Deseret News | Provo works OT — again

From Deseret News archives:

Provo works OT — again — for victory

By Jaclyn Olsen

For the Deseret News

Published: Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007 10:34 a.m. MST

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TAYLORSVILLE — Overtime is the name of the game for the Provo Bulldogs as they took things to extra minutes for the third time in a row — this time winning in the first round of the girls 4A state tournament with a 62-58 victory over Woods Cross.

"We're getting used to it," said Provo coach Cory Green of his team's penchant of late to go into the extra session. They won the final two games of the Region 7 season in overtime, so it only stands to reason they'd want to do the same in the playoffs.

"That was huge for us. I really believe that," Green said of the experience his girls learned from the close games. "Those two overtime games gave the girls confidence. They can keep their composure."

Things weren't looking particularly good for the Bulldogs throughout much of the game as they trailed by small margins all the way and found themselves behind by eight at 48-40 midway through the fourth period. But the teams Provo played in the regular season found out the Bulldogs can't be counted out, and they showed that to Woods Cross as they quickly made their comeback.

"This isn't the first time we've come from behind and battled back. Our girls haven't given up all year," noted Green.

And it was a team effort as Provo even managed a 51-50 lead late in the fourth before Janice Wilkinson tied things up for Woods Cross and sent it into overtime.

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But unlike their previous two forays into extra time, the Bulldogs weren't liking their prospects early in the session as Amber Bosco, who finished with 11 points, fouled out just 15 seconds in. Woods Cross' Wilkinson then nailed the two free throws and gave her team the 53-51 lead.

After a pair of misses and a pair of makes by Melisa Chamberlain tied things up again, Wilkinson then gave the Wildcats a 54-53 lead with another 1-of-2 from the line.

Chamberlain added a five-footer from the baseline, and the Wildcats' Jamie Mokofisi got it right back to give them a 56-55 lead. But that was when Provo got to work. Ethline Fa'atoafe swished a pair of free throws to snatch back the lead for her team, and that was no small feat as the 5-foot-7 hard-nosed guard isn't known for her free-throw shooting.

"I can't tell you how hard she's been working on free throws this year. She's shot thousands of free throws in the past two months, and the hard work is paying off," said Green.