Liberty outlasts Maquoketa 49-48 in a girls’ basketball thriller

MAQUOKETA -- Worth the drive? Without a doubt.

Janessa Mosley scored her only basket -- on a broken play -- with 4 seconds remaining, and Class 5A 12th-ranked Iowa City Liberty edged 4A No. 3 Maquoketa, 49-48, in a non-conference girls’ basketball game Monday night at Maquoketa High School.

“A gutsy win over a really good team,” Liberty Coach Jaime Brandt said. “That wasn’t the play we drew up at all, but Janessa made something happen.”

Maquoketa’s Kendall Kuhlman nailed a 3-pointer to put the Cardinals in front with 20 seconds left, then Mosley’s answer sent the Bolts home winners.

“She can get to the rim,” Liberty’s Natalie Ramsey said. “She’s strong.”

Liberty (10-3) prevailed despite 22 turnovers, thanks to early 3-point marksmanship and some late playmaking.

Madeline Casey hit five 3-pointers, Ava Casey four.

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The Lightning led by as many as 12 points in the first half, but Maquoketa (12-1) got within 32-24 at intermission, then scored the first eight points of the second half to draw even.

It was back and forth the rest of the way.

“We could have folded early,” Maquoketa Coach Chad Specht said. “One thing we try to instill is that every game is an opportunity, and we love opportunities like this.”

Maquoketa held leads of 42-39, 44-42 and 48-47 in the fourth quarter, but Liberty had an answer each time.

The Cardinals missed about a dozen shots within 5 feet, and that was costly.

“We’ve got to get better at that,” Specht said. “It will bite you if you don’t finish.”

The Caseys combined for 29 points to pace the winners. Ramsey -- a junior and a University of South Dakota commit -- added 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Ramsey exited the locker room with a Kleenex plugging a nostril in an attempt to stop a nosebleed.

“It was a physical one, for sure,” she said. “Everybody was hitting 3s for us. I knew when I got it in the paint that things were going to open up (on the perimeter).”

Cora Widel paced Maquoketa with 13 points. Kuhlman and Aubrey Kroymann added 11 apiece.

Iowa City Liberty 49, Maquoketa 48

At Maquoketa

IOWA CITY LIBERTY (49): Ava Casey 4-13 0-0 12, Janessa Mosley 1-6 0-0 2, Madilyn Meyer 1-3 2-2 5, Natalie Ramsey 6-11 1-2 13, Madeline Casey 6-10 0-0 17, Natalie Schechinger 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Bennett 0-0 0-0 0, Sydney Van Heukelom 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-44 3-4 49.

MAQUOKETA (48): Aubrey Kroymann 2-11 7-10 11, Maelyn Kluever 2-6 3-4 7, Kendall Kuhlman4-7 0-0 11, Justice Armbruster 0-6 0-0 0, Cora Widel 5-11 0-0 13, Hadley Ihrig 2-8 1-2 6, Arabella Wagner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-49 11-16 48.

Iowa City Liberty 24 8 7 10 -- 49

Maquoketa 16 8 15 9 -- 48

3-point goals: Liberty 10-26 (A. Casey 4-11, Mosley 0-3, Meyer 1-3, M. Casey 5-9), Maquoketa 7-15 (Kluever 0-1, Kuhlman 3-4, Armbruster 0-2, Widel 3-5, Ihrig 1-3). Team fouls: Liberty 14, Maquoketa 10. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Liberty 34 (Ramsey 15), Maquoketa 29 (Kroymann 6). Assists: Liberty 11 (Meyer 4), Maquoketa 10 (Kluever 3). Steals: Liberty 5 (Ramsey, M. Casey 2), Maquoketa 12 (Armbruster 4). Turnovers: Liberty 22, Maquoketa 12.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com