Johnson’s Double-Double Plus Norvelle’s Free Throws Are Enough For Natrona at Gillette [VIDEO]

Highlights of the Saturday, December 29th Girls Basketball game, between #2 Natrona at #4 Gillette.

Scroll down to watch highlights of the game.

NC found ways to get to the free throw line late, as Norvelle would help seal the deal on the road against the Lady Camels.

Just in case anything ever happened…they had replacement referees on standby.

Number 2 Natrona at Number 4 Gillette in the finals of the Energy Classic Tournament…first quarter…Gillette wearing the white…Sierra Toms is going to get things started with this long range jumper and she’ll swish it for 2…and that would get her team on the board first.

Natrona would answer right back…here’s their main threat…Kaylee Johnson…a junior…collects the miss and cleans up her own mess…wait until you hear her numbers…this game is tied at 2.

Moving ahead…the Lady Camels were quick off the inbounds play…Shelby Johnson…in the corner because she likes to cause trouble and she did her part…home team leads 7-to-4.

How about some defense and transition?  Dani Williams picks off the pass and she’s cruising the other way for a lay in…her team is getting off to a good start, with a 9-to-4 advantage.

Gillette would stay hot for awhile…and so would Toms…this is from college range and she’ll burn the nets on that shot. 20 points for the senior…and the Lady Camels are now up 12-to-4.

It was early…and NC was not worried. Johnson will stop, pop, bank and hit from the free throw line. No pressure…Her team would inch closer down 12-to-8.

Of course she did not do all the scoring…she would share the love…such as this assist to Jena Milliken…the junior knew what to do, and did it…visitors now trail 12-to-10.

The home team knew something was going on and had to stop the momentum…Williams is going to get a friendly bounce off the rim and the drop for her team…to increase the advantage to 14-10.

But the Fillies were getting in the saddle and they would get going…Johnson…gets around one defender…draws the contact…gets the call…gets the bucket…part of a 3-point play and now Natrona has taken their first lead of the game, up 15-14.

There was more…here’s Emma Norvelle scoring off the inbounds…that would polish off a 13-to-2 run, and last year’s 4A state runner-ups have a 17-14 advantage.

The Lady Camels would regroup…they just had to find the open player and that happened to be Stephanie Casteel…they found her and she found 2 points, and it’s now a 1-point contest at 17-16.

Now for a double dose of defense…Williams with another deflection…but this time, it was not smooth sailing. Johnson is going to come in from behind to roughen up the waters. You have to know where she is on the floor at all times, or else she’ll do that.

The home team would go to a new plan of attack…Toms would get right in the face of someone else and score…as Gillette would go back on top…18-17 after the first 8 minutes.

2^nd quarter…more defense…you have to be faster on the fast break when Johnson is your pursuer. Casteel learned that lesson the hard way and there goes an easy 2 points.

Back to the near side…where Fillies would show some giddy up and go…Norvelle scores on the run…she had a critical play at the end of this game…the lead changed hands again…it’s 21-20.

The home team then decided to open up the long range attack…who better to do it then Toms? She’s got nothing but the bottom of the net on this 3-point try…and her team is back in command, up 23-21.

There was more…guess who? Again…college range…ring ‘em up. I got a feeling some colleges better start taking a look at her…the Lady Camels lead 26-21.

…and they were not done…this time it’s Williams…plants her feet…launches one and it’s nothing but net for the senior. Gillette had things going their way with a 29-24 advantage at this point.

The visitors would slowly catch up from the charity stripe.…then Norvelle would get a back court steal…she would throw it up and that ball would drop in for 2…a couple of free throws later and both team went into the locker room…deadlocked at 29-all.

3^rd quarter…the pace of this game had slowed somewhat…but just enough was happening to keep things interesting. Johnson…gets inside…takes a bump…gets the whistle and the 2…that put the visitors up 31-29.

The Lady Camels would get someone else in on their scoring attack…McCorra Ford takes the assist behind the defense and puts that ball in for 2…and things are tied again at 32 points a-piece.

Who else can we get in here…how about Julia Seamans? She’ll pull up for a 10 foot jumper and can it to open up some breathing room…home team goes up by a score of 36-32.

Back comes the opposition…who else but Johnson? A turn around jumper in the paint…and the score was once again dead even at 36…going into the final 8 minutes.

4^th quarter…Gillette would go back to what was working for awhile…long bombs…Ford would rev up the engine to get the party started…and the home team leads 39-36.

The opposition would tie it up with free throws…so the Lady Camels needed 3 more…Bridget Cargal is going to answer the call this time around…that 3 pushed the score up to 42-39.

NC had an answer for that…and of course it was Johnson again…she’ll get around 1 defender and score on the far side…and the Fillies trail 42-41.

They take the lead on free throws…then here comes more defense…Johnson from behind again! She was 2 blocks shy of a triple-double…25 points, 18 rebounds…8 blocks. She did it all!

We got about 1 minute to go and the home team is down 2…we haven’t heard from Toms in awhile…there she is…ringing up 3…her team needed that, and they’re back up 45-44.

But in the end…any close game, would come down to free throws…and Lady Camel Coach Mitch Holst said it best…Natrona found ways to get to the line and his team did not…Norvelle would ice it…Gillette was unable to get a decent shot off in the end…there will be a rematch, but for now…Natrona got out of the Castle of Chaos…with a 46-45 win.