East Fights Back Late To Clip Gillette [VIDEO]

Highlights of the Saturday, February 16th Girls Basketball game, between #1 East at #2 Gillette.

Scroll down to watch highlights of the game.

A back and forth contest tilted the way of the Lady Thunderbirds in the end.

Sometimes I wonder if this is how some basketball coaches decide what play to call for.  It might make things interesting, but I’ll have to think about that.

#1 East at #2 Gillette…first quarter…East wearing the black…and doing what they couldn’t do against Sheridan…take the lead…Kayla Cheney quickly takes care of that problem with a running left handed hook shot…and the visitors are on the board first.

But that lead did not last long…and the opposition responded…Dani Williams manages to get up close and score, as the senior would tie the game up a 2-points a piece.

The home team had a score to settle…especially after they were blown out the last time these 2 teams hooked up in Cheyenne. McCorra Ford cranks the engine, hits the accelerator and left everyone in the dust on that 3…now her team is up by a score of 5-to-2.

The defense would help set up the offense at times…Ford picks off the pass…her team-mates give her a good screen and she’ll cruise in for another 2 points, to get the Lady Camels out to a good start…leading 7-to-2.

The Lady Thunderbirds did not stay down long…here’s a key player…Elissia Johnson…you’ll see more from her at a key point in this contest…for now, this is her first 2 points…a few free throws later and her team would eventually go back on top, 10-to-9.

As for Gillette…Ford was taking charge in the opening quarter…spin move…jumper…2 points…she had 18 and that would give her team a 14-to-10 advantage, after the first 8 minutes.

2^nd quarter…this game stayed close…Sarah Erickson will score quickly off of the inbounds for the visitors…the junior chipped in with 14 and things are knotted up again at 16-all.

And ties are meant to be broken…the Lady Camels would go to their big girl…Whitney George…a 6 foot 3 inch senior…hoop and the harm…at her height…if she gets that’s close to the hoop, don’t even bother trying to stop her. The home team would go up 20-to-16.

East did not quite have the height advantage but they had their own version of big…and by that I mean big shots…Rachel Erickson pulls the plug and that 3-ball is going down the drain. The junior also had 18, and it’s a 1-point game, with her team down 20-to-19.

Gillette had someone to counter that last play…here’s Sierra Toms…this is from college range…and maybe she’s trying to impress a few scouts. She scored 10 and that makes this a 23-to-19 game.

Then the pendulum would swing the other way again…Shayne Carter drives the base line and scores to add to the cause to put the lady T-birds down by 2…it’s 23-21.

Back we go the other way…Toms was starting to heat up…here comes 3 more…ring ‘em up…that helped in more than 1 way because the opposition would catch up with free throws…the home team would go into the locker room…up 28-26.

3^rd quarter…the visitors would stay within striking distance…Sarah Erickson drives hoop and…the foul…it’s still a 2-point contest with the other team up 30-to-28.

Speaking of the other team…they would make a little bit of a move…Ford thought about the 3, but then decided to drive for 2 and that turned out to be a good idea. That would help Gillette eventually go up by 6…it was 34-to-28.

…and here comes a little more defense and transition…Stephanie Casteel…with the steal…and she’s going to try to finish the job herself…which she will in traffic…that kept the advantage at 6..with the score at 36-30.

They’d build on it a little more…the Lady Camels were able to break the full court pressure…and Williams will win this one-on-one contest…that 2 points would push the lead up to 7…it’s 40-to-33 at this point.

But then opposition would get it in gear…Rachel Erickson…putting on some moves and stymies the defense for 2…that was much needed and now they’re down 40-35.

However they needed another big shot…and they almost turned the ball over on this play…McKenna Horsley will announce her presence with a bang…that 3-ball was huge and East was only down 40-to-38 going into the final 8 minutes.

4^th quarter…here’s where things got interesting. The home team would get someone new in on the scoring…this is Julia Seamans getting around 1 defender on her drive for 2 points…that opened up a little breathing room…her team is up 42-to-38.

The opposition would counter…and then they would throw a scare into the camera and to everyone but themselves…Rachel Erickson wants 3 and she’s going to get it…and for the first time in awhile…the Lady Thunderbirds are back in the lead…it’s 43-to-42.

But Gillette did not take long to reacquire the advantage. They needed a statement shot and Seamans is going to put the exclamation point on that 3…that’s how you do it…and her team is back up, 45-43.

So…East had to play catch-up again…which by now…they’re quite used to it. Rachel Erickson will not be denied as she will go through the defense like a knife through warm butter…that basket still has her squad down 2…it’s 47-45.

The Lady Camels refused to surrender the lead again though…Ford has reservations for 3, and there’s a table waiting for her. It’s a 5 point cushion…the scoreboard reads, 52-47.

Moving ahead…the visitors would get a couple of free throws to make it a 3-point game…and then Johnson made her move…offensive board and the putback…they’re down 54-53 with 1:45 to go and now things are getting real good!

But the senior was not done…she wanted to make a difference in this game and had to get around 1 defender to do it…10 points were her numbers and those 2 were the biggest. The Lady Thunderbirds reclaim the lead 55-to-54.

Now for the big moment…4 seconds to go…Gillette down 1…they get a break when the free throw rolls around and pops out…time is ticking quickly…Seamans is the only one available…but the clock expired before she could get the shot off.

East would come from behind…and hang on in the final seconds to win in the Castle of Chaos…57-to-56.