Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Logan's Liz Horner looks to make a pass while being defended by Melrose's Graci Odom during a district game Thursday at Logan.
LOGAN - The No. 1-ranked Melrose girls basketball team survived its second district scare in three days with 72-66 victory Thursday that saw the Lady Longhorns erase a 20-point deficit with less than a minute left.
In the end, Graci Odom scored the game's final five points to secure the win. Odom scored 18 points, and teammate Sorrell Allen tallied a game-high 27 points, including going 15-for-20 from the free-throw line.
Melrose, which escaped on Jan. 17 with a 53-52 district victory at Fort Sumner, improved to 18-1. Its only loss was to Class 4A powerhouse Kirtland Central.
Lady Buffs coach Kevin Lackey said his team had played its third game in five days, and it showed Thursday.
"We haven't had enough practice. We just need more reps," he said. "Of course, with district play and traveling ion the road, anything can happen."
For Logan (12-8), Desta Rose scored 20 points and Hailee Robertson added 16. Both, along with Natalie Bongers and her 10 points, played key roles in the Lady Longhorns' furious comeback in the second half.
Logan coach Dustin Robertson's young team had struggled with its confidence this season, but it may have had a breakthrough Thursday against Melrose.
"It took a half for them to realize we can play with that team, like we've been telling them all year," he said. "Then they believed.
"We've been telling them, 'You've got a good team. You can play with anyone.' They played with the best tonight."
Robertson said a key was fewer turnovers against Melrose's full-court press.
"We've been working hard on handling pressure and breaking presses," he said. "We did better."
The Lady Longhorns lost their previous two games against the Lady Buffs by an average margin of over 30 points. Thursday's game seemed to be shaping up for a similar outcome, with Melrose grabbing leads of 24-13 in the first quarter and enjoying a 49-29 advantage midway through the third period.
Logan went on a 14-5 run to finish the third period and whittle Melrose's lead to 54-43.
Isabelle Sena, Melrose's leading scorer, fouled out midway through the fourth quarter. Senior forward Rylee Roberts also fouled out.
"It helps having Sena out," coach Robertson said. "She's a beast."
"We were in control of the game, and foul trouble just wiped us out," Lackey said. "Logan was in foul trouble the last time we played them. Tonight was our turn, and we had to figure out a way to get it done."
During the final minute, Rose scored a traditional 3-point play on two successive possessions to reduce Melrose's lead to 66-65.
"We lost our minds a little bit on defense and left us with shooters that didn't match up well with us," Lackey said. "And they made some tough shots, as well."
Bongers tied it at 66 by making one of two free throws with 42.8 seconds left.
Two 3-point attempts by the Lady Longhorns in the final 30 seconds barely missed. The Lady Buffs made 4-of-6 free throws in the waning moments to build back their lead and secure the victory.
In all, Melrose went 28-of-42 from the foul line, while Logan was 14-of-24.
"I just told them, 'Way to step up to the line, have composure and make key free throws,'" Lackey said. "That was huge for us; that game could have gone either way."
