SPRINGFIELD - For the Versailles Lady Tigers, Wednesday night’s win over the Anna Rockets was a game like no other.
Facing a 20-16 deficit after one quarter, only scoring two points in the second stanza, and having Megan Campbell remain scoreless for the entire first half should have meant defeat for the Tigers.
But a never-say-die team coached by former standout player Jacki Stonebraker found a way to pull themselves back up and take down the Rockets 41-40 in overtime.
At the start, a quick pace was set, and dominated the way both teams played in the first quarter. Bethany Ahrens hit shot after shot in an attempt to keep Versailles ahead of the Rockets and an unstoppable Carrie Watkins.
After leading 9-7 with 3:52 to play in the first frame, the V-Tigers finally succumbed to the Anna offense and found themselves down 20-16 after one quarter of action.
What was to follow was even more odd than the up-tempo first period.
A defensive battle ensued, and both teams combined to score only six points in the entire second stanza. A two-point bucket by Laura Schlater would be the only one for Versailles, who found themselves down 22-18 at halftime.
After the break, a new Tiger team emerged from the locker room… and they would not be kept down.
Megan Campbell, who had been held scoreless in the first half, hit the first shot of the third quarter for Versailles. In addition to the bucket, Campbell drew a foul on the shot, and hit the extra point to pull the V-Tigers back within three.
A shot by Ahrens would finally pull the Tigers back within one point of a tie, and that way it would stay through the end of the third.
Heading into the final eight minutes, the Tigers were down 30-29.
And then Campbell caught fire.
After hitting all of Versailles’ points in the final quarter, Campbell hit the most important shot of the game so far: a two-point bucket to tie things up at 37 with only 24 seconds to go.
It would stay knotted up, sending the game into a four minute overtime period.
In OT, the Tigers would strike first on a basket from Susan Berger, putting them up 39-37.
But the Rockets would hit a free throw, followed by a two-pointer to give Anna the advantage once more.
With 51.7 seconds to go, Versailles was nearly out of time.
Things began to look bleak for the Tigers until Campbell came through with another bucket with only seven seconds left to play to give her team the lead, and the win.
Campbell would score 17 points in the second half to lead Versailles, with Ahrens close behind at 13. 11 of Ahrens points came in the first quarter alone.
Next up for the Lady V-Tigers is Middletown Madison in the Regional final game. That game is to be played tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. at Springfield High School.
