She had already missed two lay-ups that could have possibly sealed the win for Murray. That's why when Murray's Mel White had a chance for another easy basket in overtime, she made sure to take her time.
She slowed down as she neared the basket. She squared her shoulders and then took a two-footed jump step.
"I was so worried that [the defenders] were behind me," said White. "I just didn't want to be out of control."
That basket gave Murray the lead in overtime and eventually, a 51-46 win over Highland. The victory puts the Spartans in a first-place tie with Olympus, who also has a 10-2 region record.
The win was especially exciting for White, who started high school at Highland. Winning on Highland's court with another school name on her uniform was almost surreal for her.
"I was so pumped all day. This win meant a lot," said White, who tied a team high with 12 points. "To me, it was more than just for a region championship."
It was clear there was more on the line than just a region win. The teams traded leads throughout the first quarter. When it finally looked like Murray had gained control, Highland's Mixsa Kafi almost single-handedly brought her team back.
The Spartans broke away in the second quarter for a small 16-10 lead. Then Kafi made two layups and drained a three-pointer to put the Rams ahead 17-16. On the next play, Kafi slipped a pass to Chanel Roe to cap off Highland's run at 9-0.
But it was a team effort that kept Highland in the game. Roe and Beauty Taukalau were effective inside the paint, scoring on easy baskets and off offensive rebounds. And even though Ana Lauti didn't shoot the ball much, she made her shots count. Her second three-pointer, made at the top of the key, tied the game at 43-43 with 14.9 seconds remaining in the game.
Highland keyed in on Mariah Duran, Murray's deadly threat from three-point range, but Murray coach Isaachar Beh was glad to see other players step up. Lyndi Miller made opportune baskets and finished with 12 points and sophomore Maddy Woodard chipped in with eight points.
But in overtime, White didn't want her last memory of playing in Highland's gym to be missing lay-ups and turning the ball over.
"Ame looked tired but I couldn't take her out of the game. This was an emotional game for her. She had the desire," Beh said. "This was a huge game for us. I've been talking about improving as a team and it's important we don't have a letdown. We've got playoffs soon."
