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Centennial squeezes by Maple Grove 63-60 in overtime finish

By Heather Rule, SportsEngine, 02/23/21, 6:00PM CST

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The Cougars had just 14 points at halftime but clawed back with 49 second-half points to get the victory over the Crimson.

Centennial's Jodi Anderson is fouled by Maple Grove's Sophia Kormann (42) on a drive to the basket. Anderson scored 17 points to lead Centennial. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Centennial's Jodi Anderson is fouled by Maple Grove's Sophia Kormann (42) on a drive to the basket. Anderson scored 17 points to lead Centennial. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Teams playing well at the right time near the end of a season can be key. Or at least it makes a good talking point. On a smaller scale, Centennial girls’ basketball picked the exact right time of the game to play its best basketball against Maple Grove.

Centennial trailed for most of regulation Tuesday until some clutch three-pointers started falling and provided a lead with a little more than 3-1/2 minutes to play.

“We’re never out of the game,” said Centennial senior guard Jodi Anderson. “We’re never going to give up on a game.”

Never giving up served the host Cougars (11-1, 7-0) well as they pulled off the come-from-behind 63-60 victory in overtime against Northwest Suburban Conference rival Maple Grove. The Cougars didn’t even let a buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of regulation from Maple Grove sophomore Kennedy Klick stop their momentum.

Sophomore Megan Stacy (24) puts up the first of her two three-point baskets late in regulation that gave Centennial its first lead of the game. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Sophomore Megan Stacy (24) puts up the first of her two three-point baskets late in regulation that gave Centennial its first lead of the game. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

First Report

A tight, defensive battle throughout, a buzzer-beater and overtime. Just the type of exciting girls’ basketball game one might expect for a couple of closely ranked teams in Class 4A.

Centennial (11-1, 7-0), ranked No. 4 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News, came back from a 24-14 halftime deficit to defeat Northwest Suburban Conference rival and No. 6-4A Maple Grove 63-60 in overtime Tuesday at Centennial High School.

Centennial trailed for most of regulation until four three-pointers from senior Jodi Anderson and sophomore Megan Stacy gave the Cougars the 47-45 lead with under four minutes to play in the second half. Maple Grove’s Kennedy Klick hit a buzzer-beater from long range to tie it 53-53 and force overtime.

The Cougars used eight free throws in overtime to help secure the victory. Anderson scored a game-high 19 points. Kylie Baranick led scoring for the Crimson with 14 points.

The victory marked Centennial’s first against Maple Grove since Feb. 11, 2019; the Crimson (10-2, 4-1) won both meetings last season. Tuesday's game is the only regular season meeting between the two rivals.  

Maple Grove senior Kylie Baranick (12) took the ball to the basket against Centennial's Jenna Guyer in the first half. Baranick led the Crimson with 14 points. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Maple Grove senior Kylie Baranick (12) took the ball to the basket against Centennial's Jenna Guyer in the first half. Baranick led the Crimson with 14 points. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

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