Milan outlasts Mercer in girls overtime thriller

The Milan Lady Wildcats rallied from an early five-point deficit in overtime, withstanding a game-tying three-point shot at the end of regulation by Mercer’s Ashlynn Brown to give the Lady Cardinals their first loss of the season, 63-61 on Thursday night on KTTN FM 92.3.

The game, featuring 4-0 Mercer and 4-1 Milan, lived up on the anticipation of two quality programs, with Milan leading 14-12 at the end of the first quarter and 27-23 at the half.  Mercer stayed behind by four points going into the fourth quarter, with both teams scoring 15 third quarter points.  Brown’s game tying shot was called by Tom Johnson: 

Milan outscored Mercer in the overtime session by a 10-8 tally, with junior forward Marian Dabney, with a game-tying three-pointer, supplying one of the biggest shots of the game for the Lady ‘Cats: 

The Lady ‘Cats took the lead for good on an Amy Pickering basket moments later: 

Dabney finished with 21 points for Milan, with Avery Pickering and Emerson Pauley both tallying 17.  For Mercer, North Central Missouri College signee Maddi Fisher had a game-high 30 points, with Brown adding 12.  Point guard Emma Shipley also had 12 points.

In the boys contest, Tyler Meinecke scored 23 points for Mercer, leading the Cardinals to a come-from-behind 50-41 win, leaving both Mercer and Milan with identical records of 2-3.  Brenden Wolfe had a solid game from the forward position for Mercer, with 13 points.  Kobe Hill had nine points for the Cardinals.

For Milan, Ahmet Niasse had a game-high 28 points.  Milan’s girls and boys open Grand River Conference play on Tuesday night, hosting the Polo Panthers at 6 o’clock and 7:30 on KTTN FM 92.3.  Mercer’s HDC Conference openers come up on Friday night, with the Cardinals hosting Tri-County at 6 o’clock.  Mercer will play at Mormon Trail High School in Garden Grove, Iowa on Tuesday night.

Here is the high school basketball scoreboard for Thursday, December 7, 2023: 

GIRLS: 

Green City 55, Grundy R-V 41 (Kinsley Allnutt – 17 points for R-V) 

Maryville 63, South Harrison 56 (OT) 

Winston 31, North Harrison 18 

(KCI Semifinal) Lathrop 40, East Buchanan 22

(KCI Semifinal) Mid-Buchanan 40, North Platte 29

King City 35, DeKalb 21

Northeast Nodaway 42, Stanberry 31

Meadville 60, Tolton Catholic 29 (Norm Stewart Classic at Mizzou) 

LaPlata 59, Bucklin/Macon County 11

Tina-Avalon 35, Northwestern 22

BOYS: 

Green City 66, Grundy R-V 50 (Corbin Axtell – 18 points for T-V) 

Maryville 80, South Harrison 27

Northwestern 41, Tina-Avalon 32

Bucklin/Macon County 53, LaPlata 47

(KCI Semifinal) East Buchanan 63, West Platte 35

(KCI Semifinal) Plattsburg 63, North Platte 44

Stanberry 73, Northeast Nodaway 33

King City 59, DeKalb 46

Winston 55, North Harrison 53

King City 59, DeKalb 46