United wins ITCL title, edging Rebels, 55-54

By Ryan Jones

CRESTVIEW — For United coach Roger Zeigler a split second felt like an eternity.

Trailing 55-54 with 6.6 seconds left, Crestview inbounded the ball under United’s basket to Chelsea Bowker.

Bowker streaked up the court and collided with a United player on the left block. The 5-foot-8 senior’s off-balance shot hit the back board, the front and then back of the rim before falling to the floor.

“It seemed like that ball hung on the rim for five minutes,” Zeigler said. “Our first goal was to double her [Bowker] to keep her from receiving the inbounds pass, but somehow she got it and got by us. She’s a great player; I was just hoping that she missed.”

With the victory United (19-1, 13-1) captured the ITCL Tier One title outright.

United’s Hillary Hoppel said the team was focused on gaining sole possession of the league title.

“We didn’t want to share [with Crestview],” she said. “I knew if we kept playing hard and together that we would find a way to win. We always have each other’s back on the court.”

Trailing 44-40 heading into the fourth quarter, United took a 48-45 lead after Hoppel made back-to-back buckets with about 4:30 remaining.

Hoppel, who tallied a team-high 19 points and five rebounds, scored six in the final period.

Zeigler said Hoppel has come up big in the past couple of games.

“She stepped up tonight,” he said. “Tonight they ran a triangle and two defense on her and Maggie Sell and Hillary [Hoppel] still played well. ”

Both team traded baskets until a 3-pointer by Marissa Newbauer and two free throws by Shanelle Davner put Crestview up 54-53 with 1:36 left. The Eagles forced a turnover off an inbounds pass with about 25 seconds left, raced the ball up court and called timeout.

With the play breaking down, Maggie Sell drove right and was fouled with 6.6 seconds on the clock as she tried to convert a lay-up from the right side.

The 5-7 senior, who finished 18 points, sunk both shots to give the Eagles a 55-54 lead.

“It was a little nerve racking, and at the same time it was awesome,” Sell said of being at the line with a chance to win the game. “We’ve came up short the past two years in these league title games.”

Bowker said her last home game didn’t end how she wanted it to.

“That shot should have fallen,” she said. “Great players make big plays when they need to and I’m going to work hard to make that play the next time. It never should have come down to that play.”

Bowker led the Rebels with 21 points and 17 rebounds. Newbauer totaled 15 points and Davner 10.

Maggie Miller led United with five rebounds and six assists.