Saline Girls' Stay Alive with OT Win in District Opener

Saline sophomore Ayla Stager picked the right time to have what might be the biggest game of her career Tuesday night to help the Hornets rally to take down Wayne Memorial 41-38 in overtime at the D1 district at Saline.

Time and time again the sophomore center came up with the big play when the Hornets needed it and finished with a double-double of 10 points and ten rebounds on the night. Her biggest shot of the night came in the overtime period with the game knotted at 35. Saline missed a free throw, but Stager was there for the rebound and put back to put the Hornets up by two and they would not trail again. 

"Ayla really stepped up all game, making timely baskets in the 2nd half for us," Coach Leigh Ann Roehm said. 

Stager opened the scoring in the first, but Wayne Memorial came out hot from beyond the arch with four triples in the quarter. The Zebras hit a shot at the buzzer to take a 15-11 lead after one. 

Both defenses locked down in the second with each team struggling to buy a basket and another buzzer beater by Wayne put the Zebras up 19-16 at the break.

The Hornets offense woke up early in the third with back-to-back baskets by Kadyn Maida and a basket by Stager to put Saline up 22-19, but the offense once again went cold and the Zebras battled back for a 24-22 lead after three.

Kadyn Maida scored six in the first half to help keep Saline close to Wayne Memorial. Photo by Mike Williamson

Saline had not hit a three-pointer all night, but that changed in the fourth.

Keira Roehm sank the Hornets first triple of the game to put Saline up 25-24 and the teams would go back and forth for most of the fourth quarter.

Stager continued her big night with a triple of her own to put Saline up two, only to have Wayne answered with a triple to retake the lead 29-28.

A free throw by Stager tied the game at 29 and Roehm followed with her second three to put the Hornets up 32-29.

Wayne Memorial once again answered with a 6-0 run for a three-point

Hadley Griffin's triple tied the game with just over a minute left to send the game into overtime. Photo by Mike Williamson

lead 35-32, but Saline would tie it up with a triple by Hadley Griffin to make it 39 all with just over a minute remaining. 

Neither team would score in the final minute and the game went into overtime.

Stagers huge rebound and putback put Saline up by two and Maida followed with a pair of free throws to push the lead to 39-35.

The Zebras hit a basket to make it 39-37 and then split a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 39-38. 

Roehm was fouled with just over ten seconds left and calmly stepped to the line and sank both for a 41-38 lead and the Hornets would hold on for the win to advance to the district finals Friday night.

Maida finished with a team-high 12 points and seven rebounds.

Roehm added 11 points, including the free throws that sealed the win in the final seconds and grabbed five rebounds.

Griffin added five points and four rebounds, Kate Stemmer two points, four assists, and six rebounds, and Bailey Burt one point and four rebounds.

The Hornets improved to 19-4 overall on the season. They will host D1 fourth-ranked Belleville in the district finals Friday night at 7:00 PM.

Photos by Mike Williamson