EWING — The Wolfpack led by four points with three minutes to play, but couldn’t hold off Atkinson West Holt who forced overtime, then claimed a 49 to 45 victory.
The loss knocked the Wolfpack out of the Niobrara Valley Conference Tournament earlier than anyone expected.
The Lady Huskies led for just 17 seconds for the four quarters. Yet, in overtime, they trailed for less than a minute. EPPJ took a 43 to 42 lead in overtime when Kaylee Martinsen made the second of two free throws with 2:22 left on the clock.
West Holt answered back when 5’4” junior Peyton Randolph stole the ball and drove for a layup.
Ahead by a point, the lead grew to three points when Bailey Kraus drained two free throws with 40 seconds left to play. After a Caitlin Butterfield free throw bumped the lead to four points, the Wolfpack answered with a basket from senior post player Lydia Behnk.
The Wolfpack fouled on the in-bound possession, putting Carlie Wetzel on the line. The 6’1” junior made both free throws for a 49 to 45 lead.
Down by two possessions, EPPJ failed to score and the buzzer sounded, handing the Wolfpack their fifth defeat of the season.
No one would have guessed the outcome of the game, considering how the Wolfpack controlled the game.
Up by five points to start the second half, the Wolfpack scored the first five points of the third quarter to build a 28 to 18 lead. Baskets by Kaylee Martinsen and Kayce Kallhoff had the Lady Huskies on the ropes. Up by 11 points, West Holt came to life, scoring 12 unanswered points to trail by just one point at the end of the third quarter, 32 to 31.
In the fourth quarter the Wolfpack relied on free throws in the early goings. Martinsen made three, Calli Krebs had two as did Behnk, and Heather Bauer made one as the Wolfpack built a 40 to 35 lead with just under four minutes left in regulation. However, they were held scoreless the rest of the quarter as Kraus & Co. chipped away at the lead. Kraus tied the score at 40-all with 1:40 left. She then had a chance to give her team the lead, but missed two free throws with 13 seconds left.
EPPJ had a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but the desperation shot missed the mark, red-clad players laying on the floor as the buzzer sounded, sending the game into overtime.
Behnk led the Wolfpack with 20 points, Martinsen was next with nine points.
Kraus led West Holt with 17 points, Jenae Osborne added 10.
The Wolfpack (14-5) will next be in action Tuesday night, Feb. 6, against Chambers/Wheeler Central at St. Boniface Gymnasium.
West Holt 49, Wolfpack 45
Wolfpack…..10 13 9 8 5 — 45
West Holt….10 8 13 9 9 — 49
Wolfpack — Kaylee Martinsen 2-8 5-9 9, Lydia Behnk 8-14 4-4 20, Calli Krebs 1-5 5-6 7, Paige Meis 0-7 0-0 0, Kayce Kallhoff 1-2 0-0 2, Allyson Wemhoff 2-10 2-5 6, Heather Bauer 0-5 1-2 1. Team totals: 14-51 17-26 45. Three-point shots — Wolfpack 0-9. West Holt team totals: 20-64 9-22 49. Three-point shots — West Holt 0-12.
Team statistics: Rebounds — Wolfpack 43 (Lydia Behnk 14, Kaylee Martinsen 9), West Holt 41. Assists — Wolfpack 5 (Allyson Wemhoff 2, Calli Krebs 2), West Holt 4. Steals — Wolfpack 16 (Lydia Behnk 4, Allyson Wemhoff 4), West Holt 14. Turnovers — Wolfpack 26, West Holt 22.
