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Pitts, Patty steal the Showcase for Montini in OT

Illysse Pitts had never made a game-winning basket before.

Aaliyah Patty had yet to be dominant against a top-notch opponent.

Yet the two Montini seniors enjoyed a day of firsts on Saturday in the Chicagoland Invitational Showcase at Benet.

The Ohio State-bound Patty exploded for 27 points and 11 rebounds, while Pitts added 18 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 49 seconds left in overtime, to lift the Broncos to a 64-63 victory over Milwaukee Rufus King.

Montini (20-1) remained unbeaten against in-state opponents while handing the Generals, who are ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin's largest class, their first defeat.

"That team was so good," said Montini assistant coach Caprice Smith, who took the lead role for head coach Jason Nichols on this occasion. "What we take out of it is we can compete with anybody. It doesn't matter how tough the team is; I think we can compete with anybody."

Patty certainly can if her performance in this game is any indication. The 6-foot-3 forward scored 10 points during a 15-3 run to give the Broncos a 29-22 halftime lead.

Patty was even more dominant in the second half, alternately driving to the basket while also sinking her second and third 3s of the game. It was one of her best performances in a Montini uniform.

"Definitely," Patty said. "When you come against bigger teams you've got to play harder and step up.

"The defensive end is the first part, but I had to do whatever I had to do on the offensive end."

Patty excelled on both ends, teaming with 6-5 center Lindsey Jarosinski, who had 11 points and 7 rebounds, in trying to slow down King's 6-4 junior center, Sydnee Roby. Roby bulled her way to 19 of her 27 points in the second half to rally the Generals (11-1) from a 10-point deficit.

Roby's 3-point play with 16.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter tied the game at 59. Patty missed 2 free throws with 9 ticks left and King's Kaye Clark missed a floater at the buzzer.

Kaye's jumper gave King the first lead in overtime, but Frankie Kokkines made 2 foul shots for the Broncos. Roby's 2 free throws put King back in front with 1:03 left, but Pitts took a pass and drained a 3 from the right wing to finish the scoring with 49 seconds left.

"What happened was when we got them on the scramble," said Pitts, a Valparaiso recruit. "I was wide open, so I was like, 'I need to hit this shot,' and that's what I did.

"That's the first time I've ever hit a game-winner. It's amazing, especially since we were in OT. It was time for me to step up."

The Generals took four shots down the stretch but came up empty. Clark's floater rimmed out and Pitts rebounded just before the buzzer.

"Illysse is one of our best shooters and she stepped up when she had to," Patty said. "She does that a lot, so we're grateful that she stepped up and made that shot at the end.

"But there are things we have to do in the game before so that we don't get that close at the end."

Indeed, the Broncos won despite 27 turnovers and 16 missed free throws, including 4 straight by Patty, who knows better than to let success go to her head.

"I've always told myself I'm happy with where I'm at, but I'm not satisfied," Patty said. "So I've got to do more. I'll never be satisfied, but that's my motto. That keeps me going."

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