Against all odds, Brown had tossed up a shot from the side of the key to tie the game as time ran out in regulation. The Cardinals went on to beat the Dragons 64-55 in two overtimes in a rare Monday night game at the high school.
"Déj? vu," said Huhner.
The last time these teams met, Brown heaved up a three-pointer at the bell to scrub Litchfield from last season's 8AAA playoffs, 34-31, on Feb. 24, 2005.
Continued Huhner in the aftermath of last night's thriller: "I thought we had it won. We played great defense. Jill Warren was right in her face and she threw it up."
Becky Smith, Litchfield's outstanding senior wing, would finish with a game-high 26 points and her flying lay-up with 1:40 left in the first overtime put her team up 55-53. But it was Litchfield's Emily Davis who put the visitors in front 49-47 in the last minute of regulation with a pair of free throws. Willmar got its last chance with 13 seconds left, inbounding the ball in its offensive zone. Brown got the ball above the key and looked to score.
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"I wanted to drive down the lane," said Brown who got seven of her 18 points in the two overtimes. "But it wasn't open. I just pivoted and threw it up. I really didn't know how much time was left."
Both teams scored six points in the first overtime with Euerle missing a long three-pointer to win at the buzzer.
In the second overtime, Laura Nielsen made a strong move to the basket to break the tie and after a stop at the other end, Brown drove the lane to make it 59-55. Litchfield never recovered.
Nielsen finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds. Her short jump shot with a minute left tied in 55-all in the first overtime.
Willmar started the game with a put-back by Nielsen and a 16-foot set shot by Brianna Goldschmidt.
The Dragons rallied to a 16-10 lead as its pressure and traps produced turnovers and their defensive rebounds led to swift down court passes for several lay-ins.
"We tried to throw several different looks at them defensively and it worked pretty well the first half, but they made some adjustments at half and took away some of our advantage," said Huhner.
Willmar led 28-26 at halftime.
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The teams won't meet in sections. Litchfield has been shuffled into Section 2AAA, where Marshall is the top team right now.
Katie Holmgren scored 10 points and dished out six assists, mostly to Nielsen, and also grabbed eight rebounds.
Brittany Euerle, a 6-foot junior, scored seven straight points around the 10 minute mark of the second half to boost the Dragons' to a 42-24 lead, the largest by either team all night. She finished with 11 points on three treys. Smith had six steals, spearheading the Litchfield pressure-packed defense that gave Willmar trouble, especially the first half.
Emilee Smith added 11 points for Litchfield (17-5), which saw its five-game win streak ended.
Willmar (17-4) has won nine in a row now. Rebounding was a 37-25 plus for Willmar. Dana Guetter didn't score but had eight rebounds, including a key one in the first overtime. Shelby Warner and Lisa Nielsen supplied eight points off the bench.
The last three games between these teams have gone to the wire: Litchfield won on its own court, 31-28, in December 2004.
Willmar 64, Litchfield 55
Litchfield (17-5) 26 23 6 0 -- 55
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Willmar (17-4) 28 21 6 9 -- 64
LITCHFIELD - 20-52 FG (4-11 3 pt); 11-16 FT; 25 rebounds; 21 fouls ... Scoring: Jamie Wollin 5, Emily Davis 7, Anna Bruesewitz 2, Brittany Euerle 11, Becky Smith 26, Jill Warren 4 ... 3-point shots: Wollin, Euerle 3 ... Rebound leader: Euerle 8 ... Assist leader: Euerle 5 ... Steal leader: Smith 6
WILLMAR - 24-46 FG (1-7 3 pt); 15-23 FT; 37 rebounds; 14 fouls ... Scoring: Andrea Brown 18, Shelby Warner 4, Briana Goldschmidt 3, Katie Holmgren 10, Lisa Nielsen 4, Laura Nielsen 25 ... 3-point shots: Brown ... Rebound leader: Guetter 8, Holmgren 8, Laura Nielsen 16 ... Assist leader: Goldschmidt 4, Brown 4, Holmgren 6 ... Steal leader: Laura Nielsen 3 ... Blocked shots: Laura Nielsen 2
NEXT -- Willmar: Thursday at St. Cloud Apollo
