For a while, it looked like the Tigers (11-5, 7-0) were on their way to a comfortable win. Following an 18-8 run, they led 52-36 with just under nine minutes left in the game. But after a few possessions, the Polars woke up, and it started with their pressure defense, which led to South turning the ball over and forcing quick shots.

McGuire said the Tigers played as a young team with the lead, and losing control of the pace is what allowed the Polars to stay in the game.

“I think their offense is based, when I watch and scout them, they’re really based on an up-and-down game, getting quick shots and playing in that fast tempo game,” he said. “When you’re not working the clock at all, it lets the team that’s down 16 [points] in the second half get back into it.”

The Polars (10-4, 5-2) ramped up the energy in the final minutes, a surge that was led by Alani Pettis. After almost every Tiger turnover or miss, North looked to Pettis to create on offense, and she was successful more times than not. She fed off the energy from North fans and continued to will the Polars back by making shot after shot that routinely came after beating multiple defenders.

Pettis finished with a team-high 21 points, the same amount she scored in the first matchup against South this season. This all came off the bench, as Pettis didn’t start the game due to what North coach Mike Friestleben call a personal team issue.

Her performance near the end of the game was nothing shocking to her coach.

“She took over and that’s what we expected from her,” he said.

McGuire called Pettis one of the better players in the conference, but it was his star player, Jade Hill, who had the biggest impact on the game. She controlled both sides of the floor for the Tigers, finishing with 22 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals. She also wanted the ball in her hands near the end of the game so she could get fouled and ice the victory at the free-throw line.

“For me, I have to step up as a leader, and not get frustrated and not panic when they come back and make it a close game,” she said. “I think staying poised and making better decisions is how we pulled out the win.”

Dealing with pressure is nothing new for Hill, as she’s expected to live up to the play of her older sisters, Morgan and Tayler, the latter being the No. 3 all-time leading scorer in state history with 3,888 points.

“I’m just trying to continue the legacy and play well,” Hill said.

Jade is joined by her younger sister, Angel, on this year’s South team, keeping the Hill bloodline in Minneapolis, which makes McGuire thankful.

“I think it’s a really classy thing that they decide to stay at Minneapolis South,” he said. “Having them in our program has really been one of the main reasons we’ve had so much success.”