Box Score Box Score

     Freshmen sisters Brianna Wilson and Whitney Wilson (Lowell, MA) combined to score all seven of Salem State's points in overtime to lead the Lady Vikings to a thrilling 71-70 victory over SUNY Oneonta in the championship game of the 2009 Salem State Holiday Basketball Tournament.  Brianna scored 15 of her game-high 19 points in the second half and overtime, as the Lady Vikings (5-4) rallied from a nine-point deficit in the second half.  The Red Dragons (4-5) were led by all-tournament selections #Samantha Szkotak (New York Mills/New York Mills)# and #Erika Puffer (Unadilla/Unatego)#, who finished with 12 points apiece.
     With Oneonta leading 68-67 in the extra frame, Brianna Wilson, who was named tournament MVP, scored in the paint to give Salem State a one-point lead.  The Red Dragons countered on a jumper by sophomore #Madison Slagle (Rome/Rome Catholic)#, but Wilson responded with another bucket to reclaim the advantage.  With 11 seconds left, Szkotak missed the front-end of a one-and-one. Wilson grabbed the rebound - her 16th of the game - and the Lady Vikings were able to run out the clock to secure the victory.
     The two Wilsons almost single-handedly kept Salem State alive in the second half and overtime, scoring 23 of the Lady Vikings' final 32 points.  Salem State trailed 56-47 with just over seven minutes remaining, but tore off a 15-4 run to take its first lead since early in the first half, 62-60. Erica Batchelder (Stoughton, MA), who also earned all-tournament honors, banked in a long three to cap the skein, which included six points from Brianna Wilson.
     Oneonta battled back to tie the score at 64, and each team had an opportunity to win the game in the final minute of regulation.  Szkotak negated the Red Dragons' chances when she was called for an offensive foul as she drove to the hoop, and on the Vikings' ensuing possession, Madeleine Park's (Blue Hill, ME) three-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer.
     Brianna Wilson picked up the slack in place of Salem State's leading scorer, Danielle Jenkins (Marlborough, MA), who was saddled with foul trouble. Jenkins finished with just seven points, before fouling out in overtime.
     The Red Dragons were in control for most of the first half, seizing the lead with a 10-0 run that turned a 12-11 deficit into a 21-12 edge. The Vikings hung around, and closed the gap to two, 32-30, after Batchelder drained a pair of three-pointers in the final minutes. Puffer gave Oneonta some breathing room, however, hitting a three and a buzzer-beating lay-up, as the Red Dragons took a 37-30 lead into the halftime locker room.
     Next up for the Red Dragons is a road trip to Brocin back-to-back SUNYAC contests on January 7th and 8th.