Notre Dame returns to championship game

Notre Dame, according to the seedings, was not expected to make it back to the Show Me Center Holiday Classic championship game.

But the third-seeded Bulldogs will indeed play for the title for a fourth straight year following Tuesday night's exciting 58-52 semifinal win over second-seeded Jackson.

"It feels really good," junior guard Brooke Bohnert said.

The Bulldogs will shoot for their second straight championship and third in the past four years when they face Meadow Heights in tonight's final.

Notre Dame was second in 2008 after capturing the crown in 2007.

In order to make it back to the finals, the Bulldogs (4-3) had to avenge a 65-60 loss to the Indians (5-3) on Thursday.

The Bulldogs knew what would be required for them to get the job done.

"Defense and rebounding," all-state senior point guard Allyson Bradshaw said of the keys to victory. "We blocked out a lot better. It's what we worked on in practice."

Said Notre Dame coach Renee Peters: "We've been stressing defense, defense, and rebounding."

It took everything Notre Dame had to fight off the Indians, who trailed most of the way -- including by 10 points late in the first half and 30-21 at halftime -- before rallying to go ahead 39-38 entering the fourth quarter.

Sophomore forward Miranda Fowler's basket in the opening seconds of the final period put the Bulldogs back on top 40-39. They would not relinquish the lead although things never got comfortable.

"They're a very good team," Peters said of the Indians. "They just beat us and we knew it would be a tough game."

Bradshaw, who scored 10 of her game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter, hit a 3-pointer midway through the period to make it 50-45.

Jackson wouldn't go away as the Indians twice pulled within a point at 50-49 and 52-51.

The Indians had a chance to go ahead with 42 seconds left but they missed a shot.

Bohnert hit two free throws with 38 seconds remaining for a 54-51 lead.

After another Jackson miss, senior forward Nicole Blattel hit two more foul shots at the 26-second mark to make it 56-51.

Jackson got within 56-52, but Bradshaw's two free throws with 13 seconds left ended the scoring.

"I am so jazzed," said Peters, whose squad got off to a slow start this season. "These girls needed to beat a good team. We really battled and we made a lot of big plays."

Bohnert added 15 points for the Bulldogs.

Senior guard Brooke Sanders paced Jackson with 16 points. Senior guard Kylie Seyer followed with 12 points and senior guard Makenzie Quade added 10.

"They're a really good team," Bohnert said.

While Jackson will play top-seeded Farmington at 7 p.m. today for third place, Notre Dame will try fend off first-year tournament entry Meadow Heights.

The Class 2 Panthers have beaten two higher seeds -- including Farmington -- and the Class 4 Bulldogs are taking nothing for granted as they try to repeat.

"They're a really scrappy team," Bradshaw said.

Notre Dame 12 18 8 20 -- 58

Jackson 9 12 18 13 -- 52

NOTRE DAME (58) -- Miranda Fowler 4, Summer Burger 7, Allyson Bradshaw 20, Madison Huckstep 3, Brooke Bohnert 15, Nicole Blattel 9. FG 19, FT 16-22, F 16. (3-pointers: Bradshaw 3, Huckstep 1. Fouled out: none)

JACKSON (52) -- Paden Wachter 4, Brooke Sanders 16, Connor King 8, Kylie Seyer 12, Danielle Daume 2, Makenzie Quade 10. FG 18, FT 15-21, F 22. (3-pointers: Wachter 1. Fouled out: none)