Bengals rally, overcome Bell’s 48 points

Christin Figgins didn’t do much to draw attention for four quarters Friday night. In overtime, it was nearly impossible to miss Bonanza’s senior point guard.

Figgins scored 15 of her team-high 25 points after regulation time, including a 3-pointer to end the first overtime, as the visiting Bengals battled back to defeat host Durango, 96-90 in double overtime.

Bonanza (15-1, 4-0 Southwest League) overcame a 48-point, 11-rebound, six-assist game by Durango’s Mia Bell, largely because Figgins recovered from a first half in which she missed her first four shots and scored only four points.

“I struggled with my shot early in the game,” said Figgins. “When we lost Shirley (Pitts), I knew I had to step it up.”

Pitts scored 23 points and had 13 rebounds, but was one of four Bengals to foul out. Her sister Alice added 20 points and 10 rebounds but also fouled out.

Figgins hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first overtime, the second coming with just 2.7 seconds left on a deep shot from the left wing.

“Big, big shot,” said Bonanza coach Dean Bosch. “She’s just a clutch player. Our girls don’t panic. The difference between this year and last year is we know how to win these close games.”

Figgins scored nine points in the second overtime, including a steal and three-point play that gave the Bengals an 89-83 lead with 1:23 left. Durango (13-7, 3-2) cut the lead to 93-90, but drew no closer.

“She just keeps her composure,” Durango coach Lindsay Callaghan said of Figgins. “She doesn’t rush her shots.”

The Trailblazers led by as many as 11 points, thanks to Bell, their senior point guard.

“She’s unbelievable,” said Bosch, whose team tried several gimmick defenses and had guard Daytril Beals trail Bell everywhere she went on the floor. “I don’t know in my coaching career, that I’ve seen a player have a game like that.”

Bell scored 21 points in the first half, 22 in the second half, but just five in the overtimes, when she was limited to two field goal attempts.

“Our girls have come a long way,” Callaghan said. “We need other people to step up and score and we’re starting to get some of that.”

Megan Boucher added 14 points, including four 3-pointers, for Durango. Cherelle Hicks scored 13. Kristen Gaines had 13 rebounds.

Beals added 12 points for the Bengals.