Tatum Findley knocked down a three-pointer from the wing with 1:10 left in the second half, lifting Albany to a 48-45 victory over Goodhue in the second Class 2A semifinal of the girls basketball state tournament Friday at Williams Arena.
"I was open, and I knew I had to hit it," the 5-8 junior guard said. "I was confident in my shot."
Despite the pressure-filled circumstances, Findley's teammates said they knew they had the right person shooting when they saw the shot go up. All nodded vigorously when asked if they felt confident when Findley, who led the Huskies with 13 points and hit three of five three-pointers, released it.
"I was like, 'That's going in,' " junior forward Kylan Gerads said.
The soft-spoken Findley confirmed it was one of the biggest shots she's made in her basketball life.
"It was definitely up there," she said through a widening smile.
Goodhue, which held a small lead for much of the game — neither team led by more than six points during the game — had a chance to tie it with less than 10 seconds remaining, but leading scorer Elisabeth Gadient's shot from the top of the key hit the front of the rim and bounced away.
The Albany players scrambled for the loose ball and dribbled out the clock.
Albany coach Aaron Boyum said a tight game in the section final contributed to the Huskies' ability to close Friday. They ended the game on a 13-5 run.
"We had a pressure situation with a tight ballgame coming down to the end," he said. "That experience was really great for us. It was the girls really honing in on what they need to do individually and collectively as a team."
