The Arundel Wildcats didn't want a coin flip to determine which team would be seeded No. 1 in next week's Class 4A East Region playoffs.
That honor would be achieved on the floor, they decided. Even if it took more than 32 minutes.
The seventh-ranked Wildcats fought back from two 10-point deficits in the third quarter and rode another outstanding effort from junior Chavonne Hammond and some clutch shooting by a couple of freshmen to defeat No. 8 Severna Park, 58-55, in overtime.
Playing before an overflow crowd at Severna Park, Hammond finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds, seven steals and three blocks, as Arundel (22-0, 14-0) clinched the Anne Arundel County 4A League championship and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
If the Falcons (19-3, 12-2) had won, the teams would have been tied for first in the region standings, necessitating a coin toss after the game.
"Everybody kept talking about that, like they were expecting it," Hammond said, after leading Arundel to its first county title since 1959. "We didn't want to share [first place]."
They might have, if not for some key baskets by freshmen Sherice Proctor and Erin Wilmer and juniors Shannon Noon and Jen Mottar.
Wilmer and Noon hit from the outside in the last minute of regulation to wipe out a 46-42 deficit. Severna Park's Sandy Jenkin (19 points) made a layup to begin overtime, but Proctor nailed a jumper. Angela DeSalvo (14 points) then scored on a follow to give the Falcons their last lead, 50-48.
Noon made another jumper, and Mottar rolled to the hoop and scored to put Arundel in front, 52-50, with 1:34 left. Severna Park made turnovers on its next two possessions, and Wilmer and Mottar both scored to extend the lead to six.
Jenkin buried a three-pointer with 32 seconds remaining. She missed her next attempt from beyond the arc, and DeSalvo's three-point attempt with five seconds left was partially blocked by Hammond.
Jennifer Holmes (14 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks) grabbed the offensive rebound and scored to pull Severna Park within one, but Proctor sank two free throws with no time showing.
"I told them I believed we were going to win. I had a lot of faith things would work out for us," said Arundel coach Lee Rogers.
"I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but I had faith in them. And they had to believe they could win."
Arundel led the entire first quarter, and a basket by Kara Kitchen to open the second put them ahead, 14-8. From there, Severna Park went on a 14-0 run to close the quarter and lead, 22-14.
Arundel was 1-for-13 with six turnovers during that time. The Falcons didn't score until 5:30 remained in the quarter, but they made seven of 17 shots -- most of them inside.
"I tried to keep my composure and tell them, 'Hey, I believe in you. We have to believe in each other.' And that's what happened," Rogers said.
"We talked about how we did not want a coin flip."
Hammond dominated the third quarter with 13 points, four rebounds and four steals, but Severna Park led, 36-32.
There were four lead changes in a one-minute span of the fourth quarter. DeSalvo's basket inside moved Severna Park ahead, 42-41, with 3:59 left, and Holmes scored off the glass. But Arundel wouldn't be denied.
"We changed our defense at halftime, but that didn't cause the problem," said Falcons coach Kevin McGrath, whose team made more field goals than Arundel (26-24), but also committed 30 turnovers and was 2-for-4 from the line, compared to the Wildcats' 10-for-22 shooting.
"We stopped the shot and got the rebound, and there must have been five or six occasions where, after we had control of the ball, they took it away from us. You've got to protect the ball. That's what it boiled down to."