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Carmel knocks off Burlington Cenral in 2 OTs

The magical storybook finish wasn't meant to be for Elana Wells.

Wells, Burlington Central's prolific senior guard, left the first quarter of Burlington's 52-50 eventual double overtime loss to Carmel Friday with a right ankle injury.

The competitor in her wouldn't quit until the end, as she returned by the second quarter.

Of all the major plays she made to will the Rockets to overtime in the first place, though, Wells' two missed free throws in the first overtime period might linger for a while.

Up 48-46 with 39 seconds left, Wells missed the first one-and-one free throw opportunity. The ensuing Carmel possession, Wells forced a turnover and eventually was fouled again with 12.6 seconds remaining for the second go-round.

It clanked around the rim, but frustratingly fell off to the side.

"As a senior, I made some big plays to get us back in the game and to get us into overtime, but I've got to knock down those free throws," said Wells, who had 11 points and 7 rebounds. "It comes down to that. They're [Carmel] a good team and I got to give them props."

"She's a 75% free throw shooter, our best free throw shooter [and] our biggest leader, that's just the game, though, sometimes," Central coach Collin Kalamatas said. "Even the best in the world can't be 100%. I think she did plenty of things to keep us in it ... for a kid that sprains her ankle and comes back [says a lot about her.]"

Carmel guard Emma Berg then raced the opposite direction and drove to the hoop. Taylor Charles and her outstretched hand blocked it with just seconds remaining. Berg, however, made her final shot count by swishing a jumper off the inbound to force double overtime.

Central junior Becca Carani opened the second OT with a layup, but Carmel's Ashley Schlabowske drained a 3-pointer to put the Corsairs up 51-50 with 1:35 left. Rylie DuVal sneaked in for a steal and led Carani for a layup, but it was missed.

With 7.4 seconds left, Carmel failed to get the inbound pass in, turning it over for a final chance for the Rockets. Avery Andersen barely missed a 3 and Carmel's Jordan Wood, who finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, made 1-of-2 free throws to cap off the win for the Corsairs (3-8).

"That's the word I'd use: 'grit,' " Carmel coach Ben Berg said. "They've been awesome all year. We haven't won a lot, but we've played a lot of good teams like Burlington Central. They keep fighting, keep fighting [and] keep showing resiliency. [I'm] so proud of them."

Central (10-2) will now turn its attention to the Fox Valley Conference tournament where it is the No. 1 seed. Charles had 14 points, 6 rebounds and 4 blocks for the Rockets. Andersen added 12 points - all on 3s - and Carani had 6 points.

"I think our defense is what keeps us in close games like that," Wells said. "We have a lot of fight and a lot of energy, and we're willing to take risks to jump those passes. And, I think our girls did a good job on the defensive end."

Wood, a 6-foot-5 sophomore, scored 7 of her final points in the fourth quarter and overtimes. Grace Sullivan had 14 points and 7 rebounds while Schlabowske had 9 points.

"For someone with her length, to be able to handle the ball and see the floor like she does, you don't see people who are sophomores that can do that," Berg said of Wood. "So, she's got a bright future ahead of her."

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