ND girls suffer 63-56 OT loss to Dexter

Notre Dame's bid to derail the Dexter girls basketball team's perfect run in the SEMO Conference looked fairly rosy heading into overtime Monday night at Notre Dame.

The Bearcats' leading scorer, junior Katelyn Heil, had fouled out during the final 20 seconds of regulation. The Bulldogs had the momentum of a buzzer-beating shot by freshman Allyson Bradshaw. And the Bearcats' struggles from the free-throw line were helping offset Notre Dame's problems against the press.

But two more missed free throws turned into big baskets for Dexter, including a 3-pointer by sophomore center Abbie Warren that capped a seven-point run to open the extra frame.

Dexter held on for a 63-56 win for the program's first victory at Notre Dame.

The state-ranked Bearcats (17-3) improved to 5-0 in the SEMO Conference with two games remaining, including a showdown with Poplar Bluff, while Notre Dame (14-7) suffered its third league loss.

"We knew Dexter was going to be a battle, and it was a very physical game," Notre Dame coach Renee Peters said. "We wanted to use this as a litmus test to get ready for district. That was our battle cry after, that we're hoping to get one more shot at them in district."

The two schools likely will be the top seeds in the Class 3 District 1 tournament at Perryville. The seeding meeting is Saturday.

Dexter, which led 26-14 in the second period but had just a 27-26 halftime lead despite forcing 21 Notre Dame turnovers, nearly saw its grasp of the top seed evaporate along with a five-point lead in the fourth period.

After Katelyn Heil gave Dexter a 43-38 lead on a nice scoop shot off a steal, the Bulldogs answered with an 11-2 run. Alex Fowler hit four free throws in the spree and Emily Brumitt capped it with a 3-pointer with 2:23 to play. Fowler, who had 10 points for Notre Dame, took two of her free throws after Heil was given a technical foul fighting for possession of a held ball after the whistle.

Heil, who finished with 22 free throws, then hit 3-of-5 free throws on back-to-back possession 8 seconds apart to draw Dexter within 49-48. That was a rare flurry of good free-throw shooting for Dexter, which was 17-for-41 from the line. The Bearcats missed three more free throws in the closing 2 minutes.

Notre Dame struggled to get the ball into its offensive end in the final 2 minutes before Bradshaw drew Heil's fifth foul with 18 seconds to play and the score tied at 49-49. She missed the free throw, and Dexter's Sammy Waldner scored with 8 seconds to play, but Bradshaw answered with a shot on the baseline with 1.6 seconds in regulation to send it to overtime.

Dexter scored 20 seconds into OT on a layin by Jill Temples after she got away from her defender. Cathryn Heil scored on a third-chance shot on the next possession, and Warren hit her 3 after the Bearcats kept alive the second of two missed free throws.

"I was actually wanting her to take the ball back up top and try to make them foul us," Dexter coach Chad Allen said. "That's one of those shots where, if she makes it, you're happy, and she definitely stepped up and made a big 3. That was a game-changing play."

Notre Dame was back within 58-54 when Temples went to the free-throw line with 25 seconds remaining. She made the first and -- with her teammates at the other end of the court -- missed the second, snared the rebound and drove it in for a basket.

"It hurts, I can't deny that," Peters said. "I'm proud of our players. They did a nice job to tie it up and take it to overtime."

Bradshaw finished with 16 points to lead the Bulldogs.

Dexter 16 11 12 12 12 -- 63

Notre Dame 11 15 12 13 5 -- 56

Dexter (63) -- Sammy Waldner 4, Brooke Thrower 2, Katelyn Heil 22, Jill Temples 9, Ashlee Taylor 16, Abbie Warren 6, Cathryn Heil 4. FG 21, FT 17-41, F 24. (3-pointers: K. Heil 2, Taylor 1, Warren 1. Fouled out: K. Heil)

Notre Dame (56) -- Paige Schumer 9, Emily Brumitt 8, Jane Morrill 8, Alex Fowler 10, Erika Reinagel 3, Emily Welker 2, Allyson Bradshaw 16. FG 16, FT 21-29, F 24 (3-pointers: Bradshaw 1, Brumitt 1. Fouled out: Fowler)