See game highlights of Luxemburg-Casco's girls' basketball win over Freedom Tuesday night at Fteedom High School. Feb. 7, 2017

Freedoms Morgan Witt, center, is defended by Luxemburg-Cascos Carli Kollross, left, and Jenna Jorgensen during a North Eastern Conference girls basketball game Tuesday in Freedom.(Photo: Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

FREEDOM - Few leads are safe when Cassie Schiltz is wearing an opposing uniform and in shooting rhythm.

Thats the painful lesson the Freedom Irish learned Tuesday night.

Schiltz, Luxemburg Cascos highly skilled sophomore, scorched the Irish for 40 points to trigger an inspired Spartans comeback in a 77-71 North Eastern Conference girls basketball overtime win.

It was a devastating loss for the Irish, who dropped into second place in the conference behind 14-1 Wrightstown. Freedom (16-3, 13-2) led by as many as 12 points in the second half and was up by seven heading into the final two minutes of regulation.

However, the stellar play of Schiltz and teammate Jenna Jorgensen along with the absence of Freedom starting point guard Jada Helms, who left the game with a wrist injury with six minutes remaining proved to be too much for the Irish to overcome.

Helms was injured following a collision with a driving Schiltz.

We were up by seven and in a double bonus, said Freedom coach Mike Vander Loop. If we handle the ball a little bit, we win. Jada is our point guard and our top perimeter defender, so losing her hurt. It could be either a fractured wrist or a strained wrist, so right now her injury is our biggest concern.

With Helms on the bench, the third-place Spartans (16-3, 12-3) scored the final seven points in regulation five by Schiltz to wipe out a 64-57 Freedom lead and send the game into overtime tied 64-64.

Luxemburg-Casco seized control in the extra period, opening overtime with eight straight points to complete a 15-0 run and take a 72-64 lead.

A 3-pointer by Brooke Garrett and two free throws by Makenna Haase helped Freedom close the gap to 74-71, but Schiltz sealed the Spartans win with four straight free throws to complete her extraordinary night.

The 5-foot-11 Schiltz, who is considered a legitimate Division I prospect, drained seven 3-pointers and also made plays off the dribble.

The thing with her is that shes so strong from the outside, but when you go step out a little tight on her, she gets to the basket, said Vander Loop. Shes a multi-faceted player, she can hurt you from both the inside and outside.

The 40-point outburst marked a career high for Schiltz, who scored 39 points in another game this season. She entered the contest averaging 21.0 points per game.

I dont know, I wasnt very hot in warmups, said Schiltz. I only made a couple shots. And then in the game, I hit a couple shots and I guess I was just feeling it.

Schiltzs monster game, along with the Spartans impressive comeback, overshadowed a huge night by Haase, who poured in 30 points. Garrett, a junior, added 18 for Freedom.

Jorgensen, who is also a sophomore, gave the Irish additional trouble, scoring 23 points.

Jenna and I have been playing together since we were little, said Schiltz. She stepped up tonight. Everyone stepped up tonight. Were a never-give-up kind of team. This win was huge for us.

With Haase scoring 16 first-half points, Freedom led 38-27 at the intermission and pushed its lead to 48-26 on a Garrett 3-pointer with 12 minutes left. But Schiltz drilled three consecutive 3-pointers to drive the Spartans back and Luxemburg-Casco outplayed the Irish down the stretch.

Give Luxemburg-Casco a lot of credit, said Vander Loop. They made big shots. And it wasnt just Schiltz. Jorgensen hit some big shots, too.

Luxemburg-Casco

27

37 13

77

Freedom

38

26 7

71

Luxemburg-Casco: Jorgensen 23, Tebon 2, Schiltz 40, Bukouricz 6, Dorner 6. Totals 27 14-17 77. Three-pointers: Schiltz 7, Jorgensen 2. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Dorner.

Freedom: Garrett 18, Peters 5, M. Haase 30, T. Haase 3, Kempen 6, Witt 3, Evers 6. Totals 25 16-23 71. Three-pointers: Garrett 4, Peters. Fouls: 15.

Tim Froberg: 920-993-7183 or tfroberg@postcrescent.com; on Twitter @twfroberg

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Freedom can't hold off Spartans in overtime loss - Appleton Post Crescent