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Bonner Springs nailed two buzzer beaters to end quarters Tuesday night, but the Bravettes needed one more to force overtime in the fourth quarter of their basketball game against Perry-Lecompton.

After a mad scramble on the Bravettes’ final possession, the ball fell into senior Lynsey Ostman’s hands. With everyone in the Bonner Springs YMCA yelling at her to shoot, she lined up and fired a 3-point attempt just as the buzzer sounded. The ball nailed the side of the backboard, but Ostman was nearly tackled by a defender and was awarded three free throws.

She stepped to the free throw line alone with no time on the clock and her team trailing, 38-35.

Ostman dribbled, spun the ball and fired the first free throw. It missed, effectively ending the game. She made the second shot and missed the third, giving the Bravettes a 38-36 loss.

After committing its fifth foul in the first four minutes of the game, Clay Oakes called a timeout and lit into his team for being a step slow on the defensive end — something that would not change all night. Bonner defenders were slow to close out on perimeter shots and reluctant to fight through screens.

Though they were the more athletic of the two teams, BSHS needed a layup by junior guard Erica Smith at the end of the first quarter to give them their first lead, 9-8.

The Bravettes continued to struggle in the second quarter. Sloppy passing contributed to 13 turnovers, and shoddy defense allowed the Kaws to attempt 15 free throws (they made nine) in the quarter and take a 19-15 halftime lead.

“We didn’t feel that they were a team that could beat us shooting from the field,” Oakes said. “If we put them on the line we were going to be in trouble. It’s the same thing that happened last year. We gave them free shots and didn’t make them earn their points.”

It could have been a lot worse, but Perry returned the favor by not valuing the basketball.

In the third quarter, the Kaws stretched the lead out to eight points before Bonner picked up its intensity. Freshman guard Haley Hoffine scored on a layup and a free throw, and sophomore Yessinia Hernandez banked in a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to send the game into the fourth quarter with the Bravettes trailing 30-29.

Junior forward Chelsea Crawford gave BSHS the lead after a nice inbounds feed from Smith, but Perry answered right back with a pair of dribble-drive layups.

Ostman stole the ball and scored a breakaway basket to cut the deficit to three with 28 seconds remaining. The Kaws were unable to convert a free throw setting up Ostman’s desperation heave.

“Same old song and dance,” Oakes said. “It’s time that individuals step up and take accountability for what they are doing on the court. We preach the same thing day in and day out, game in and game out, and the ones who are making mistakes are not doing anything to correct the problem.”

Crawford and Erica Wilson scored 7 points apiece, and Smith and Hernandez each chipped in 6.

Bonner Springs (2-5) next plays at 6 p.m. Friday at home against Basehor-Linwood.

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