5:57 to play in the fourth quarter in the sectional finals between Pandora-Gilboa and Hardin Northern. The Polar Bears lead 39-28 and the fans are gearing up for celebrating one final time on their home court this season. Pandora-Gilboa had other plans in mind. Within the next three and a half minutes the Rockets would cause six turnovers and take their first lead of the game off a Savannah Knueven three pointer putting them up 41-40. Even though it would take two extra quarters the Rockets would win 61-57 and pull off an upset that will go down in Lady Rocket history.

Sophomore Baylie Bacon opened up the game on fire and would score the first eight points of the game for either team. The lead would remain at 8-0 until 1:50 to play in the fourth quarter when Rockets senior Kelsie Carlson would hit a three pointer and on the next trip down the court would split a pair of free throws. Misses were rare for PG from the charity stripe as they shot 31/42 (74%) as a team compared to Hardin Northern's 12/26 (46%) from the line. 

The Rockets would not score again during the first quarter and Carlson's four points would be the final total in the first for PG. The offense was hurt by nine turnovers. The Rockets would only cough the ball up 8 times in the rest of regulation. The Polar Bears would add a bucket from Olivia Camper and second team district 8 pick Addy Bacon ending the quarter up 12-4.

With three minutes to play in the first half Hardin Northern would extend their lead all the way to 24-13, their largest lead of the opening half. Baylie Bacon added 5 to her point total and went into the locker room with 13 points. Lone senior Lainey Thomas hit a three and so did sophomore Lauren Spearman to get the Polar Bears up to 24 points at halftime. Thomas and Spearman are not the typical sharpshooters as they shot just 5/30 (17%) and 6/38 (16%) coming into the matchup but extended their range for the sectional final.

Second team PCL pick Kelsie Carlson picked up right where she left off adding another four points in the second quarter and was PG's leading scorer at halftime. Her fellow "Splash Sisters" and 1st team district 8 picks Ava Huffman and Savannah Knueven got their scoring started in the second quarter. Knueven, the three point queen of Pandora-Gilboa leading the school's history in single game, season, and career made threes, hit her first long ball of the matchup. Huffman would get to the basket and grab four points, adding to her career total already north of 1,000. The Polar Bears led 24-17 heading to the halftime break but it felt like PG had momentum on their side.

Although it took five and a half minutes the Polar Bears would add to their seven point advantage and get up by as much as 11 points holding onto a 34-23 lead. Baylie Bacon picked up right where she left off in the first half and scored 10 in the 3rd quarter ending the penultimate quarter with 23 points. Addy Bacon was the only other scorer for Hardin Northern in the third, adding in three points of her own. Unlike the first half, Carlson did not score at all in the third but became a facilitator to ensure Knueven and Huffman could get their points. That duo combined for nine as Huffman would make her first (of two) threes in the game and tallied 5 points as Knueven added some free throws for her 4 points. The Rockets trailed 37-26 after three.

Two minutes into the fourth and it became crunch time for the Rockets if they wanted to stage a comeback in the fourth. That is exactly what they would do. Savannah Knueven hit a three with 2:20 to play putting the Rockets up 41-40. The remaining two minutes would see 13 combined points scored in a fast paced and nerve racking final sequence. Addy Bacon would make 2 free throws, Ava Huffman would drive and score a layup and add two free throws, up by three Savannah Knueven would be called for an offensive foul at a time where PG could have iced the game, Lainey Thomas would hit a three, Huffman would hit two more free throws, and with 4.1 seconds remaining Baylie Bacon would bank in a floater tying the game at 47-47. The Rockets drew up a great play but Huffman would be unable to split a trap and the ball laid on the court as the buzzer sounded. 

Heading into overtime the game's leading scorer was Baylie Bacon with 23 and the secondary Polar Bear scorer was Addy Bacon with 6. The Rockets big three (or Splash Sisters) had scored all of the team's points at the end of regulation. Huffman led the way with 21, Knueven had 16, and Carlson would end regulation (and the game) with 12.

Halfway through the first overtime period two big things would occur. Baylie Bacon had hit two free throws and the lead for the Polar Bears was up to 51-48. However, just after getting to 27 points she would foul Ava Huffman not only sending Huffman to the line but picking up her 5th personal foul. Hardin Northern's best offensive player would have to sit and not be able to impact the remaining 2:31 (and the extra 4 minutes added for the second OT). Huffman would miss both of her shots and would eventually end the game 14/18 from the stripe. With 92 seconds to play in overtime the Polar Bears held a 52-48 lead. Savannah Knueven would hit two free throws (ended her day a perfect 8/8) and cut it to a 52-50 deficit. Lainey Thomas would go down and hit a free throw for her seventh point of the game and extending the lead to 53-50 with just 75 seconds to go. Bad news for her, the biggest defensive blunder of the game was about to occur. Savannah Knueven was left wide open on the right wing and after the ball hung in the air for what felt like forever for everyone in the building, it went down nothing but net tying the game at 53-53. The cherry on top of this moment is this three put Knueven up to 21 points in the game. Although it might just seem like a typical twenty point game from Knueven, she know sat (and would finish the game) at 997 career points. Hardin Northern would play for the last shot and burn 71 seconds off the clock. Addy Bacon's pullup from the free throw line would go long of the back of the rim and with 0.4 seconds Pandora-Gilboa's Nevaeha Mangas secured the rebound.

Before the buzzer could sound a loud whistle cut the noise of the crowd. Both teams were in the bonus and Mangas was fouled with 0.3 seconds to play. She would have two shots to send the Rockets to the district semifinals. The Polar Bears would take a timeout partially to draw up a last second play but mostly to ice the shooter for a full minute long timeout. The first shot from Mangas hit off the back of the rim and rolled off. The second would be left just short off the front of the iron and the first overtime would end tied at 53-53. 

Mangas, an honorable mention BVC selection, would get instant redemption by winning the tipoff for the Rockets and giving her team a chance to strike first. They would do exactly that as Ava Huffman was left wide open in the corner and hit her second and last three pointer of the game. The Rockets would never trail in the second overtime. Mangas would add a free throw and Huffman would score three more points and Mangas would add a free throw. The Rockets had 14 seconds to burn and after a huge three from Jayna Duncan on her first attempt of the season, were up 61-57. The inbound would quickly go to Huffman who launched a pass down the court to Knueven who was able to scramble around and avoid being fouled. The Rockets had pulled off the improbable, coming back from down 11 to win in double overtime. 

It is one of the most difficult ways to lose if you are Hardin Northern. The good news for the Polar Bears is they only lose one player, senior and tertiary scorer Lainey Thomas. Leading scorers on the season Addy and Baylie Bacon are just sophomores and will have two more years to compete as Polar Bears.

On the flip side of things it is a thrilling way to win for the Rockets who needed to do everything right in order to leave Hardin Northern with a victory. Pandora-Gilboa started their "Rivalry Tour" off right but it's just stop one of what Pandora-Gilboa hopes to be many. Hardin Northern beat Pandora-Gilboa 62 days ago by a score of 44-38 and with that loss avenged it is time to look forward to the next.  They will play Blanchard Valley Conference rival Arlington on Wednesday at the Elida Fieldhouse in the back half of a double header slated to tipoff at 7:30. Arlington bested the Rockets 30 days ago (January 22nd) by a score of 47-35. With a win, PG could potentially avenge another loss to BVC foe Arcadia.

Until then, it's time to celebrate in Pandora and Gilboa. This is the first time in 15 years the Rockets girls basketball team has won back to back sectional crowns. Last year it was a huge win over Ridgemont and then a nail biter against Waynesfield Goshen in the district semifinals before losing to eventual state semifinalist Ottoville. It is the 14th sectional championship in Pandora-Gilboa history. The Rockets improved to 13-10 on the year but most importantly they are 1-0 in the second season of the year, the postseason. 

Pandora-Gilboa (61):

Nevaeha Mangas 2

Ava Huffman 28

Savannah Knueven 21

Kelsie Carlson 12

3 pt. 6: (Knueven 3, Huffman 2, Carlson)

Hardin Northern (57):

Lainey Thomas 7

Jayna Duncan 3

Baylie Bacon 27

Olivia Camper 2

Addy Bacon 12

Lauren Spearman 6

3 pt. 7 (B. Bacon 3, Thomas 2, Spearman, Duncan)

Score by quarter: 

PG  04 13 09 26 06 08

HN 12 12 13 10 06  04

Read more articles by Chase Dettrow