Girls basketball: Rough third quarter costly as Branson loses a heartbreaker
It’s really a shame that one bad quarter proved to be the undoing for the Branson School girls basketball team.
The Bulls certainly had their chances to keep their season alive for a shot at a second straight CIF state championship but came up two free throws short during a 41-40 upset loss to Colfax in the NorCal Division III semifinal on Saturday night at College of Marin.
“Our fourth quarter was amazing,” said Branson coach Nnenna Okereke. “It’s a really tough loss. I’m going to have to watch and re-watch the film to see what really went wrong in the third quarter.”
Third-seeded Colfax (32-2) shellshocked the Bulls in the third quarter with a 13-0 run. Then second-seeded Branson (20-13) responded with one of its most determined efforts of the season in the final eight minutes only to lose by a point.
The tale of two quarters made for exciting basketball, especially for the loud Colfax fans who made the two-hour drive from Placer County to Kentfield.
Branson had won the Division IV state championship last season and felt good about a return trip to the CIF final despite being elevated to Division III this season. When the Bulls led 27-23 at halftime, things seemed to favor the hosts.
After intermission, the Grizzlies showed why they’ve only lost two games all season. Juliette James, a 5-foot-11 sophomore who finished with a team-high 10 points, began to dominate inside. Guards Gabriella Biittner and Grace Clark combined for 10 points in the third quarter.
By the time the Bulls finally scored on a pair of free throws by Hannah Golan with 1 minute, 57 seconds left in the period, Colfax had jumped ahead 36-29 and then built a 40-33 cushion with eight minutes left to play.
The last period belonged to the Bulls. Hannah Golan — who had a game-high 14 points plus 15 rebounds — and Rosie Slayen, who had 12, did their best to help the Bulls overcome that disappointing third quarter.
Slayen went 4-for-6 from the line and Golan scored a basket and made one of two free throws. But those three missed free throws were costly since Colfax only managed one point over the final eight minutes.
Slayen tied the game 40-40 by making the first of two free throws with 1:14 left before Colfax’s Maycee Heimann went 1-for-2 from the line 20 seconds later for the final margin.
A travel call on the Bulls with 39 seconds left and a frantic offensive rebound by Colfax at the other end of the court prevented Branson from moving on.
“At the end of everything, I’m super proud of how they played,” said Okereke.