Sports
Geneva Celebrates Repeat State Title
Hart landed a game-winning three pointer at Class 4A state championship. She did the same last year to help Geneva claim the state title.
GENEVA, IL – She did it again. For the second year in a row, Geneva's Stephanie Hart landed a game-wining shot during Saturday's Class 4A state championship game. The shot from 14 feet out with three seconds left on the clock helped the Vikings secure a 28-26 win over Montini.
Last year, Geneva claimed the state title over Edwardsville when Hart landed a shot with four seconds left in the game, the Daily Herald reports.
A tweet from IHSA State referred to the feat by Hart and Geneva High as "unlikely to ever be duplicated."
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Geneva High School's Stephanie Hart accomplished a feat that is unlikely to ever be duplicated when she used a last second shot to win an @IHSAState Championship for the second year in a row! See the shots here: https://t.co/PNIKUKZ7OO #IHSA #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/Z1CuxiZpLp
— IHSA State (@IHSAState) March 5, 2018
Leading up to Saturday's game-winning play, there was 20.3 seconds left when Geneva High Coach Sarah Meadows called a timeout, the Aurora Beacon-News reports. She drew up a play that had senior guard Margaret Whitley, and Hart – a duo that has played ball together since fourth grade – teaming up to secure the win.
The Aurora Beacon-News reports:
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They had to execute the inbounds play with 6.8 seconds left, though, as Montini (34-3) twice took fouls because they were not in the bonus and couldn't send Geneva (31-3) to the free-throw line.
Hart passed to Whitley, who feinted a drive left from the left wing, drawing defenders to her. Whitley then passed back to Hart, who drove inside the 3-point line and sank the shot.
Before landing that three-pointer, Geneva had not lead Montini since late in the first quarter, according to the Daily Herald. The Vikings typically thrive when it comes to three-pointers but only made four of the 22 taken during Saturday's game. Geneva senior Maddy Yelle is credited for helping to keep the game close.
The Daily Herald reports: " Yelle played as big of role as anyone, coming up with 4 steals including 3 that led to breakaway layups -- much needed easy baskets on a night nothing came easily."
After landing their second state win, the Geneva High School girls basketball team returned home to plenty of fanfare on Sunday. A homecoming celebration was held at Graham's Chocolate Sunday afternoon.
@GHS_girls_bball #IHSA State Championship homecoming! Thank you Geneva! Great turnout and support. #Geneva304 pic.twitter.com/cuvCYHSac9
— Geneva HS Athletics (@GHS_ILathletics) March 4, 2018
The girls basketball team started off their week back to school parading through the halls behind the school's marching band. They received applause from their fellow students.
Not a bad way to start a week!!#IHSA #state champs #geneva304 pic.twitter.com/LfGhVZQAYL
— Geneva HS Athletics (@GHS_ILathletics) March 5, 2018
While many are amazed by Hart's feat at state, Coach Sarah Meadows said she wasn't completely surprised.
"That's what she does," Meadows told the Daily Herald. "She is chill, calm, composed the whole time. I don't expect her to miss that shot any day.
"It's incredible. When that shot went in I was, 'Oh my gosh. Did that just happen?'"
More via the Daily Herald and Aurora Beacon News
Photo via YouTube
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