All Emma Gurley needed to do was take a deep breath.
Once she did that, the 3-point championship at the News-Herald Classic on March 31 was in the bag.
Trailing leader Lexi Hammer of NDCL with only two shots remaining, Gurley — a senior at Gilmour — took a deep breath and paused.
She then made her final shot, a two-point money ball, to win the 3-point shootout over five other competitors.
With the win, Gurley took home a plaque sponsored by the North Coast Summer League.
“I had to (take the deep breath) to stop my hands from shaking,” Gurley said with a laugh. “I had to take time and shoot. (I thought) I shoot this how many times in a gym? It should go in.”
When the final shot left her hand, she left her follow-through held high as it swished through the net. The crowd erupted, knowing she had to make that 3 to win. Gilmour teammate Naz Hillmon sprinted onto the court and gave Gurley a big hug when the final shot went through.
Gilmour swept the awards on the day. Not only did Gurley win the 3-point contest, but Hillmon (20 points, 13 rebounds) took home MVP honors in the NH Classic girls game.
Hammer went first in the 3-point shootout and put up a score of 5. The next four shooters all struggled to hit their mark consistently, a group that included Andrews Osborne’s Gabby Culotta (4), Kirtland’s Sydney Snyder (3), Beachwood’s Taylor Royster (3) and Riverside’s Amanda Apanavicus (3).
That left Gurley, who hit more than 60 3-pointers this season for the Division II state runner-up Lancers.
“Hitting them in a game is a lot more stressful,” Gurley said. “You have to take your time and know your shot. If you take deep breath, you’ll be fine.”
She did just that, and it worked out.
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