
Lauren Rindler converted a steal into a lay up and Versailles trailed 30-29 after three quarters. Campbell led the surge with seven points. It was evident that the Tiger defense was tightening up.
Anna led 33-29 on a nifty Billing hook shot and Rebecca Burch made 1-of-2 foul shots, but Campbell wouldn’t go away. The 6′ 1” post player scored in the paint off a perfect lob pass from Ahrens to draw the Tigers within 33-31.
Campbell sccored on a point blank jumper to knot the score 35-35 with 2:10 left in regulation. That was the fifth tie of the game.
Burch scored on a falling down 10-footer off the glass to regain the lead for Anna 37-35 with 1:30 left. But like the entire second half, Campbell answered with an inside bucket for the tie. Billing missed on the other end and overtime was in order.
Versailles captured the lead 39-37 on a Susan Berger floater down the lane with 1:36 remaining. The last time the Tigers led was 9-7 midway through the first quarter.
Anna recaptured the lead 40-39 with 51.7 seconds to go on a Fogt 19 1/2 footer. The official ruled that her toe was on the line. So much for big feet.
After a Versailles time out with 14.5 seconds left, Campbell scored the winner. Burch missed a desperation shot at the buzzer.
The Rockets finish a strong season 21-4.
Side Note: Recruiters were out in full force. Michigan State, Penn State, Northwestern, and UConn reps were looking at Raven Ferguson from Africentric and Ally Malott from Madison. Malott is the No. 1 ranked junior in Ohio, while Fergusan is No. 2.
| 
