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Do or die.

Those three little words carried plenty of weight Thursday night when Crimson Bears sophomore point guard Karli Brakes stepped up to the free throw line in a playoff elimination game that was knotted at 41-41 with just 4.2 seconds on the clock.

Brakes did hit both shots and Ketchikan's Laci Effenberger missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer, as the Juneau-Douglas High School girls basketball team refused to die in their best-of-three Southeast Conference Championship Series.

The 43-41 victory pulled the Bears and Lady Kings even at one game apiece, with the all-important third game tipping off at 3 p.m. back in KahHi's gym today. The winner takes the SEC title and a trip to the state tournament in Anchorage March 19-21.

Brakes shook off an 0-3 performance at the charity strip in Wednesday night's 52-44 JDHS loss to convert on four pressure-packed trips to the line late Thursday's fourth quarter.

Sophomore post Hannah Swofford gave JDHS its first lead in nearly a quarter-and-a-half at 35-34 midway through the fourth period with a strong layup in the paint. The ensuing tooth-and-nail battle down the stretch included four lead changes and three ties before Brakes' first two free throws again knotted the score at 41-41 with just less than a minute left to play. Neither team scored again until KayHi's Crystal Blair fouled Brakes as she drove down the lane in the final seconds.

KayHi's star point guard Laci Effenberger was held without a field goal Wednesday night, but wasted little time hitting her first shot Thursday. The junior connected on a deep three-pointer shortly after the tip to give Ketchikan a 3-0 lead.

The remainder of the first quarter was a defensive grind on both ends. Sophomore Sarah Tarver's layup eventually put JDHS up three in the final 30 seconds, but KayHi's Crystal Blair hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds to cap the period at 8-7 in the Bear's favor.

The two squads traded leads five times in the second quarter before sophomore Olivia Henderson knotted the score at 20-20 for JDHS on a high-arching three-pointer with a little more than a minute to play. Blair again capped the scoring, though, with four straight points on a pair of free throws and a tough bank off the glass to lift the Lady Kings to a 24-20 halftime lead.

Ketchikan nursed a two-possession lead through most of the third, until a putback from Bears junior Taylor Larson and a long jumper from Henderson pulled JDHS within three with 25 seconds remaining. Lady Kings reserve Shelayne Greaves hit running floater to close the quarter, though, and KayHi led 34-29 entering the fourth.

Junior Mahlete Tingley was the only Crimson Bear in double figures in the game, finishing with 11 points, including a three-pointer. Junior Brittany Fenumiai Brakes followed with six points apiece. Sophomore Olivia Henderson chipped in five from the bench.

Blair nearly matched her 14 points from Wednesday for KayHi in the first half Thursday. Her 12 points at halftime eventually jumped to a game-high 14 in the second half, to go along with 11 rebounds. Effenberger and Edwardson chipped in nine points apiece.