Chargers Knock Off Sauk Valley Behind Bentley’s Game-Winner With :01.8 Left

DIXON — Elly Bentley's game-winning jumper with 1.8 seconds left sent the Carl Sandburg College women's basketball team to a 63-61 Arrowhead Conference win at Sauk Valley on Thursday night.

The teams went into the fourth quarter tied at 51, and the Skyhawks evened the game at 61 on a banked-in 16-footer with :26.4 to play. Coming out of a timeout, Bentley was the only one to have the ball in their hands. The sophomore from Limestone High School calmly got to the left wing and drilled a 17-foot stepback jumper with :01.8 to go.

Sauk Valley got an open look at a corner 3-pointer on the final possession, but it rimmed off as the Chargers (16-7, 4-1) escaped with a key conference win. Sandburg is a half-game ahead of Black Hawk (3-1) in the conference standings with three Arrowhead matchups left for the Chargers. Sandburg hosts Black Hawk on Tuesday night for the Chargers' Paint the House Red Night.

Bentley totaled 21 points in the win at Sauk Valley, leaving her 30 away from 1,000 points in her Sandburg career. Bentley was 10 of 20 from the field, grabbed seven rebounds, had three assists and picked up a steal against the Skyhawks.

Brook Pieper posted her 10th double-double of the season as she led the Chargers in points and rebounds. The freshman from Abingdon-Avon High School had 22 points while going 7 of 14 from the field. Pieper was 2 of 2 from 3-point range and sank all six of her foul shots. She pulled in a team-best 12 rebounds.

The Chargers shot just 38 percent (25 of 66) overall from the floor but hit 10 of their 11 free throws on the night.

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