Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Crunch time was Natalie time for Liberty High on Friday.

Senior all-stater Natalie Ramsey scored the final eight points of the game and sophomore Natalie Schechinger came up with a critical game-clinching steal in the final seconds as Class 5A No. 10 Liberty High stunned eighth-ranked West High 41-40 in a Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division showdown in Iowa City.

“We knew we had to get this win here,” Ramsey said. “It’s a conference game, they beat us at home so this was definitely one we had circled on our calendar.”

Ramsey scored eight of her game-high 26 points in the final 3:16 as Liberty High (12-5) overcame a 40-33 deficit in the final four minutes.

The South Dakota recruit gave Liberty High just its third lead of the game and first since the 4:18 mark of the third quarter with a pull-up 15-foot jumper with 19 seconds remaining.

“I think everyone in the gym knew where the ball was going,” Liberty High coach Jaimie Brandt said. “When she gets going and she sees the ball go through the basket she is very hard to guard. She is also a kid that puts in the time so she wants the ball in her hands in those situations.”

Ramsey gave Liberty High the late lead with her go-ahead jumper and Schechinger made sure it stood up.

West High had the ball on a sideline out of bounds with 8.8 seconds remaining but Schechinger jumped a passing lane and tipped the ball into the back court where she recovered in the final seconds.

“I knew we had to get a stop. I knew she going over the half court and I had to get the ball,” Schechinger said. “It was just see ball, get ball and I went and got it.”

The steal by Schechinger ended up being the game-clincher as a late desperation heave by West High following a pair of missed free throws by Liberty High was well short.

“She doesn’t always fill up the stat sheet but every single game she comes and plays great defense, she guards one the best players on the other team,” Brandt said of Schechinger. “I think that’s the third or fourth game she’s gotten a huge steal late in the game. I’m just super proud of her effort tonight.”

The late heroics from the Natalies helped Liberty High steal a road win in a game in which the Lightning shot just 37 percent from the floor including 2-of-12 from 3-point range.

The win was the fourth straight for Liberty High and was the third win over a ranked opponent for the Lightning during that stretch.

It also avenged a 52-36 loss to West High on January 6 in North Liberty.

“I didn’t think we played our best game, I thought we lack mental toughness at times. We had some unforced turnovers and they are a great team and you can’t do that against really good teams but I think it shows our heart. We never stopped believing, we love each other off the court, we play for each other on the court and our toughness to come here and come away with a one-point win.”

West High (12-5) jumped to a 9-0 lead less than three minutes into the game and led 15-10 after the first quarter.

Liberty High pulled even at 22-all at the halftime and took a 27-26 lead on a Schechinger driving basket with 4:18 remaining in the third quarter.

West High responded with a 7-2 run and led 33-31 after three quarters.

The Trojans pushed the margin to 40-33 on a Kate Van Waning bucket with 3:25 remaining but didn’t score again.

“We just knew we had to get stops and get good shots,” Schechinger said. “Nat (Ramsey) did a great job of getting in the lane and hitting some big shots after we got stops.”

Ramsey closed the game on an 8-0 personal run, hitting a pull up jumper and a driving layup to cut the lead to 40-37.

She closed the gap to 40-39 with a 17-footer before her go-ahead basket with 19 seconds left.

“That’s definitely a shot I’ve taken so many times when I’m working on my own,” Ramsey said. “I think a lot of times that’s the open shot because teams are playing for the 3-pointer or the drive so I’m confident I can get that shot.”

Ramsey had a double-double with 26 points and 15 rebounds, Ava Casey had five points and Schechinger had four points for Liberty High.

“I think everyone stepped up tonight,” Ramsey said. “Natalie (Schechinger) had some big plays on defense especially the play at the end.”

Grace Fincham had 13 points and nine rebounds for West High and Van Waning had 12 points.

Abby Neumiller had 10 points and nine rebounds for the Trojans.

Liberty High             10  12  9  10  –  41

West High                  15   7  11  7   –  40

Liberty High (41) – Ava Casey 2-11 0-2 5, Aubrey Meyer 1-1 0-1 2, Natalie Schechinger 2-6 0-0 4, Kennedy Goodheart 1-2 0-0 3, Morgan Bennett 0-2 1-2 1, Madilyn Meyer 0-3 0-0 0, Natalie Ramsey 10-18 6-7 26, Totals 16-43 7-12 41.

West High (40) – Ava Frese 1-6 1-2 3, Savannah Mathias 1-2 0-0 2, Kate Van Waning 4-12 1-2 12, Abby Neumiller 3-5 2-2 10, Grace Fincham 5-16 3-4 13, Sasha Baldwin 0-3 0-2 0, Totals 14-44 7-12 40.

3-point field goal – ICL 2-12 (Casey 1-6, Goodheart 1-2, Bennett 0-1, Ramsey 0-2, M. Meyer 0-1), ICW 5-17 (Frese 0-3, Fincham 0-4, Van Waning 3-5, Neumiller 2-3, Baldwin 0-2). Rebounds – ICL 31 (Ramsey 15), ICW 32 (Fincham 9, Neumiller 9). Turnovers – ICL 10, ICW 8. Total fouls – ICL 12, ICW 13. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.

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