Rivalry Saturday XXI: Williamsburg 43, Iowa City Liberty 41

ANAMOSA — Stephanie Dacey got a clipboard assist from Brett Kozishek, then Kennedy Staggs delivered the winning dish to Zoe Allen.

Allen’s basket with 11 seconds left put Williamsburg ahead to stay, and the Class 3A second-ranked Raiders edged 5A No. 5 Iowa City Liberty, 43-41, at Rivalry Saturday at Anamosa High School.

“Give credit to Coach Brett,” said Dacey, the Raiders’ head coach. “Sometimes I get amped up and can’t think.”

Kozishek drew up a winner in the Raiders’ final timeout: Skaggs located Allen on the block, and Allen banked it home.

“I wasn’t very confident, but Kennedy said, ‘You got this,’” Allen said. “She gave me an amazing pass, and I was in the right spot.”

Liberty’s Ava Casey was short on a potential game-winning 3-pointer, and Williamsburg improved to 4-0.

The Raiders were 3A state semifinalists last year.

“It shows how far we’ve come in four years,” Allen said. “(Dacey) is up, who knows how late, preparing us.”

Liberty (2-2) erased a seven-point deficit in the final 3 minutes. Natalie Ramsey’s 3-point try hit the front of the rim, bounced directly up, and into the net to make it 41-39 with 1:52 left. Then Casey banked home a shot from the lane to tie it at the 1:10 mark.

Allen led the Raiders with nine points. Channing Becker and Taylor Sanchez added eight apiece.

Williamsburg prevailed despite a first-half free-throw fiesta by the Bolts. Liberty was 15 of 16 from the line before intermission.

Ramsey, a University of South Dakota signee, scored 17 points, including 10-for-10 from the line. Brynlie Walker added 10 points.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com