Bohnenkamper's Buzzer Beater Lifts Lady TigersA dramatic ending left fans at the Tiger Den very happy as they went home Thursday night.
Warsaw senior Emma Bohnenkamper hit a shot as time expired to secure the Lady Tigers’ 28-26 win over Northern Lakes Conference foe NorthWood in the regular season finale.
Bohnenkamper, playing the final home game of her prep career, had the ball at the top of the key and was able to make her way down the lane and shake off a couple defenders. With the echoes of teammates counting down the clock, she banked it off the glass as time expired, capturing the victory for the hosts.
“(Coach) told me to get a full head of steam and go toward the basket,” Bohnenkamper said. “It was a great way to end my last home game.”
The Lady Tigers (14-8, 5-2 NLC) found themselves ahead 10-4 at the end of the first quarter. Junior Maddie Ryman and Bohnenkamper contributed three points each in the first eight minutes of action.
Warsaw’s defense was able to slow down 6-foot-1 NorthWood senior Savannah Feenstra in the first quarter. She shot 20 percent from the floor that period.
“I thought it was a great defensive game on both ends of the floor,” said Warsaw coach Lenny Krebs.
The Lady Panthers (15-8 5-2 NLC) doubled their output from the first quarter, managing to add eight points against Warsaw’s stellar defense in the second stanza.
The Lady Tigers saw their lead shrink from 12-4 at one point, to tied at 12 halftime. Warsaw has been in that situation before, having to play in a tight game, helping the girls prepare for the state tournament.
Beginning the second half all tied up, Warsaw saw its first deficit of the game, trailing by three near the end of the third quarter. Ryman scored five of her 11 points in the period, helping the team end the quarter tied at 21.
The final eight minutes of play saw two ties and the exciting finish. Bohnenkamper’s only basket in the quarter came in the final second of the game.
Playing in that type of game will help Warsaw prepare to take on NLC opponent Concord in next week’s sectional.
“It was a playoff atmosphere,” Krebs said. “Cant really simulate a playoff atmosphere, but this is as close as you can come.”
Warsaw and the Lady Panthers end the season tied for second in the NLC.
Bohnenkamper ended her regular season career for the Lady Tigers with seven points, Ryman netted 11 and Brielle Harrison grabbed 11 boards.
Feenstra ended the game with 10 points for NorthWood, and junior Kenzie Bergman added eight.
The Lady Tigers will play Concord Wednesday in the first game of Class 4A Sectional 4 at Concord High School.
