“Crackers” didn’t crumble.
Prospect’s Gabrielle Cottrell drove the right baseline in the final seconds of Friday night’s home game against No. 8 Buffalo Grove.
She cut around a screen from Marie Baker, then laid in the winning basket with four seconds left as the Knights won 69-67 in the Mid-Suburban East.
Cottrell (14 points) converted the Knights’ planned play, which coach Mike Nocella named “Crackers” after a player he coached years ago.
“Marie set a beautiful pick, and once `Gab’ got around the corner and was open, I knew she was going to the hoop strong,” Nocella said. “And no one can stop her when she’s got that one step on somebody.”
Baker led the Knights (7-1, 1-1) with 17 points, Abbie Many had 15 and sophomore Kellyn Bailey 11. Buffalo Grove’s Ashley Sandstead led all scorers with 24.
“This was a huge game,” Cottrell said.
The Knights led 57-44 heading into the final quarter behind a 13-0 third-quarter run. But the Bison (8-1, 1-1) came back, tying the score 61-61 with 3:32 left.
Sandstead split two free throws with 22 seconds left to tie it again 67-67 before the winning play.
