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Clutch at the line: MCHS girls win on last-second free throw

Joshua Gordon
Moffat County senior Annie Sadvar goes up for a shot Thursday in the opening round of the Steamboat Shootout tournament in Steamboat Springs. The Bulldogs eeked out a win in the game, advancing to today's semifinals.
Joel Reichenberger

Box score from the Moffat County High School girls varsity basketball team’s game Thursday against D’Evelyn High School in the Steamboat Springs Shootout:

(1st — 2nd — 3rd — 4th — final)

• Moffat County: 15 — 21 — 11 — 15 — 62

• D’Evelyn: 13 — 21 — 17 — 10 — 61

MCHS leading scorers:

(Name — points)

• Annie Sadvar — 22

• Melissa Camilletti — 19

• Makayla Camilletti — 10

• Lisa Camilletti — 6

• Tori Snyder — 3

Box score from the Moffat County High School girls varsity basketball team’s game Thursday against D’Evelyn High School in the Steamboat Springs Shootout:

(1st — 2nd — 3rd — 4th — final)

• Moffat County: 15 — 21 — 11 — 15 — 62

• D’Evelyn: 13 — 21 — 17 — 10 — 61



MCHS leading scorers:

(Name — points)

• Annie Sadvar — 22



• Melissa Camilletti — 19

• Makayla Camilletti — 10

• Lisa Camilletti — 6

• Tori Snyder — 3

When Lisa Camilletti drove to the hoop Thursday against D’Evelyn High School, the Moffat County High School girls varsity basketball team trailed 61-59.

With less than 15 seconds left, the MCHS junior’s shot attempt was blocked and D’Evelyn rebounded, leaving the Bulldogs with no choice but to immediately foul.

All hope looked lost for the Bulldogs in the opening round of the Steamboat Springs Shootout.

However, the D’Evelyn player missed her first shot on the one-and-one and MCHS rebounded.

Lisa found herself at the top of the key, again with the ball, and drove into the paint just as she had seconds before.

Only this time, the ball found the basket and the junior was headed to the free throw line for a chance to put her team up by one with 5 seconds left.

With determination in her eyes, Lisa dropped the free throw and after a last-ditch effort by D’Evelyn, the Bulldogs walked off the court with a 62-61 victory.

“It felt pretty good to make that shot, but I was really nervous,” Lisa said after the game. “I knew we had to score, and Annie (Sadvar) gave me the ball and I had no choice but to go up with it.

“I wanted to stay calm, so I just took my shot.”

In a game that went back and forth until the end, head coach Matt Ray said his players were more than ready to rise to the occasion.

“This is a group of tough-headed girls that don’t like to lose,” he said. “They didn’t quit and when they got down, we had kids step up. Tori (Snyder) played a great game and Lisa did everything we asked her to.”

The Bulldogs went down 4-0 to start the game, but fought back to take a 15-13 lead after the first quarter.

After D’Evelyn took a 22-20 lead, senior Annie Sadvar scored 11 straight Bulldog points to send MCHS into the break up, 36-34.

In the third quarter, it was senior Melissa Camilletti’s turn to lead the team.

Melissa scored on three consecutive drives to tie the game at 46-46.

While the Bulldogs trailed entering the fourth quarter, 51-47, Ray said it was his seniors’ leadership that kept the team in the game.

“Our seniors were key and Annie could not be stopped inside,” he said. “(Annie) played her best game of the season so far and she took control and scored on some easy lay-ups for her. Both seniors stepped up when they needed to, and neither let down or backed down all game.”

The Bulldogs trailed by as many as five points in the fourth quarter, but it was Sadvar and Melissa that brought them back before Lisa’s game winner.

Sadvar led the team with 22 points and Melissa added 19.

Junior Makayla Camilletti had 10 points and Lisa put in six for the Bulldogs.

For a team that usually uses their 3-point shooting to beat opponents, the Bulldogs only hit three from beyond the arc Thursday.

Ray said winning a game without the 3-pointers was a huge statement for his team.

“(D’Evelyn) put pressure on us and the three was not open,” he said. “They are a fast team and quick enough to take away our pass lanes, so we had to transition the game down into the post and it worked.”

The Bulldogs will play Fossil Ridge High School, who beat Green River in the first round, 48-32, at 8:15 p.m. today for a spot in the championship game Saturday.

Coming off such an emotional victory, Lisa said she isn’t worried about a letdown today.

“We played a good game against one of the hardest teams we will probably see all season,” she said. “We have to come out with the same intensity (today) and play our hardest.”


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