SPRINGFIELD — Anna overcame a 17-point deficit in the third quarter and beat Arcanum 42-40 in a Division III district final on Saturday at Springfield High School. The win earned the program its first district championship since 2015.
The Rockets (20-6) advance to face Versailles in a regional semifinal on Wednesday in Springfield. The Tigers beat Anna 43-39 in a nonconference game on Dec. 26 in Anna.
Arcanum took a 9-2 lead after one period of play led by sophomore Hailey Unger’s seven points, including a 3-pointer and two foul shots, and a Taylor Gray basket.
The Trojans used an Unger 3 to grab its first double-digit lead of the day at 12-2 with 7:11 showing on the second quarter clock. The Rockets used a 9-6 run to close out first quarter scoring sending the teams to the break with Arcanum holding an 18-11 advantage.
The third quarter saw Arcanum take advantage of an 11-1 run to open third quarter play, opening a 17-point advantage at 29-12 with 3:26 on the clock.
The Rockets battled back with smothering full-court pressure to finish the final three minutes of the third quarter with a 14-3 run to make it a 32-26 game heading the final period of play.
Anna scored the first four points of the fourth quarter and trailed 32-30 before Unger drained an Arcanum 3-pointer to push the Trojans lead to 37-32. The Rockets followed with an 8-2 run to get the team’s first lead of the day, 40-39 with 54 seconds left.
A Kayla O’Daniel free throw knotted the score a 40-40 with 26 seconds left only to have Anna senior center Lauren Barhorst hit a bucket with time running out to earn the come-from-behind win.
Both teams accounted for 10 two-point field goals and four 3-pointers. The difference came at the line with Arcanum going 8 for 10 while Anna was two better hitting 10-of-15 free throws.
Unger led Arcanum and all scorers with a game high 22-points. Ella Doseck led the Rockets with 14 points while Kayli Brewer and Lauren Barhorst each scored 10 points.