Wednesday Tory Kemp, right, dribbles past two Baylor players during the GPS basketball game against Baylor for the Chattanooga Times Free Press’ Best of Preps basketball tournament championship game.GPS forward Simone Busby was granted a second opportunity Wednesday at Arts & Sciences.
The Bruisers came out of a timeout with 12.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s girls’ championship game in the Times Free Press Best of Preps basketball tournament and went to Busby on the low block. Her shot was contested by Baylor’s defense and ended up coming off the backboard too hard, thus sending the game to overtime.
In overtime the ball came her way again in the late stages. This time the Bruisers trailed by a point, and this time she delivered. Busby’s short bank shot with two seconds left lifted GPS past Baylor 55-54.
The Bruisers’ ultimate goal is to win the Division II-AA state championship, but coach Susan Crownover said after playing in a tournament each of its six years it was nice to finally win it.
“It’s a good start,” Crownover said. “And anytime you get to beat your rival, that makes you happy. I think it was a good team win.”