Lead by No.1 Bethany Simmelink, for the Rock Hills Lady Grizzlies, the Lady Grizzlies showed consistent and disciplined playing style, and a ton of heart, in an unbelievable finish for the 60 to 58 win against St. John’s-Tipton, a traditionally top-3 rated team in the league, which was a close and highly competitive game from start to finish.
St. John’s-Tipton in Beloit lost by two points in the last second of regulation against the Lady Grizzlies, as the Grizzlies dropped in two free throws because of the ‘moving screen’ foul called by refs against the Blujays.
The Lady Grizzlies sealed the win with the two free throws at the end by a score of 60 to 58, as with only 0.2 seconds remaining in the game, there was virtually no chance of a last second comeback by St John Catholic when they got the ball back after the free throws were made by the Grizzlies.
The referee called an unusual penalty against the Blujays at practically the end of the game, which foul accuses the defending Blujays of employing in the waning seconds an illegal defense which unfairly impedes opposing players movement; so, while it appears to be a stationary screening maneuver initially by all appearances, the violation called is because of what it becomes as play progresses which is known as a ‘moving screen’ according to Coach Nick Mizner.
A ‘moving screen’ which is technically an illegal type of moving defensive posture most of the time involving a push.
St. John’s-Tipton girls basketball team lost this game to Rock Hills in a close match-up on Friday, which was the first time in the last 16 years the Blujays bowed in loss to the girls from Jewell County.
The win was big for the team and especially triumphant for Coach Nick Mizner, who, from the sidelines in his role as a coach, kept the momentum going in the right direction for the team against a worthy top-3 league opponent in St John’s-Tipton.
Coach Mizner said before the game: “They are ready and I’m ready. We can take care of the ball and play good defense. St John’s-Tipton has been a perennial top 3 team in the league, so it would be a great win for our program.’
The Rock Hills girls won 60 to 58, as they hit two free throws in the last second of the game, shocking the Blujays, as they had no chance to comeback with only 0.2 seconds remaining on the regulation game clock after the two free throws hit their mark, breaking the tie in favor of the Grizzlies.
Coach Mizner said, “A moving screen is what they called, a push, whatever, I saw it, been happening all night. I am proud of our team. Let’s go play some basketball.”
Coach Mizner fielded the following players in his starting line-up: No. 22 Alex Fogo; No. 1 Bethany Simmelink; No. 5 Meili Ost; No. 13 Halle Mizner; No. 21 Alivia Lindberg.
Halle Mizner was the first Rock Hills player to score with a clean top-of-the-key 3 point bucket to start things off in the first quarter.
From start till finish, there was competitive back-and-forth play, with a great degree of athletic movement and ball-handling skill seen from both teams.
At the end of the first quarter, a buzzer beater that Simmelink launched successfully from about mid-court and into the bucket for 3 points, energized Rock Hills fans who were there all night long cheering both girls and boys teams enthusiatically.
To start out the third quarter of play, Simmelink passed the ball to Mizner for an easy basket.
The Lady Grizzlies seemed to maintain their cool when under relentless pressure from Blujays defenders, as nice passing by the Rock Hills girls resulted in another score by Mizner, gaining a 37 to 35 lead with 4 minutes, 37 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Simmelink had her way from 3-point land against the Blujays, scoring nicely from the perimeter, thus again increasing the lead, making the score 40 to 35 in favor of Rock Hills, with only 4 minutes remaining in the third quarter.
The third quarter ended with the Rock Hills Lady Grizzlies holding a 47 to 40 advantage on the scoreboard.
From all appearances, Simmelink ‘owned’ the pesky Blujays, especially from the second quarter on, as she scored yet another 3-pointer with 7 minutes, 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter, earning a 50 to 40 lead at that point.
Alarmed by Simmelink’s scoring rampage which ended up being 28 points for the night, the Blujays desperately fouled Simmelink when she came down court again, to which Simmelink replied by nicely dropping in two free throws, for a 52 to 42 lead with 6 minutes and 20 seconds left in the game.
The St. John’s-Tipton girls decided to not go down easy as the end of the fourth quarter drew near, but again, to the dismay of the coach of St, John’s-Tipton, Leah Bergmann, there was Simmelink again wreaking havoc on the Blujays, as she scored to consecutive baskets, temporarily at least stunning the Blujays before they regained their composure and mounted an effective comeback by all appearances.
St John’s-Tipton girls were exceptionally skilled at scoring 3-point baskets, so once again, the game became a battle royal with senior Carlie Brummer of the Blujays scoring a 3-point basket, bringing the Blujays to within two points (56 to 54) with only 2 minutes and 35 seconds remaining in regulation.
In an important play, Brummer went to the free throw line after being fouled, but she hit only hit 1 of 2 shots from the line, which was important because that is one reason why the game was still tied with only about one second left before the ‘moving screen’ foul was called at the last second against the Blujays.
As seconds waned to single digits on the game clock, with the score locked up at 58 apiece, that interesting kind of foul was called by refs, which is a ‘moving screen’ which was called against the Blujays.
The rest is history, as they say.
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