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Girls basketball: MVP Grace Carroll, Ottawa dethrone Metamora for tourney title

Pirates win first title since 2013 in double-OT thriller vs. Redbirds

By Charlie Ellerbrock
Grace Carroll (5) works against the defense of Metamora's Ella Russell on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, at Ottawa's Kingman Gym.

Grace Carroll (5) works against the defense of Metamora's Ella Russell on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, at Ottawa's Kingman Gym. (Tom Sistak)

OTTAWA – In the 12 days since the Lady Pirates Holiday Tournament was postponed because of inclement weather, Ottawa had only one thing on its mind, and it wasn’t what they were getting for Christmas.

The only concern was to be prepared and ready to do whatever it had to do to beat a bigger, more physical and perhaps more athletic Metamora team.

When the tournament resumed at Kingman Gym on Monday night, they were ready, mentally and physically.

The Pirates trailed for the first three quarters, using patient offense and aggressive defense to stay within striking distance until a bucket by Kendall Lowery gave them their first lead late in the fourth quarter. They had the Redbirds on the ropes in overtime before a running, banked 3-pointer at the buzzer by Katy Ramage sent the game into a second OT.

A drive in the lane by all-tournament pick Marlie Orlandi and a free throw by tournament MVP Grace Carroll set them on a course to come away with a thrilling 51-46 victory over Metamora for the tournament championship.

It was a one-possession game with 9.7 seconds left in the second OT when a worn and weary Carroll scored the last of her game-best 18 points from the stripe, a spot that had been so unkind (8 of 25) to the Pirates the entire night.

“We knew going in it was going to be a good game, that they were big and strong, but the delay in the tournament definitely helped us,” Carroll said. “We had more time, and we prepped for them from the first day back from Christmas, and Coach Moore had us prepared really well for them. Worth the wait, definitely.

“I don’t really have any thoughts about this right now,” she said, tapping the MVP trophy. “All I know is that I wouldn’t have it if it weren’t for all my teammates. I wouldn’t have it without them.”

Ottawa's Hailey Larsen (15) shoots while being defended by Metamora's Shealyn Terry (12) on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, at Ottawa's Kingman Gym.

Ottawa's Hailey Larsen (15) shoots while being defended by Metamora's Shealyn Terry (12) on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, at Ottawa's Kingman Gym. (Tom Sistak)

Orlandi had 11 points and Hailey Larsen 11 rebounds in the victory, earning Ottawa’s 12th title of its own tournament and first since 2013 by dethroning the two-time defending champion Redbirds.

“We talk about trying to have a championship mentality,” Ottawa coach Brent Moore said. “We had a week off to prepare for them, and [the team] took that to heart, and tonight we were both physically and mentally prepared to do this.

“I’m not sure I want to know what we were from the line, but our defense did it for us.”

A seven-point second quarter by Hailey Larsen allowed the Pirates to stay within two points at the half, and a six-point run fueled by two Carroll converted steals made it 23-all midway through the third quarter.

It wasn’t until Carroll made a 3 and then fed Lowery for a layup after a turnover that Ottawa finally led 36-35. A free throw by Izzy Vanderschraef with 39.5 seconds left in the fourth tied it at 36.

Despite their atrocious free-throw shooting, Ottawa managed a 41-38 lead and missed two chances to close it out. After the second, Ramage launched a running, banked 40-foot 3-pointer with Carroll in her face at the buzzer to tie the game at 44.

“That shot was pretty sweet,” Metamora coach Kyle Weyeneth said. “We always end our walkthroughs with a rainbow shot, to see who could make the deepest shot, and tonight those came in handy.”

But in the second overtime, shots by Orlandi and Carroll and later a Larsen basket with 54.1 remaining set the Pirates lead at 49-46. Ottawa threw the ball away with 16.6 to go, but it went off a Metamora player, and Ottawa retained the ball for Carroll’s two tosses with 9.7 left.

“Ottawa runs really good stuff, and they freed themselves up right around the basket maybe a little more frequently than we did, credit them,” Weyeneth said. “This was everything you could want and wish for in a championship game from both sides. If you’re a fan of basketball, and you were here tonight, you definitely had to like everything you saw.”

Marlie Orlandi (22) leans and shoots against Metamora on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, at Ottawa's Kingman Gym.

Marlie Orlandi (22) leans and shoots against Metamora on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, at Ottawa's Kingman Gym. (Tom Sistak)

Newark 50, Pontiac 37: In what amounted to the tournament’s fifth-place contest, Newark posted a 15-8 second quarter to take control. All-tournament selection Addison Ness popped in 14 points to lead the Norsemen to the victory. Kiara Wesseh added 12 points for the winners.

IVC 43, Streator 12: In the consolation bracket’s final game, the Bulldogs fell behind 11-4 in the first period and never caught up, placing 12th despite eight points from Cailey Gwaltney.