By Denise Tucker
Springfield, MO – Camdenton had taken one of its only leads of the game with just over a minute remaining in the contest (57-56) when Ozark freshman Madi Braden hit both ends of a one-and-one to put the Lady Tigers up 58-57 Tuesday night.
The Lady Lakers came back on a basket by Natalie Basham to go up 59-58 before Ozark’s Mikayla Putt hit a driving layup with 18 seconds to go for a 60-59 lead.
Camdenton called time out, had possession and then turned the ball over. The Lady Lakers were forced to foul and sent Braden to the line again for a one-and-one.
The freshman knocked down the first one with 4.5 seconds left for a 61-59 Ozark lead and the Lady Tigers were able to hang on for first-round Pink Division win in the Pink & White Lady Classic at Drury University’s Weiser Gym.
The third-seeded Lady Tigers (6-2) advance to the quarterfinals to take on No. 6 seed Rogersville at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the O’Reilly Family Events Center.
Camdenton will take on Clever at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Weiser Gym.
“At that point in the game, any basket that goes in the basket is good,” Ozark coach David Brewer said. “At least she (Braden) hit the first free throw, the second would have made it a little more comfortable.
“We’re just having trouble defensively; we have all year. We’re giving up 60 points and that’s not going to win very many basketball games. Luckily, we scored more than they did tonight.”
Brewer says his Lady Tigers are going to have to be better against Rogersville.
“We better guard better,” Brewer said. “Rogersville can shoot it; they execute really well, so we’ve just got to guard a lot better tomorrow night to have any chance to get to the semifinal.”
NO. 3 OZARK 61, CAMDENTON 59
Pink Division game
CAMDENTON (6-3) – 14-11-13-21—59
OZARK (6-2) – 20-17-9-15—61
CAMDENTON – Coley Rezabek 21, Natalie Basham 18, Blair Kurtz 9, Abbie Miller 7, Teagan Shockley 4.
OZARK – Madi Braden 19, Macey Putt 12, Morgan Doyle 8, Mikayla Putt 7, Abby Lasley 9, Jadyn Easley 3, Bre Johnson 3.
