Tate’s clutch play lifts Rosary
Many teams ice games by making free throws in the final minute.
Rosary held off Glenbard North 34-28 Tuesday at the Rachel Bach Tournament at Glenbard East not only by making free throws but by keeping possession on the ones it missed.
Senior Karly Tate grabbed three offensive rebounds off missed Royal free throws in the final minute.
Two of her rebounds came on her own misses as she hustled past the Panthers to finish with 13 rebounds and 11 points — both game-highs.
“It was all for the team,” Tate said. “I knew it was clutch time. We needed these rebounds so I just went for it. I just wanted the ball more.”
What the game lacked in scoring it made up for in competitiveness. There were 9 ties and 6 lead changes, and for the first 31 minutes neither team led by more than 4 points.
Tied at 22 going to the fourth quarter, Rosary’s Madison Richmond drained a 3 to open the scoring. The Panthers tied the game at 27 on a Caitlyn Deegan jumper, then took its final lead when Arianna Callard split free throws with 1:26 remaining.
Rachel Choice grabbed an offensive board on Rosary’s next possession which led to 2 free throws from Emily Bakala and a 29-28 lead. Panthers coach John Chamberlain called timeout and got an open look for Amy Falson whose 3-pointer was on line but rimmed out.
“We did have some looks,” Chamberlain said. “We definitely controlled our destiny.”
The Panthers fouled Bakala with 29 seconds to go. She made the first and missed the second and Tate got the rebound and was fouled.
Tate also split free throws and got the rebound on the miss, then was fouled and repeated her hustle play from before.
“It’s something we work on every day, so when they don’t do it they are hanging their heads and they know they screwed up and it doesn’t take me telling them anything else,” Chamberlain said. “I don’t know how it happened. It’s just back to the drawing board to work on it.”
Offense was at a minimum early — the teams were tied 7-7 after one quarter before the Panthers went up 12-10 at halftime.
“The first half we were all on different pages but after regrouping at halftime we were able to work together and create for ourselves through teamwork,” Tate said.
Falson led the Panthers with 8 points; Bakala added 9 for the Royals.
Glenbard North (0-4) will play Glenbard East for seventh place Wednesday while the Royals (2-2) battle Glenbard West for fifth.
“I was happy the girls stuck with it,” first-year Rosary coach Jessie Wilcox said. “I’m happy the girls didn’t stop attacking and settling for outside shots, they kept attacking. They made it happen, they didn’t wait for it to happen. I was really happy with our attitude and our persistence.”