BY JEFF CHANEY
ROCKFORD — Northview girls basketball coach Rick Albro used an unorthodox approach the day before his team’s regional game to get the Wildcats ready on the free throw line.
“We worked on free throws (Monday),” Albro said. “They were trash talking each other to try and get ready for the game when it counts.”
The trash-talking drill worked, as the Wildcats made nine of 11 free throws in the fourth quarter that helped them edge West Ottawa 44-39 Tuesday at the Class A regional at Rockford High School.
Northview now advances to Thursday’s championship game, where it will take on Grand Haven, the top-ranked team in the state. The Buccaneers beat Petoskey 52-23 in the regional’s other semifinal played at Cadillac High School.
Senior guard Taylor Shomin was the coolest Wildcat from the line Tuesday, making six straight in the final minute.
“Free throw shooting has been a real strength the last month,” Albro said. “We were 21 of 25 before last game at district. We missed our last three there, so we worked on that. So it didn’t surprise me we made ours (Tuesday).”
It was a tight battle all game, as Northview held a one-pint lead after one quarter, five at the break and was tied at 28-28 heading into the final quarter.
But Shomin scored nine of her game-high 15 points in the fourth, including this six clutch free throws to send the Wildcats to the next round.
“We started the game well, but came out flat in that second quarter,” West Ottawa coach Jenna Plewes said. Then it came down to the end, and they just out-hustled us on some rebounds. And we missed a lot of bunnies.”
Albro knows his team is going to have to be even better Thursday against Grand Haven.
“We are playing the number one team in the state,” Albro said. “Go out and do the best we can.”