#1 O’Gorman Vs #2 Harrisburg:
Before this wack Super Bowl yesterday, Friday,, we had a great Class AA match up! Number #1 vs #2.
We couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off the weekend. On one side, the #1 ranked team in South Dakota Class AA, O’Gorman Knights. On the other side, the #2 ranked team, Harrisburg Tigers. Both teams have collegiate, next level talent. Harrisburg features senior forward, Jeniah Ugofsky, a University of South Dakota commit. O’Gorman’s leader is Emma Ronsiek, a recent Creighton University commit.
#30 Ugofsky, Photo Courtesy of the Argus Leader
As the announcers spilled out names, the crowd began to erupt. You couldn’t tell who was home or away. Tip Off!! OG wins it. A few passes then boom, a three-pointer from Rylee Benson. I just knew this would be a good one. On the floor for both teams are 6 footers all around. Ronsiek at 6’1, Awoti Akoi at 6’4, Ugofsky at 6’1 and Aby Phipps at 6’1. Talking about walking, shooting trees!.
Ronsiek’s first bucket is a step-back fade-away, next level type of shot. At the 2-minute mark, Sadie Roth enters the game for Harrisburg, another 6-footer. She comes in and knocks down a three. Izzy More, quickly comes back with three of her own, oh my! Then Roth in transition, knocks in another three!!!! The crowd is going nuts… Clock is winding down 3..2..1…foul. Carley Kunkel is fouled behind the arc, as time expires. Kunkel hits 2 of 3 free throws to help OG go up 10-7 at end of the first.
Emma RonsiekSecond quarter started off with Ugofsky on the bench, I have no idea why. Aby Phipps is looking to get going as she hits a mid-range shot. Kunkel would then get the crowd buzzing again with another three. The OG fan base was rocking! Kunkel has 8 out of 16 points for OG. But Harrisburg battles back to get within two points. 18-16 at the half……
First half analysis. Brecli Honner did a good job on Ronsiek by not letting her get to the sweet spots she likes. However, the attention to her has opened up things for other players.
Third quarter starts off with another opening three pointer by Benson, assisted by Ronsiek. Next OG possession, over the right shoulder fade-away shot by Ronsiek. She dapps up her teammate for the assist. Harrisburg would find Ugofsky in the corner for a big three. The Tigers are up 24-23, first lead of the game. They both would trade baskets the next few times up the court. But here comes Kunkel. She sinks a three to tie the game at 28, then after a scramble, some push in transitions; pass, pass, pass and boom another three from Kunkel. I look over to the student sections of OG’s and a kid is doing cartwheels hahahaha. My type of game. OG up 31-28, Kunkel 14 points, 4 threes…
As the fourth quarter gets going. Next level talent starts to show out. Ugofsky finds her way to the corner again for three and is fouled. She makes 1 of 3. Those will come back to haunt them. 40-38 OG is up. This has been a tight game all the way through. 3:05 left, OG cant buy a bucket, Harrisburg became cold as ice…..
Aby Phipps
Big time players show up in big time moments. Ronsiek trails at the top of the key, Honner is guarding her tighter than the lid on a pickle jar. Ronsiek flashes high post, right foot jab. Honner flinches just enough for Ronsiek to attack on the left, step back and drain the biggest shot of the night. 42-38 OG. Harrisburg pushes it up the court and finds Ugofsky for a quick two. 42-40, 54.9 seconds left. OG comes down and doesn’t get a quality look, which leads to Harrisburg having the last shot, time-out Harrisburg. They come out in some type of 1-4 set, Phipps takes a shot with 3 OG defenders on her, miss. Ball knocked off OG player, Harrisburg gets another chance. Throws it in, scrambles around and finds a wide open player…….Rimmed out!! O’Gorman wins 42-40.