The Durango and Montrose high school girls basketball teams needed two extra periods to decide their contest on Saturday at Fort Lewis College.
Regulation ended with the teams tied at 33-33. In the first overtime, Durango shot 7-of-8 from the free-throw line to keep the game even. Katelyn Sheppard knocked down two free throws to tie the game at 38-38. Mason Rowland then gave DHS the lead with 26 seconds left, stealing the ball and breaking away, getting fouled and hitting two from the stripe. Taylor Yanosky, however, made two clutch free throws for Montrose with 3 seconds on the clock to keep the game going.
The Demons pressed in the second overtime and caused several turnovers. Carter Neiman forced a turnover that led to a Sheppard field goal, putting DHS up 45-43. Rowland then came up with three steals and went to the free-throw line four times, making 7-of-8 to help Durango pull away and win the game, 53-45.
“We made plays when we needed to and did what we had to do,” said DHS head coach Tim Fitzpatrick.
The game was also even after the first quarter, 7-7, but DHS dominated the second to take a 24-13 lead into halftime. Riley Campbell, Rowland and Sheppard all hit threes to early in the quarter while on defense DHS didn’t give up a point for the first 5:40 of the second.
Another trey from Campbell followed by a Rowland basket put DHS up 29-17 midway through the third. Durango wouldn’t make another field goal until the second overtime, but went 4-for-4 from the line in the fourth, 7-for-8 in the first overtime and then made 10-of-12 in double overtime.
DHS improved to 15-7 overall and 4-4 5A/4A Southwestern League with the win while Montrose slipped to 11-12, 2-6. Durango will next compete in the Class 4A state playoffs. DHS began the day at No. 17 in the Ratings Percentage Index and Fitzpatrick said the team should host a first-round game on Tuesday. the brackets will be released on Sunday.
The Durango boys came out strong against Montrose and were basically even with MHS in the first half, going into the break only trailing 22-19. Montrose, however, started to pull away after that, winning the third quarter 21-9 and then scoring the first eight points of the fourth to score a 58-33 win over DHS.
With the loss, Durango finishes its regular season 11-12, 3-5 while Montrose improved to 23-0, 8-0. Durango, however, was sitting at No. 29 in the RPI so the boys are also in position to host a first-round playoff game. Forty-eight teams make it into the Class 4A playoffs.
