By By TOM NYHUIS / Niles Daily Star
WATERVLIET - Buchanan's varsity basketball team had a mission to complete Friday night. The mission, to upset Watervliet in the Class C district championship game.
That mission came up short as Watervliet squeaked by the Lady Bucks 55-53 to advance to Monday's regional game at Bridgman.
Buchanan's Emily Ross had a career night for the Lady Bucks as she hit six 3-pointers in the game and finished with 21 points. Buchanan finished the night with nine from behind the arc. But it was Panther freshman Rachel Sheffer that took the spot light away from Ross and the Bucks. Sheffer scored a career -high 28 points to advance the 21-2 Panthers to regionals.
Buchanan started the game hot and controlled it for the first 15 minutes of the game leading 28-17 with a minute to play in the first half. In the final minute, the Panthers cut the 11-point lead to just five and trailed 29-24 at the half.
Buchanan led early in the second quarter 24-9 after Danielle Bachleda hit Buchanan's fourth three of the half. Ross extended the Bucks lead to 28-13 with 2:19 on her third bomb from behind the arch in the half. But it was a 11-1 run by the Panthers that put them back into the game.
After the Bucks began the second half with two consecutive turnovers Ross connected with another 3-pointer for a 32-24 Lady Buck lead.
Watervliet tied the game with 2:35 to play in the third quarter on a Rachel Sheffer offensive rebound bucket. Sheffer extended the lead to 42-37 on another offensive rebound bucket early in the fourth quarter. The Panthers continued to widen the gap and led 50-41 with 2:49 to play in the game.
Buchanan wasn't ready to throw in the towel quite yet. Hillary Faulkner sank another 3-point bucket in between a pair of Hayley Cashier buckets. That tied the game at 50 with :35 seconds to play. Watervliet went up by five, 55-50, on two free throws by Jamie Hartmann and a basket and free throw by Sarah Sheffer. Hartmann's second charity toss came with 11.6.
Ross came down and hammered home her sixth three of the night with five seconds to play but the Bucks couldn't get the clock to stop after the shot with a time out until there was 1.8 seconds remaining. Not enough time to get another shot at the win.
Buchanan's turnovers and not being able to stop the Panthers getting the ball inside to Sheffer proved to be to much for the Lady Bucks. Watervliet had 13 first half turnovers but committed only four miscues in the second half. Buchanan finished with 17 turnovers in the game. The Panthers controlled the boards out rebounding Buchanan 32-23.
“I was very proud of our effort and the game we played. Some of our turnovers hurt us too, we battled and I was very happy with the effort,” Weaver said.
Hayley Cashier finished with 12 and Bachleda chipped in with nine for the Bucks. Sarah Sheffer came away with 11 points and Hartmann added nine for the Panthers.