HOLT — Carly Dennis and has a next play motto.
So when she missed a pair of free throws that could have given the DeWitt girls basketball team the lead, she shook it off and was ready for the next opportunity.
That mindset paid dividends as she helped the Panthers earn an opportunity to play for a second straight regional with their 39-38 victory over Sturgis.
Dennis took advantage of an offensive rebound by Golden Nicholson to hit the go-ahead basket as she was fouled immediately following those missed free throws. She followed by hitting the free throw to complete the three-point play with 1:58 to play.
DeWitt also had Sophia Beland and Nicholson each split a pair of free throws in the final 31.9 seconds and held on from there.
Sturgis hit a deep jump shot as time expired but it was ruled a two instead of the 3 it needed.
“We just told everybody to exhale,” DeWitt coach Bill McCullen said. “That was more stressful than we would have liked. I give all the credit to Sturgis. They are a really good team. They weren’t 20-3 by accident. They have a really good defense and some great athletes on that team. I thought we played a little tight at times but made some plays late in the fourth quarter that were the difference down the stretch.”
DeWitt led a majority of the game but Sturgis took a 34-33 lead on a basket by Kinder Smith with 5:41 to play.
Dennis pulled DeWitt even when she split a pair of free throws with 3:45 to play. The game remained tied at 34 until Dennis’ converted the three-point play with 1:58 to play.
“That was really big,” said Dennis, who finished with 13 points. “We were kind of in a lull and I feel like that helped everybody get that intensity back up and finish out the game.”
DeWitt advances to face CAAC Blue rival Holt in the regional final Wednesday, March 11.
Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway and Bluesky @briancalloway.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: DeWitt girls basketball gets past Sturgis in regional semifinal
Reporting by Brian Calloway, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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