The Faribault Falcons played the overtime without two starters and still defeated New Ulm Saturday 62-59 in a very physical game.

The first half the officials let the teams play. A total of five free throws were shot in the first half.

In the overtime each team had just one field goal.

New Ulm was 3 for 8 and Faribault was 6 of 13 from the free throw line in the overtime.

Elana Palmer led the Falcons with 18 points, Grace Amacher had 17 and Breanna Bresnahan 11.

The Eagles were led by freshman point guard Joey Batt, and she was fun to watch.

Batt is 5-foot-3 and very quick. She is fearless about going to the basket and had a number of rebounds for the Eagles. Batt finished with 30 points.

New Ulm led 28-27 at halftime thanks to a Batt buzzer-beater three to end the half.

She then started the second half with two threes and Faribault mixed up defenders on her. Amacher had her for a while, Bre Bresnahan for a while and Ellery Akemann also drew the duty a few times. It worked because Batt had just three field goals in the second half and only one in overtime.

The win was huge in terms of section seedings but costly because Akemann could be out of the lineup for a while.

During the second half, Akemann was in the middle of the lane of New Ulm's basket  ahead of a Batt-led fast break, and it appeared to me and head coach Bill Bardal (and of course all the Faribault fans) to be firmly planted waiting to take a charge.

Batt went full speed into Akemann; the collision threw her backward and she banged her head on the floor.

The officials ruled Akemann was not set and gave Batt two free throws on the play.

Akemann was assisted off the court and never returned. The coaches told me after the game it appeared she might have a concussion and will have to go through that protocol before returning. With 2:34 to go in the game Amacher fouled out.

So in overtime Faribault went with two post players in Palmer and Meghan Gehrke and Rachel Hanson joined Jenna Wetzel in the backcourt.

Not only was Batt very good on offense, but she also used her quickness to be a disruptive force defensively with a number of steals in the game.

Because of all the fouls in the overtime each team had just two turnovers.

With the win the Falcons went to 9-8 on the season and host Mankato East on Tuesday. New Ulm is 10-7.

Our Faribault State Farm Insurance agents Faribault players of the game courtesy of Tony Langerud and Jason Krohn were all the starters, but we could've chosen everyone who played because they all truly contributed to the win.

New Ulm Gym
New Ulm Gym
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