Marshall sinks Montini 40-37 to win Class 3A supersectional

Here was Montini, a shot away at a return trip to the state basketball tournament. A shot perhaps few gave the Broncos three months ago.

There went Adrienne GodBold, taking it all away.

Marshall's all-state senior stole away Montini's last possession and her layup the other way in the final seconds gave the defending state champion Commandos a 40-37 win at Monday's Class 3A Loyola University supersectional at the Gentile Center.

"I anticipated the pass," said Illinois recruit GodBold, "which is what my coach tells me to do."

Montini (28-5) took its last lead at 37-36 with 52 seconds, Whitney Holloway knocking away a Marshall pass and feeding Alison Seberger for a 3-point play in transition. Marshall's Keshawnee Alley put the Commandos back ahead with a driving layup, her only basket of the game.

After a Montini timeout, GodBold stepped in front of a Mallory Sosnovich pass intended for Whitney Adams near the top of the key. GodBold rushed the other end for a layup. A Montini desperation heave fell well short.

"Not to get a shot there really hurts," Montini coach Jason Nichols said. "We had all our shooters in there spread out expecting zone, they went man and we wanted to spread them out still and get a look. If Whitney steps to the ball on that pass I guarantee we get a foul."

Until the fourth quarter, it had been a frustrating night offensively for GodBold and the Marshall offense against Montini's zone. GodBold missed her first nine shots and only had 6 points after three quarters, Montini taking a 25-22 lead into the fourth. GodBold finished with 12 points.

"I have to hand it to Montini," Marshall coach Dorothy Gaters said. "They defended us as well as any team has all season."

GodBold's 14 rebounds led a huge 43-27 advantage on the glass. Montini's biggest fear was realized as Marshall pulled down 20 offensive rebounds.

"They just killed us on the glass," Nichols said. "Their best offense is shoot, miss and go get the ball."

Marshall (25-6) scored the first 7 points of the game, but Montini came back to take a 13-10 lead after a quarter. Sosnovich knocked down one of only two Broncos 3-pointers as time expired. It was 20-14 at half, and Holloway's driving layup two minutes into the third quarter pushed the lead to 22-15. Montini didn't score again for over four minutes. Neither team could find the range from the floor, both shooting 26.5 percent.

"We just went through too many periods without scoring to extend our lead, when they were in those ruts offensively," Nichols said. "You can't keep them close late in the game because you're putting yourself in a tough position against a team that's more athletic."

Seberger had 8 points and 8 rebounds, Holloway 7 points and 4 assists and Courtney Thomas 7 points for Montini. Chrissy Fletcher, the only senior to play for Montini on Monday, also had 7 points.