AURORA — Carlie Needles had already run the emotional gamut before the shot that decided the game.
ThunderRidge’s junior point guard watched her team jump to a huge early lead Saturday against Regis Jesuit, fall behind and then get back within striking distance in the final minute (much of this while playing with four fouls). Then, with a smooth stroke from the left wing, she hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 56 seconds left and the top-ranked Grizzlies held on for a 45-42 win over the host Raiders in the final of the Regis Holiday Hoop Classic.
“I didn’t really intend to take a 3, but I knew we had to get something,” Needles said. “We just had to keep our composure and know this was our game to win.”
ThunderRidge (9-3) jumped to a 12-0 lead on two 3-pointers by Brooke Jelniker and a trey and three foul shots by Needles. The lead evaporated, and No. 8 Regis (7-5) used a stellar second half from Marquelle Dent to build a 40-35 lead with less than three minutes to play.
“That would have been just a huge disappointment,” Needles said.
The Grizzlies pulled to within 42-40 before Needles’ go-ahead shot. Regis had a few empty possessions and Samantha Rusk hit two free throws for ThunderRidge with six seconds remaining. Dent’s 3-point attempt caromed off the rim during the final seconds.
While Regis coach Carl Mattei saluted Needles for being “a clutch player,” he believes his team is far from a finished product.
“We’re not a good basketball team,” Mattei said of a squad that returned only a few players from last season’s championship roster. “We’re so young and we make constant mistakes, and they come out without any confidence of what it takes to play in big games.”
Needles led ThunderRidge with 12 points. Tournament MVP Conniecia Riley and center Tory Langas added 10 each.
ThunderRidge 14 6 10 15 — 45
Regis Jesuit 5 9 18 10 — 42
ThunderRidge — Needles 3 3-5 12, Jelniker 2 3-4 9, Riley 4 0-0 10, Peterson 1 0-0 2, Langas 4 2-2 10, Chase 0 0-0 0, Koslosky 0 0-0 0, Rusk 0 2-2 2. Totals 14 10-13 45.
Regis Jesuit — Revels 1 0-0 2, Heckman 1 3-6 5, Rooney 2 5-9 9, O’Neil 2 1-2 5, Dent 4 3-4 11, Kershisnik 0 0-0 0, St. John 0 0-0 0, Ward 0 1-2 1, Hall 3 3-4 9, McGuiness 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 16-27 42.
3-point goals — Needles 3, Jelniker 2, Riley 2. Fouled out — Hall. Technicals — None.
