Hamilton girls edge Holland Christian in final seconds with free throw

HOLLAND - After her first free throw missed, Kyra Kleinheksel knew the game was in her hands - and she had to make the second one.

The Hamilton senior took a deep breath and made the second with 8.8 seconds remaining against rival Holland Christian, breaking a tie and giving the Hawkeyes a 38-37 win on Tuesday night at Holland Christian - in a game that lived up to being the best girls basketball rivalry in the area.

"Honestly I just was praying I would make it," Kleinheksel said. "We do a free-throw drill in practice that if we miss, we have to run down and back. I just thought of that drill, knowing I could make a free throw for this team. It was so amazing seeing it go through, but I knew we had to get one more stop on defense.

"Such a big win."

Holland Christian had a final chance with three seconds remaining and Bria Lampen's 3-point attempt was just off the mark as time expired.

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"It was a really important rivalry game, and really close, so it means a lot," said Hamilton's Kaitlyn Geurink, who scored a game-high 16 points. "Watching that free throw go in was such a relief. I am so glad she made it. It was such a fun rivalry game."

It was a huge moment for Kleinheksel and the Hawkeyes.

"There was never a doubt that we weren't going to be up after Kyra went to the free-throw line," Hamilton coach Jacquelyn Malloch said. "I knew we would be winning. After she missed the first, we never questioned anything. She has been clutch her whole career. She deserved that moment."

The Hawkeyes improved to 6-3 and 2-0 in the OK Blue. The Maroons dropped to 6-4 and 1-1 in the OK Blue.

It was a game that the Hawkeyes led by as many as nine, but saw the Maroons take a lead twice in the fourth quarter.

Ultimately, the game remained tied 37-37 for several minutes late in the fourth. Both teams had multiple chances to take the lead - and multiple turnovers.

"Hamilton is an aggressive, tough-nosed team. They always are. In the first half, we turned the ball over too many times, but we settled in and went on a nice run - but came up just a little short tonight," Holland Christian coach Levi Painter said. "That was our worst half all season and we were still right there. We missed our last shot and we came up a little short. But I am proud of how our girls played. We did a lot of good things as a team, but they don't always go your way."

It was much different from the start of the game where Hamilton held Holland Christian to seven points until the final minute of the first half.

The first quarter started as a defensive battle with the scored tied 2-2 after five minutes of play. Hamilton's Jeralyn Hoppes made to baskets in the paint in a 45-second span and put the Hawkeyes up 7-2.

Kaitlyn Geurink hit a baseline jumper at the first-quarter buzzer to put the Hawkeyes up 9-2. Kleinkheksel scored on a putback to start the second and it was 11-2.

The Maroons finally stopped the 9-0 run when Jenna VandenBrink converted a three-point play to pull Holland Christian within 11-5.

Geurink hit a 3 then grabbed a steal. It was back to the defenses after that as only two points were scored in the next six minutes before Holland Christian's Camryn VandenBosch hit a 3 and Lampen scored to pull the Maroons within 14-12 at halftime.

"I am really proud of the girls for executing the game plan. We wanted to slow things down and we really did that," Malloch said. "They are a scary team to play because when they get hot, things go in. First half, they were pretty cold. But one falls and then another and it gives them a spark."

The offense picked up in the second half a bit.

Hamilton's Taylor VanderZwaag started the third quarter with a 3.

The Maroons took their first lead 18-17 with 6:11 to go on the third, on a basket by VandenBrink.

Geurink took it right back with a basket, then grabbed a steal and fed Kleinheksel for a basket to make it 21-18. Taylor VanderZwaag hit another 3.

Lampen followed with a 3 to pull the Maroons back within 24-21.

Another Geurink 3 pushed the Hamilton lead to 31-24 after three quarters.

After a basket and a steal to start the fourth, Holland Christian's Tryna VanderZwaag hit a 3 to pull the Maroons within 31-29. VanderZwaag hit another to put the Maroons up 32-31 with 5:57 to go in the fourth.

But a couple baskets from Geurink set up the final sequence.

The Maroons were led by Tryna VanderZwaag with 12 points. VandenBosch scored 11 and Lampen scored nine.

Geurink scored a game-high 16 points for the Hawkeyes. Taylor VanderZwaag scored nine and Kleinheklsel scored eight.

"Knowing we can beat a good team like Holland Christian is a big confidence booster," Geurink said. "We picked it up on defense when we needed to."

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hamilton girls edge Holland Christian in final seconds with free throw