GIRLS STATE BASKETBALL: North Bend Central Goes Overtime With Lutheran To Complete 3-Peat

LINCOLN–(KLMS Mar. 11)–It took an extra four minutes of basketball Friday morning for the North Bend Central girls basketball team to pull off a three-peat as state champion.

The Tigers got a boost in overtime from sophomore Josie Cleveringa to take control and earn a 35-31 victory over Lincoln Lutheran in the Girls Class C1 State Basketball Championship at Pinnacle Bank Arena, in a game heard on ESPN Lincoln.

North Bend Central (27-2) became the first three-peat state champion in Class C1 since Pierce did it from 2013 to 2015.  Lutheran, competing in their first state title game in program history, finished the season at 24-4.

Cleveringa hit a three-pointer early in the overtime period and got a free-throw from Kaitlyn Emanuel, who led NBC with 13 points, to seal the victory.

The Tigers relied on a full-court press in the fourth quarter to rally back from a 26-23 deficit.  Lutheran extended the lead to eight before NBC rallied and forced overtime.

Shanae Bergt scored 13 points for Lincoln Lutheran, on 5-of-9 shooting and shooting 60% from the free-throw line.