Carl Carchia
Berlin's pressure had gotten to Maloney. The Spartans had coughed up a 10-point second half lead, and the Redcoats seemed poised to win after Chelsea Vujs hit a pair of go-ahead free throws late.
Then heartbreak ensued.
Kelsey Malinowski hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 15 seconds left, sending Maloney to a 46-45 victory at Benjamin P. Nessing Gymnasium on Tuesday.
Vujs' free throws gave Berlin (3-2, 1-1 CCC South) a 45-43 lead with 41 seconds left. But the Spartans (3-1, 1-1), slowed by the Redcoats' full-court press for most of the second half, got the ball to Malinowski in the right hand corner.
Malinowski hesitated, then launched a high-arching 3-pointer over an outstretched arm that hit nothing but net. Berlin had a chance to win it, but Ashley Malloy's desperation 3-pointer hit off the back rim.
Malinowski finished with 22 points. The senior was 12 of 12 from the free throw line, including three that tied the game at 43-43 with 59 seconds left.
"She had a tremendous game," Berlin coach Sheila King said. "She willed them to a win. Hat's off to her."
King was more upset with the Redcoats' effort in the first half than the way the game ended. Berlin was down 27-17 at halftime and trailed by the same margin for most of the second half.
"We can't play like we played in the first half and be down 10," she said. "We've done it too many games now. It's something that has to change. That intensity could be there, and should be there in the first half."
It certainly was in the second half, as Berlin's full-court pressure swung the momentum. Redcoats used a 9-2 run to climb back into the game and actually led twice in the final two minutes.
Maloney coach Amy Gilchrist said she wasn't surprised by the sudden turn of events.
"They are really scrappy team," Gilchrist said. "No matter how much you're up, you know they are coming back."
Vujs (12 points) had a three-point play that tied it a 38-38 with 2:50 left and Bianca Jacques' jumper gave the Redcoats their first lead of the second half 45 seconds later.
"We made some changes," said King of the second-half rally. "We got a great game out of Briana Jacques and Chelsea Vujs made some big baskets."
Malinowski hit a pair of free throws that tied it at 40-40, but Alyssa Barrett answered with a big 3-pointer from the left corner. But Berlin committed the sin of fouling on a 3-pointer and Malinowski made them paying by calmly drilling three free throws that tied it with 59 seconds left.
King called it, "a mistake that shouldn't happen."
Vujs' free throws made it 45-43 before Malinowski came up with the biggest shot of the game.
"I was actually looking for one of my teammates Mya (Rios) but she wasn't open, so I just took it," Malinowski said.
"The hardest shot to make on the court is a three from the corner and she nailed it," Gilchrist said. "I think making a lot of free throws really gave her the confidence to make that shot from the corner."
Still, King was adamant the first half was the difference.
"It's all about the first half," she said. "We didn't show up in the first half and you need to show up on your opponent's floor."
