Batavia stuns Geneva on Orman's buzzer-beater
For someone who normally stays out of the spotlight, Bethany Orman stepped into it just in time Friday.
Batavia's senior point guard took an inbounds pass at midcourt with 5.9 seconds remaining and drove left all the way into the lane to hit a game-winning 8-foot runner at the buzzer, giving the Bulldogs a 57-56 victory.
Like Hannah Frazier, Orman is a four-year starter. While Frazier just became the school's all-time leading scorer, Orman does all the little things — pass, defend, rebound — to help Batavia win, and she sometimes gets overlooked.
“Of course I'm glad somebody made it but I'm especially glad it's Bethany,” said Batavia coach Kevin Jensen. “There's not a lot of notoriety but she's one of the best point guards in the area. It was awesome seeing her bury that shot.”
It was a fitting ending to a game that had everything including 5 lead changes in the final 3:46. Margaret Whitley looked like she would be the hero with a drive similar to Orman's that gave Geneva a 56-55 lead with 10 seconds left.
But Batavia had the final shot, and Jensen drew up a play with options that included screening the screener to try to free Frazier at the top of the key or Jess Koch in the corner, or get the ball to Orman and let her create.
“It was awesome,” said Orman, who was swarmed by teammates and fans after sinking the shot. “I just knew we needed to stay calm. I knew I had to make a quick move to the basket and I'm glad I got it up there in time.”
The win ties No. 5 Batavia (22-5, 10-1) with No. 4 Geneva (19-4, 10-1) for the Upstate Eight River lead. Both teams have one game remaining.
The stars on both teams came to play especially inside where Geneva junior Grace Loberg stuffed the stat sheet with 23 points, 17 rebounds, 4 blocks and 4 steals.
Frazier countered with 27 points and 7 rebounds, becoming the second Batavia player with 1,000 career rebounds. She took Loberg away from the basket to nail three 3-pointers; Batavia made nine as a team and needed every one to stun a Geneva team that beat them by 20 in December.
“I told them we need six 3s to win,” Jensen said. “Last game there was a lot of nervous energy, myself included. I think this was kind of the opposite.”
Batavia certainly did have to keep its cool down the stretch after Geneva appeared ready to steal a game the Bulldogs led nearly the entire night.
Up 18-10 after one quarter, 31-25 at halftime, 46-34 in the third quarter and 48-41 heading to the fourth, Batavia suddenly found itself in a precarious position when Frazier was whistled for her third and fourth fouls in a 36-second span.
Frazier went to the bench with 6:09 left and Batavia up 50-45. Stephanie Hart drove for a basket, Maddie Yelle scored on a layup and Loberg sank 2 free throws for a 6-0 Geneva run and a 51-50 lead with 3:46 left.
Frazier re-entered and went coast-to-coast for a 3-point play. Loberg came right back with a 3-point play of her own for a 54-53 Geneva lead.
Orman's drive put Batavia up 55-54 with 2:20 left, a lead that held until Whitley — whose sister Taylor was inducted into the Geneva Hall of Fame at halftime of the boys game — scored in traffic with 10 seconds to go.
Whitley finished with 14 points, Hart had 9 and Yelle 7; Elena Cabrera added 7 for Batavia.
“Good for them, it was a good shot for her (Orman),” Geneva coach Sarah Meadows said. “Our kids dug deep, they made a great comeback. The place was going nuts. Hopefully we get another shot at them in about two weeks (in sectionals). We're even.”