RV wins 98-94!

The Royal Valley High School girls basketball team has struggled this season to put together four complete quarters. 

It’s a problem coach Corey Katzer has easily admitted after each loss, and it’s a problem Katzer said he knew the girls could overcome. 

The girls proved him right after winning a nail biter against Rossville last night, 98-94, that included four overtimes. 

The game, which was played in Council Grove, also set a new state record for most combined points scored in a girls game, 192. The previous record was 185 in an overtime game in 1998. 

“As a coach, last night was the type of game you dream of,” said Katzer of the win. “The kids deserve all the credit. Both teams had so many opportunities to win, and the girls really put their heads down to get the win.”

The Lady Panthers were down 30-24 at the half but came out of the locker room fighting, scoring 18 in the third and 17 in the fourth.

“We were up by nine with just over a minute left in regulation, but we lost some possessions and then it kind of snowballed,” he said. “They thought they had won, and I knew that they were disappointed.”

At the end of regulation, the score was 59-59, and Katzer said his main concern at that point in the huddle was calming the girls down.

“Our M.O. this season has been to give up sometimes when we are behind and struggling,” he said. “But last night I really saw their maturity because nobody panicked. I’ve told them youth is no longer an excuse for them because they’ve been playing all season long.”

 Katzer said it was really one of the first times this season that the players took charge of the game and not the coaches.

“They were telling each other that they were going to get this done,” he said.

At the end of the second overtime, the score was 76-76. Both teams scored 10 in the third overtime, and RV was able to pull away after 48 minutes of play with 11 points to Rossville’s 7. 

RV senior Kate Hanson scored 29 points, followed by Tamo Thomas’ 26.

“Both of them played all four overtimes with four fouls each,” Katzer said. “We really haven’t practiced what to do if our top scorers foul out so we we’re very lucky they didn’t foul anyone in overtime.”

Katzer said the team’s speed was part of their advantage Tuesday night. 

“I want them to be one of the fatest teams in the state,” Katzer said. “I do have to give credit to Rossville. They played their hearts out.”

Katzer said several students traveled to the game to cheer on the Panthers, giving them the extra boost they needed.

“Their support really helped us, and we appreciated them driving out on a Tuesday,” he said. 

On the bus back home last night, coach Katzer and assistant coach Kyle Porter announced to the girls they had set a new state record for most combined points in a single game.

“They just started screaming,” he said. “It’s exciting that their names will be attached to something like that for the rest of their lives. This is the craziest game I’ve every been a part of in my 16 years of coaching,” he said. 

Katzer has served as the head coach at RV for two years.

RV will now move on in the bracket and play Silver Lake at Council Grove at 6 p.m. on Friday.

Silver Lake is undefeated this season and is the number one seed in the 3A sub-state bracket at Council Grove.

“It’s going to be a huge challenge for us,” he said. “But we look forward to that challenge, and we’re excited we’ve given ourselves the opportunity to see how we match up to one of the best teams in the state.”

 RV: 10-14-18-17-39 – 98

Rossville: 16-14-12-17-35 – 94

Individual statistics:

RV: Hanson 12 5-12 29, T. Thomas 9 (2) 6-8 26, Baker 5 (2) 7-8 17, K. Thomas 3 4-8 10, Jordan 4 (2) 0-0 10, Schuetz 1 0-2 2, Thompson 0 0-2 0. Totals 34 (6) 23-39 98.  

Rossville: Nitsch 9 (5) 7-8 30, Hill 11 (2) 4-6 27, Steckel 3 (2) 1-3 9, Day 3 1-2 7, Porter 3 0-2 6, Hill 3 0-0 6, Shinn 2 0-2 4, Conley 1 0-0 2. Totals 35 (9) 13-23 94. 

The Holton Recorder

109 W. Fourth St.
Holton, KS 66436
Phone: 785-364-3141
 

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