Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

WEST BRANCH – It was an ugly start for West Branch in its non-conference contest with Mount Vernon on Monday.

The ending was a thing of beauty for the Bears.

Kylie Pickett hit the game-winning three-pointer with three seconds left as Class 2A No. 15 West Branch rallied from a 15-point first-half deficit for a 45-44 win over the Mustangs in Mount Vernon.

“It was my first make of the night so it felt pretty good,” Pickett said. “That definitely made the game better.”

Delaynie Luneckas scored 15 of her game-high 20 points in the second half and finished with a double-double as the Bears shook off a shaky start to improve to 10-3.

Sophomore Alyse Klinkkammer hit a pair of key second-half three-pointers and joined freshman August Palmer with nine points as West Branch erased an 11-2 deficit after the opening quarter.

I told our kids after the game I am just proud of their effort,” West Branch coach Jarod Tylee said. “That first quarter was ugly but it shows how tough they are and the character they have just to keep scratching and clawing.”

West Branch made just 1-of-10 first-quarter field goal attempts and was held scoreless for the final 5:53 of the opening quarter.

West Branch trailed 22-7 after a Lilly See steal and layup with 3:54 left in the first half.

“It was rough,” Klinkkammer said. “It was rough at the start but we kept playing.”

West Branch closed the first half on a 10-4 run that started with back-to-back three-pointers by Palmer and Klinkkammer.

The Bears trailed 26-17 at the half.

“I thought the different in the game was our run in the second quarter,” Tylee said. “It felt like after that we still had a chance because that first quarter did not go well.”

Luneckas scored 11 points in the third quarter to help West Branch close the gap to 34-31 after three quarters.

The 6-foot-2 senior forward scored the final six points of the quarter for West Branch and pulled the Bears even for the first time since the opening quarter at 31-31 with a basket in the paint with 1:47 left in the third quarter.

“We need to Delaynie to be a force,” Tylee said. “I thought in the second half she didn’t settle, she was going at the rim with everything and that was the difference.”

Mount Vernon led 40-33 with under five minutes to play but West Branch made one final run.

The Bears got the lead to 40-37 on a steal and layup by Luneckas.

A basket by Peyton Simpson pushed the margin to 42-37 but Luneckas scored in the paint and Klinkkammer tied the game at 42 with her third three-pointer with 2:42 remaining.

“Have confidence, that’s what the coaches always tell,” Klinkkammer said. “Delaynie passed me the ball and I had confidence and made the shot.”

The scored stayed locked at 42 until See picked off a West Branch pass and went in for an uncontested layup with 23 seconds left.

West Branch took a timeout with 13 seconds remaining to set up a play.

Instead, a wild sequence unfolded, ending with Luneckas grabbing a loose ball and finding an opening Pickett on the wing.

The sophomore who missed her first six field goal attempts, including five three-pointers, hit a three with three seconds remaining.

“With time running out I just had to try,” Pickett said. “I knew I had to shoot it and just hope it goes in.”

The Pickett triple proved to be the game-winner when Luneckas intercepted a pass near mid court as time expired.

“Kylie was struggling shooting and obviously stepped up and made the biggest shot of the night,” Tylee said. “I was so happy for her.”

Liz Dougherty had 17 points to lead Mount Vernon (6-8) while McKenzie Rentschler had nine for the Mustangs.

West Branch               2   15  14  14  –  45

Mount Vernon           11  15   8   10  –  44

West Branch (45) – Sadie Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Alyse Klinkkammer 3-7 0-0 9, Kylie Pickett 1-7 0-0 3, Delaynie Luneckas 9-15 2-3 20, August Palmer 3-12 2-2 9, Madelyn Stout 1-1 0-0 2, Avery Schultes 0-1 2-2 2, Totals 17-44 6-7 45.

Mount Vernon (44) – McKenzie Rentschler 3-9 0-0 9, Kameron Brand 0-3 0-0 0, Lilly See 3-6 1-2 7, Eryn Jackson 2-4 0-0 5, Brynley Rasmussen 2-2 0-1 4, Peyton Simpson 1-7 0-2 2, Liz Dougherty 7-12 3-3 17, Totals 18-43 4-8 44.

3-point field goals – WB 5-16 (Klinkkammer 3-5, Pickett 1-6, Palmer 1-4, Schultes 0-1), MV 4-18 (Rentschler 3-9, Brand 0-3, Jackson 1-2, Simpson 0-4). Rebounds – WB 30 (Luneckas 14), MV 25 (Brand 7). Turnovers – WB 17, MV 14. Total fouls – WB 9, MV 9. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.

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