BISMARCK – For a time, the game and the season looked lost for Jamestown Blue Jays Girls Basketball.  But, behind an already accomplished freshman, the Jays earned the chance to play at least one more.

Macey Neumiller hit a career-high 31 points and sank the winning free throws with 21.6 seconds to play Friday as Jamestown rallied from eight points down in the second half to defeat St. Mary’s 61-58 in a AA West Region elimination game in the Exhibit Hall of the Bismarck Event Center.

The last three of Neumiller’s points came after she was fouled while shooting a three-pointer.  Neumiller was 11-for-11 on free throws, adding to a total of 17-for-22 for Jamestown, who has hit 38-of-47 free throws in the first two games of this tournament.

St. Mary’s (10-14), who had beaten Jamestown twice in the regular season, had one last chance to win, but Kinley Kerzman missed a jumper and Hannah Attleson provided the final margin for Jamestown with two free throws with :00.9 left.

The Saints led 30-29 at halftime as Jamestown again struggled with turnovers, having 10 in the first half and 23 for the game.  But Jamestown took better care of the ball in last eight minutes of the second half, hit big shots and hit free throws.

Mataya Messer, a senior, scored 22 in her final game for St. Mary’s.  Eighth grader Lily Edinger had 13 points and eight rebounds.

Jamestown, who last played in a girls state tournament in 2021, will have the chance to advance Saturday in a state qualifier against Mandan in the Main Arena of the Bismarck Event Center.  Coverage will begin Saturday at around 10:45 AM on The Voice of the Blue Jays, Jamestown 107.1.