Ponca's Emma Kneifl hit a shot that will forever live in Ponca lore as she canned a three-pointer in the waning seconds of regulation to send Saturday's C2-2 Girls Basketball District Final against Oakland-Craig into overtime tied at 51.
The Knights captured a 19-18 lead at halftime after falling behind 14-6 at the end of one.
Oakland-Craig extended their lead to 4 at 36-32 at the end of three before the Indians battled back in the fourth quarter.
Ponca never looked back in the extra session, tripling up the Knights 12-4 to win 63-55.
Oakland-Craig was led by Dacey Nelson with 21 points. Kennedy Benne posted 12 while Melanie Snader added 7. Shannon Pille chipped in 10 rebounds.
It was a great run for the Knights as Oakland-Craig came up a little bit short of making state.
Oakland-Craig ends the season at 14-7.
Oakland-Craig's biggest wins of the year came over Omaha Nation, BRLD, Fremont Bergan (Twice), and Yutan.
I thought the Knights played their best basketball when it mattered most this season with the exception of the East Husker Conference Tournament.
Nelson was the team's leader in scoring with 480 points and rebounds with 158. Benne was second on the team in scoring with 221 points while Pille was second in rebounds with 133.
Oakland-Craig says goodbye to four seniors in Pille, Emmy Bousquet, Snader, and Grace Maline.
These girls are significant losses for the Knights and don't figure to be easy to replace.
Key returners for Oakland-Craig include Nelson, Benne, Natalia McNeil, Ashley Denton, and Ellie Weitzenkamp.
The Knights overcame the loss of four starters from last year's team so I don't see why Oakland-Craig can't overcome the loss of the four seniors they lose from this year's team.
Nelson is one of the best players in the area and I'm excited to see what she can do next year.
Benne should also have a solid sophomore campaign, and compliment Nelson very nicely.
New starters and role players will have to emerge for the Knights, but with an entire offseason to improve, mature, and grow...that should happen.
Oakland-Craig has to get faster, stronger, more physical, and tougher in the offseason.
The Knights are already a very good team, but to be even better Oakland-Craig's returning players and newcomers have to work hard in the weightroom, run, work on agility drills, shoot, and participate in pick up games, open gyms, summer and team camps, and summer leagues.
The Knights have to be basketball minded as much as possible from now until November.
There's a lot of time for these players to hone their skills and develop even more than they already have, but there's only so much time before the season begins.
With an entire offseason to improve in every aspect of the game and in life I look for Oakland-Craig to have a really good 2017-2018 season.
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