Wilton Girls Basketball

Kelsey Drake sets Wilton record with 46 points in home win

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Beavers beat Anamosa in OT

Wilton sophomore Kelsey Drake led the Wilton girls’ basketball team back from winter break in a big way Jan. 3 with a school record 46 points in a 77-74 overtime home win over Anamosa.

Perhaps if she weren’t there, she wouldn’t have believed it. She wears No. 44 and when asked if she ever thought she’d score her jersey number and then some, she simply said, “No.” Further, when told she had just eclipsed the school record for points in a game, she said, “Awesome.”

The Beavers needed every point in a game that close most of the way. Drake as 15-23 from the floor and 15-21 from the free-throw line. She added eight rebounds, three assists and five steals.

She began heating up in the second quarter, a track meet that saw a combined 45 points as both teams were capitalizing off turnovers and free throws. Drake scored Wilton’s final seven points of the half but the Beavers were still down 35-31.

A 7-0 run to start the third quarter put Wilton in a 12-point hole 43-31. After a timeout, the Wilton press ramped up, fueled by Drake, who scored the first eight points of an 11-0 run to get back into the game. She scored the final bucket of the period to put Wilton in the lead 48-47 heading to the fourth.

“We took a timeout and talked about what we needed to focus on, playing defense and getting to the right spots,” said coach Jake Souhrada. “The press then got us easy buckets.”

A three off the glass by Mallory Lange gave Wilton a 54-53 lead early in the fourth. The Raiders (1-9) kept getting the ball inside for baskets, to the tune of a 60-55 lead. But Drake hit a three and Ella Caffery had an offensive put-back to tie the game 62-62. Four points down the stretch of regulation by Drake put Wilton up 66-64 but Anamosa hit the game’s final shot to send it to overtime tied 66-66.

Drake scored six of Wilton’s 11 overtime points, including a 3-point play on an assist from Taylor Garvin after a steal as the Beavers held on for a 77-74 win.

“I stayed calm. We worked on free throws a lot in practice. That came in handy,” said Drake after the record performance. “I did not think I could do that.”

Prior to the 46 points, her highest point total of her career was 24 in a loss to Monticello. Not even a box-and-one defense late in the game could stop Drake from getting to the lane for buckets.

“I heard their coach say, ‘Get on 44,’ That kind of startled me and added pressure … I was taller than a lot of those girls. I knew I could shoot over them if I went in powerfully (to the lane),” said Drake.

“We played with a lot of heart and effort to get that win,” said coach Souhrada. “It was a good win coming out of break. Kelsey was phenomenal. She took the ball to the hole like she can and finished shots, then hit clutch free throws. I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

Wilton falls at Northeast

Wilton was on the road at Northeast the next night for another showdown with a River Valley Conference North team. The host Rebels (7-3) used strong middle quarters to win 62-50.

Wilton scored 19 first-quarter points but Northeast outscored the Beavers 31-17 in quarters two and three to distance themselves enough in the 62-50 win.

Drake followed up her record performance with 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists and six steals. Caffery added nine points.

Wilton is now 4-5 on the season.

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