TIPTON - All the ingredients were in place Monday night for a memorable girls basketball game between longtime rivals California and Tipton - and it certainly did not disappoint.
Both teams were coming off tournament championships last week. Both teams were excited and fired up. Both teams had loud and supportive student sections. And, taking their rivalry to heart, both teams fully expected to win.
In a back-and-forth, action-packed game, California had a chance to claim yet another victory over the Lady Cardinals, but the ball didn't cooperate in the closing seconds of overtime, leading to a thrilling 70-69 win and pure jubilation for Tipton's players, coaches and fans.
Trailing by one on its final offensive possession, California guard Elizabeth Lutz attempted two quality jump shots in the final 10 seconds, both amid tough defensive pressure from Tipton, but neither managed to go down for the talented freshman.
"I wouldn't have done anything different," said Lutz, who finished with a game-high 25 points. "The shots just didn't fall."
On the opposite side, the night provided a rare opportunity for Tipton to celebrate a win over its rival. According to head coach Jason Culpepper, the Lady Cardinals had not beaten California in girls basketball for at least 10 years. Before Monday, Tipton's current seniors had not beaten the Lady Pintos at the freshman, junior varsity or varsity levels.