Injured guard finds sweet redemption a year later in Rocky Mountain's state-opening win over Thunder Ridge

NAMPA, Idaho - Cianna Legaspi could only sit and watch last season, which is a big reason why there was no taking her out of the Rocky Mountain lineup Thursday.

More than a year after blowing out her knee, Legaspi returned to lead the Grizzlies to an upset over a team that, up until two weeks ago, was unbeaten. 

The junior logged a team-high 14 points on 50% shooting from the field, six rebounds and a pair of assists in the seventh-seeded Grizzlies' 55-52 overtime shocker over No. 2 seed Thunder Ridge in the first round of the Class 5A girls basketball tournament at the Ford Idaho Center.

"It’s definitely satisfying and I feel like I’ve definitely grown," Legaspi said. "I’m really happy."

It was a much different feeling at this time last year.

Legaspi was expected to be a heavy contributor for Rocky Mountain (17-9) last season. But she hurt her right knee during a summer league game against Boise. Three different physicians said they thought she had just dislocated it - but an MRI test later confirmed otherwise.

She had torn her ligaments (ACL, MCL) and meniscus in the knee, forcing surgery and a year's worth of recovery.

Rocky Mountain still made the state tournament without her. But it went two and out there, including coming up just short in an upset attempt over No. 1 Lake City. 44-39.

"I feel like I could have definitely done something. But it definitely taught me a lot on how to be mentally tough and just keep pushing," Legaspi said. "There were a lot of times where it was really dark and just not playing the game that I love the most. I definitely just had to persevere. It taught me a lot. But I wouldn’t take it back."

Her first game back wasn’t until this season’s opener against Emmett in mid-November. The Grizzlies began the year 2-4.

"It took me so long," Legaspi said about getting back into a rhythm.

But she more than looked like her old self Thursday, especially in the fourth quarter.

Rocky Mountain found itself trailing. 40-34, just seconds into the quarter. But the Grizzlies didn’t allow the Titans (24-3) to score a single point for five minutes.

Along with her defensive prowess, Legaspi had nearly half of those points herself to put the Grizzlies suddenly up 44-40 with 3:48 to go.

"She would have been huge for us last year," Rocky Mountain coach BJ Humphreys said. "Arguably our best player last year and arguably our best player this year. We’ve got a great balanced team, but she’s a huge piece to the puzzle. We missed her a ton last year. We’re very happy to have her back this year."

However, Thunder Ridge forced overtime after University of Idaho signee Aspen Caldwell tied the game at 48-48 with seven seconds remaining on a short jump shot.

While it was Legaspi in regulation, overtime belonged to Averee Osterhout.

With the game knotted up at 52-52, Legaspi drove the lane and took three defenders with her. So she kicked it out to Osterhout. The 5-foot-7 junior guard sank a 3-pointer in the corner to give Rocky Mountain the lead back at 55-52 with 25 seconds remaining.

"I tend to get a ton of shots up before the game, so that’s still something that’s routine for me," Osterhout said. "I just remember my coach in the background saying, ‘One shot, one shot.’ I caught the ball and I was in motion and I was like, ‘Hey, this is the one shot and then let it fly.’"

Senior Brielle Magnuson and junior Anna Dabell each racked up 12 points and three rebounds for the Grizzlies, who were picked fifth in their own conference going into the season.

"We definitely shocked some people," Legaspi said. "Oh, every article that may bash on us or expects us to be the underdogs, it just motivates us even more to just go out there and prove them all wrong. Cause we play with a chip on our shoulder and I think that’s what really brings a sense of fight in us."

Marley Spencer tallied a game-high 25 points, including seven 3-points, and Caldwell chipped in with 14 in the loss for the Titans.