Bullman, Grayslake Central finish Lake Zurich in OT
It's often been said in sports that it's not how you start, but how you finish.
Grayslake Central sophomore forward Kate Bullman probably believes that now more than ever.
She was down about her play before Tuesday's game at Lake Zurich even started.
"In warmups, I couldn't hit any shots really," Bullman said. "I went into this game not feeling very confident. And I (started off) not hitting many shots."
Bullman had only 2 points at halftime and a handful of misses, including a 3-point attempt that didn't hit anything.
But no one will be talking about how Bullman started. They will, however, be talking about how she finished.
Bullman had not one, but two big finishes as she pushed Grayslake Central to a 34-32 nonconference win over Lake Zurich in overtime.
Bullman helped Grayslake Central cut an 11-point deficit in the third quarter to just two points late in the fourth quarter. She then sent the game to overtime when she nonchalantly drained a 3-pointer as time expired in regulation.
"The play wasn't even for me. It was for (teammate) Rosie (Drevline)," Bullman said. "But I remember coach saying (during a timeout) that someone needed to shoot the ball if we got down to three seconds left. I saw there were three seconds left, and I had the ball, so I just shot it."
Then, with time in overtime quickly ticking away and the score tied at 32, Grayslake Central put some pressure on Lake Zurich and forced a turnover at halfcourt. Bullman streaked down the floor, hauled in a pass from teammate Jordyn Gosell and converted on a layup as time expired.
Two clutch buzzer-beaters.
"Not that I can remember ... and nothing that big," Bullman said when asked if she's ever hit a buzzer beater. "Was not expecting that at all. But you've got to do what the team needs."
Bullman finished with a team-high 11 points. Drevline added 10 points, including two 3-pointers.
"Those were real clutch shots (by Bullman) and we were talking about that just now," Grayslake Central coach Steve Ikenn said of his post-game meeting with his players in the locker room. "But (Bullman) was the first one to say in the locker room that '(her teammates) made the steal and made the passes to me.'"
Lake Zurich seemed to have the Rams in a tough spot in the third quarter.
Grayslake Central managed only 1 field goal in the period. Meanwhile, the Bears, up 26-15 late in the third quarter, got 7 of their 12 points from starter McKenna Zobel, who sat much of the first half in foul trouble.
She finished with a team-high 10 points, and was the only Lake Zurich player in double-figures.
"We played very single basketball today," Zobel said. "We weren't playing very well as a team. Our coach (Chris Bennett) said he's never seen us play like that."
Lake Zurich was hampered by turnovers throughout the game, but particularly when Grayslake Central was cutting down its deficit in the fourth quarter.
"When you don't show up with focus, it's hard to win basketball games," Bennett said. "A lot of turnovers. Credit (Grayslake Central) because they put the pressure on and that forced us into some bad decisions."