“I really wanted this, especially for our senior class to find that ladder, cut the nets down,” East coach Dan Wallace said.
The most important climb might have been what East’s best player, Madison French, did in the second overtime. After Fairmont (19-7) rallied from a 57-52 deficit in the first overtime to tie the score at 59, French went to the foul line for two shots with 29 seconds left. She missed both, but the Hawks (22-3) defended well and didn’t allow Fairmont to get off a shot and force the second overtime.
Wallace said he tells his team every game is a day to win or learn.
“Today I said we are refusing to lose,” he said. “When Madison missed those and put her head down on the bench, I looked at her and said, ‘We are refusing to lose.’ ”
In the second overtime, French made all six of her free-throw attempts. Each time she pushed the lead from one to three. She finished 11 of 13 and scored 29 points.
“It’s just the next play mentality,” French said. “There’s nothing you can do to change it. If you hang your head, it’s just gonna make it worse. I got to the line [in overtime] and I was dialed in. I missed those two, and I just wasn’t going to do it again.”
East moves on to play Centerville or Kings in the regional semifinals at 7 p.m. Wednesday at either Lakota West or Princeton.
Fairmont starts three freshmen and the toughest guard for the Hawks was point guard Nico Cornett. She drove hard to the basket and scored 24 points. Her two layups in the final minute of regulation were responsible for forcing the first overtime.
Wallace, though, never thought his team would falter. And not just because of his “refusing to lose” mantra.
“They felt like they were the better team,” Wallace said. “It was a battle, but all I kept telling them was the longer this game goes the talent continues to go in our direction and we’re gonna get this.”
And they did. A win and a ladder to climb.
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