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Koenen's buzzer beater sends Shakopee to section finals

By Justin Magill, Sport Ngin, 03/08/14, 10:30AM CST

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Taylor Koenen's half-court shot at the buzzer sinks Chaska


Shakopee guard Taylor Koenen goes up for two of her 24 points that included the game winner in a Sabers 60-59 win over Chaska at Apple Valley High School. Photo by Rick Orndorf

Shakopee's Taylor Koenen did something on Saturday she has never done before.

Her coach, Juan Mithcell never witnessed what he saw in person until now.

"I've seen it on ESPN, but never before in person," he said.

The Sabers' season looked like it was all but done in their Class 4A, Section 2 matchup against Chaska.

Shakopee was trailing by two and inbounding the ball after a Hawks free throw. Chaska was already in celebration mode after rallying from five points down, high-fiving and hugging each other.

Shakopee inbounded the ball to Koenen with 2 seconds left and she unleashed one last shot from half court.

Swish!

"It felt good when it left my hand," Koenen said. "It was looking better and better as it was getting closer."

No doubt about it. Koenen knocked it down with a body in front of her, scoring the final of her 24 points in the No. 2-seeded Sabers 60-59 win over three-seed Chaska in the section semifinals on Saturday at Apple Valley High School.

"It feels amazing," an ecstatic Koenen said. "I still can't hear with all the screaming that is going on."

Understandably so as her buzzer-beater from half court sent a piercing scream throughout the gym as fans rushed the court. Even her coach couldn't resist the urge to join the swarm.

"I was just looking for somebody to high-five or hug," Mitchell said. "As a coach, you just can't help but be excited about an ending like that."

Koenen has been a varsity regular since she was in the eighth grade, and as a sophomore she has already been placed in about every situation possible.

"I think we saw how special she was a couple of years ago," Mitchell said. "Now we are seeing even more of it. You look in the crowd and there are D1 coaches already looking at her. She is a nightmare to match up against. If there is a big post player, we will put her on the perimeter. A smaller player, we will have her post up."

Koenen was in a battle with Chaska's Ellie Thompson, who used her size in the post to score a game-high 35 points.

It was not enough as Koenen got the last shot to send the Sabers to the section finals against Bloomington Kennedy on Friday.

"All we ask for is an opportunity," Mitchell said. "We got the ball to our best player, and there is nobody else that I would want to have in that spot. She had a shot and knocked it down."

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