LINCOLN -- That collective sigh of relief heard at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Friday came from top-ranked Millard West, which escaped with a narrow victory.
The defending-champion Wildcats survived the upset bid from Lincoln North Star and prevailed 34-28 in a Class A semifinal of the girls state basketball tournament. Millard West (27-1) moves on to the final Saturday at 1 p.m. at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
The game bore no resemblance to Millard West's 52-29 home victory over the Navigators on Jan. 18. This one was close from the start and wasn't decided until Jade Lewis and Anna Dunne combined for three free throws in the final minute.
"They play that 1-3-1 zone and we didn't shoot it great," Wildcats coach Marc Kruger said. "They really frustrated us, but we finally found a way."
It was the lowest-scoring Class A state tourney semifinal in 10 years as both teams struggled offensively. Both shot 22% from the field and combined for 29 turnovers.
Millard West led 13-8 after the first quarter but scored just three points in the second as North Star grabbed a 19-16 halftime lead. The Wildcats outscored the Navigators 9-6 in the third quarter as the teams headed to the final period tied 25-25.
Creighton pledge Neleigh Gessert got Millard West off to a positive fourth-quarter start, sinking a 3-pointer in the opening minute. Ani Leu tied it for North Star with a trey less than a minute later but the Navigators would go scoreless for the final 6:43.
Kylee Paben put Millard West ahead to stay with a 3-pointer from the corner 12 seconds after Leu's basket. Neither team scored until Lewis sank two free throws with 44 seconds left, extending the Wildcats' advantage to five.
North Star missed a layup and Dunne sank one final free throw as the Wildcats escaped with the victory.
Neleigh Gessert had 15 points and nine rebounds to pace Millard West.
"We didn't start out great, but we kept saying that we needed to stay together," she said. "We've worked this whole season for it not to end here."
Kylee Paben chipped in nine points and seven rebounds for the Wildcats while Sarah Gatwech scored 13 to lead the 19-6 Navigators.
L. North Star (19-6) ... 8;11;6;3--28
Millard West (27-1) ... 13;3;9;9--34
LNS: Sarah Gatwech 13, Kendall Anderson 6, Ani Leu 7, Joyce Johnson 2.
MW: Kylee Paben 9, Anna Dunne 1, Jade Lewis 3, Neleigh Gessert 15, Norah Gessert 6.