Chiefs Storm Back to Stun Wamogo

Nothing can test a team’s true character like facing adversity. What the Lady Chiefs faced on Tuesday would give anyone the white-knuckle treatment.

Nonnewaug faced a double-digit deficit not once but twice and both times they starred down the barrel of adversity and came out on top. The Lady Chiefs stunned Wamogo earning a real seat grabber in a 49-45 victory improving to 6-4 on the season.

Wamogo came out and almost ran the Chiefs right out of their own gym taking a commanding 13-2 lead. Nonnewaug didn’t have an answer for Caycee Williams (19 points, 20 rebounds) who scored eight first period points for Wamogo.

With 1:33 left in the period the Chiefs began to hammer the nails out, and what resulted had the Wamogo fans rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Nonnewaug took over the game going on a 17-3 tear in a span of seven minutes. When the smoke cleared the Chiefs were on top 19-16.

It was the fearless inside play of Madie Losure (7 points, 8 rebounds) and Madie Haskins (5 points, 6 rebounds) that stemmed the tide. Losure hit a turn around jumper in the lane to get things going.

Caitlin Drakeley (21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals) went coast-to-coast on a turnover and her basket cut the deficit at 15-7 heading into the second period.

The Chiefs weren’t through just yet as Katie Burke (14 points, 6 rebounds) filled the lane with an under handed scoop shot that rippled the net. Drakeley took it the length of the floor and Burke drained a pair at the line.

Nonnewaug then used a pass happy possession to tie the game. Drakeley took an inbound pass from Haskins and fired down court to Burke at the top of the key. Burke threw a no look pass to Erin South (6 assists) who cut across the lane and laid it in off the window.

Wamogo coach Kevin Crowley was beside himself as he called a hasty timeout. It did little to slow down the run and gun Chiefs as Drakeley hit an old fashion three getting a running one hander to go in the lane and then hit the ensuing foul shot and just like that Nonnewaug was on top 19-16 with 2:44 left in the half.

“We just started to run our offense,” said Nonnewaug head coach John Somero. “At the start of the game we weren’t looking for our shots and they just kept packing it inside. Once we calmed down and started to run our offense everything just started to click.”

Wamogo came out in the third period and made the adjustment. After Drakeley took one down the lane for a bucket Wamogo went on a tear of their own.

They went on to hold the Chiefs scoreless for the remainder of the period as they jumped back in front by a 35-26 margin heading into the final period. Williams was getting a lot of help from Kerri Stolle (11 points) and Megan Layman (8 points, 6 rebounds).

It didn’t get any better when Stolle drilled a shot from the corner to push the lead out to 37-26. Down by double digits for the second time in the game the Chiefs were running out of time.

Someone needed to break the spell, and that someone was Burke, who stepped back behind the arc and buried a three. It was the first basket since the opening of the third period.

Wamogo came down the floor and threw down a put-back only to have Burke again find nothing but net on a three pointer from the key.

Losure went down the lane for two and suddenly there was light at the end of the tunnel and the Chiefs were within striking distance of the lead, trailing 41-36 with 3:45 to play.

“They went to a 2-3 zone and I told the girls you have to look for your shot,” said Somero. “That’s when Burke got us going with those three pointers.”

Drakeley kicked it up a notch and delivered nine of her points in the final two minutes of the game to put the Chiefs back on top. A pull-up jumper and a lay up down in the lane cut the deficit at 42-40 with 1:56 to go.

Wamogo got a little breathing room on a put-back only to have Burke hit both ends of a one and one for a 44-42 deficit. Moments later Burke fouled out but Drakeley took over and drilled a three pointer to put the Chiefs on top 45-44.

For the second time in the game Nonnewaug erased a double-digit lead and the Chiefs fans were jumping out of their seats. Wamogo tied the game again but at the other end Haskins hit a gut checking turn-round jumper with a hook shot over Williams to give the lead back to the Chiefs with: 24 seconds left on the clock.

Drakeley came up with a steal and then a rebound to keep Wamogo off the scoreboard. And when it mattered the most Drakeley hit both ends of a one and one to open a 49-45 lead with just: 10 seconds left to play.

Wamogo launched a desperation three and Losure corralled the rebound to secure the victory.

“We wouldn’t have been in that position to win the game if Katie didn’t hit those big three point shots early in the period,” said Drakeley. “We came out a little slow at the start of the game but once we started to run our offense we picked it up. We played hard, we played as a team and we really wanted this game. Down the stretch we came together and made it happen.”