February 18, 2012 @ 8:20 am
It’s been said that if you live by the three-pointer, you die by the three-pointer. The Wilson Lady Rams died many a death on Friday night, missing their first 15 tries from behind the arc until Emily Bohlen drained a three with 32 seconds left to break a 40-40 tie and propel Wilson to a 43-40 win over Camas on Friday night at Clover Park High School – clinching a berth in the state regional playoffs. The Rams will take on Auburn-Mountainview in the 3AWest Central District semifinals at Clover Park at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday night.
“It wasn’t our best night from the field and we did not attack the basket on offense very well but we found a way to win in the end, it’s great to be going to state,” said Wilson head coach Michelle Birge.
Not attacking the basket was one thing, but making only 15 out of 66 attempts from the floor was another for a Wilson team that could not shake the pregame jitters that accompany these postseason games.
Bethany Montgomery got the Lady Rams out of the gate fast with 10 first-half points as Wilson took a 30-24 lead at halftime. From there the Lady Rams would manage only five field goals the rest of the way, including Bohlen’s winning trey as Sydney Allen and Jenka Stiosna would lead a second-half charge for Camas that would tie the game at 40 on Allen’s mid-range jumper with 39 seconds left.
Waiting for somebody to step up and hit the big shot, Bohlen answered the call for Wilson, and the defense would take it from there.
“Coach told me to take it if I was open and I did. It felt good,” said Bohlen. “It feels so good going to state, we’re all so excited about it.”
“I’m happy for these girls, they stepped up on the defensive end when the offense was not there and they were rewarded for it,” said Birge.
By Steve Mullen
