LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY — It looked like the underdogs were going to rule the day.

But then came a four-minute overtime period.

And the wheels came off for the team that battled back in the fourth frame, as their opponents derailed their dream of a come-from-behind victory.

At the end of the final buzzer in regulation play, the score was tied 38-38 in the girl’s varsity game of hoops between the Lady Yellowjackets of Eldred (4-6) and the Tri-Valley Lady Bears (8-4).

Early in the contest, Eldred announced that it came to play, as the Lady Yellowjackets edged Tri-Valley 8-5, but in the second period, the Lady Bears clawed their way back by outscoring the opposition 13-5, taking a five-point halftime lead into the locker room (18-15).

In the final two frames, the Lady Yellowjackets outpaced Tri-Valley 13-11 and 12-9 to tie it up, forcing the match into overtime.

Those extra minutes tipped the scale in favor of the Lady Bears, as they effectively devastated their rivals with an opening ‘three’, a steal, some fancy buckets, and points from the free throw line to net 14 points while Eldred only posted a five-spot on the scoreboard.   

At the end, Tri-Valley won, 52-43 in a rather impressive demonstration of last–ditch effort.

It aint over till it’s over, folks.  

Tri-Valley’s top guns: Jillian Mungeer (17 points including 3 ‘three’s’), Victoria Swett (13), Diana TerBush (9 points including a ‘three’) and Emily Starner (8 points including a ‘three’).

Eldred: Jissela Labuda (16 points), Hailee Kolvenbach (12 points including a ‘three), and Lenae Kelty (9 points including a ‘three’).

Stats from the free throw line: Tri-Valley 3/6 (50%), Eldred 3/6 (50%).

The game between the Lady Bears and the Lady Yellowjackets was Game #1 of the 11th Annual Sullivan County Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) vs. Cancer Classic under the banner “Shoot for the cure!”

It was played Friday, February 1 at SUNY Sullivan’s Paul Gerry Fieldhouse, known nationwide as the “Bunker.”

This year’s tournament was dedicated in honor of Glorianne Ellison, a cancer survivor, oncology nurse at Catskill Regional Medical Center (CRMC), advocate for patient care, and a founding partner of Ride2Survive-Sullivan County.

In a dedication to Ellison, Chris Russo penned in the program, “Glorianne has dedicated her life to helping others, in particular those suffering from cancer. She has always put her patients first and offered them compassion, gentleness, and kindness that every patient wants to receive…”

Since its creation in 2009, the “Classic” has raised more than $36,000 in the ongoing fight against cancer, including almost $35,000 donated to the oncology unit at CRMC.

Funds raised from the 2019 Sullivan County BCANY vs. Cancer Classic (February 1-2) will be donated to CRMC’s oncology unit and Sullivan County Ride2Survive in honor of Ellison.

In the program’s dedication prepared by Russo, Ellison was quoted, “I am so touched by this gesture… I’ve learned more from my patients than they have from me.”

“My cancer journey was made easier because of them, along with my family and friends. I am eternally grateful.”

For the rest of this story and more photos, visit www.riverreporter.com