Lightfoot doesn’t let down Desert Oasis

Dajaah Lightfoot's night appeared over when she left the basketball court because of an injury with 4:30 to play in regulation Thursday.

Her team's chances of winning seemed to disappear when Desert Oasis' 10-point fourth-quarter lead evaporated and Arbor View hit the first basket of overtime.

Lightfoot, though, surprised everyone.

The Desert Oasis sophomore hit 2 of 4 free throws in the closing seconds of overtime, at one point rebounding her own miss with her teammates all 40 feet from the basket, and lifted the Diamondbacks to a 55-54 win at Arbor View in a battle for second place in the Northwest League.

Desert Oasis (15-8, 6-2 Northwest) will host a playoff game for the first time since 2012 when it faces Legacy in a Sunset Region quarterfinal at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"This was very important to us," Lightfoot said. "Arbor View has been our main competition in the league, and they're a big rival for us."

With her team trailing 54-53 in overtime, Lightfoot grabbed a rebound of teammate Brianna Clark's missed shot and was fouled with seven seconds left. Desert Oasis coach Laurie Evans-Gygax sent her other four players into the backcourt, leaving Lightfoot and four Aggies around the key.

"We're a young team, and I don't trust my players down there not to get an offensive foul or to try to get a steal and foul," Evans-Gygax said. "I had no choice. I had to pull them back."

Lightfoot hit the first of two shots to tie the game, but missed the second. She split all four Arbor View defenders to grab the rebound and was fouled attempting a stick-back with six seconds left.

"I just followed my shot," Lightfoot said. "I believed. I just worked hard."

Evans-Gygax said: "When there's four of you there, you just expect to get the rebound. Dajaah was ready for it. She played like a senior out there."

Lightfoot missed the first shot, but made the second.

Arbor View got a last shot, but sophomore Alaysia Reed's well-defended 22-footer from the left wing was off-target at the buzzer.

Lightfoot hopped off the floor midway through the fourth quarter after experiencing what she said were leg cramps when chasing after a rebound, but she was forced back into action about a minute later when fellow post Sierra Mich'l fouled out.

"I thought she was hurt pretty bad," Evans-Gygax said. "She wanted to cry, and we wouldn't let her."

Lightfoot, who played the final 7:23, finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Diamondbacks used an 18-4 run to take a 41-31 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Aggies rallied at the free-throw line, making 10 of 14 attempts during the quarter. Reed's two free throws with 1:38 left tied the game at 50, and the Aggies missed two potential winning shots in the final 10 seconds of regulation.

Freshman Ahmaya Smith had 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead Desert Oasis, and junior Ashlynn Sharp scored 11.

Junior Kalli Hosier scored 17 points and senior Kera Farmer 11 for Arbor View (15-12, 4-4), which would have secured a home playoff game with a win, but instead will visit Palo Verde on Tuesday.

— Contact reporter Bartt Davis at bdavis@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5230.