With Each Other For Each Other
Goessel Guys Basketball – Bluebird Classic Canton-Galva Eagles December 5, 2017
Eagle Nick Pearson leads the Canton-Galva team and when he fouled out with 1:39 left in Goessel’s Bluebird Classic opener, the home fans sensed a door had opened. The Bluebirds closed a 40-47 deficit to 48-49 with time running out, but could not urge in a final bucket to tie at the buzzer. Sophomore Dylan Lindeman and Senior Jordan Griffin led the Bluebird effort with 34 between them as Goessel falls to 0-2 with the 48-50 heartbreaker. Pearson had 19 in the first half and finished with 24 to lead all scorers.
Out of the chute, Goessel’s Lindeman impressed with a spectacular three from the east side of Grandpa’s Christmas extravaganza, then drove for the crafty finish +1 to lead 6-0. Pearson got the Eagles back in it at 6-5, Senior Jayce Schmidt hit 1 of 2 from the charity stripe and Dylan stroked another finish. Pearson then led the visitors on a voracious 13-0 run to take it to 9-18 at the end of the quarter.
The pain continued into the 2nd as the Eagles took a 11-23 lead before Schmidt found the range and in a rip-snortin’ spurt, the two teams put it into high gear, going to 16-25 in one minute. Sophomore guard Jerah Schmidt stroked one so smooth it turned Principal Boden’s purple Duster crimson and blue. Goessel’s bench did a great job on D, holding the Eagles at 25, and Jerah hit yet another climate change changing monster three from so far out his arc was seen from the international space station. 20-25. Pearson clamped down with two more big makes, but Sophomore kamikaze sensation Jake Hagewood went to the hoop with a high flying 10 footer and then a superb Sport Center runner off the glass to close to 24-30.
Out of the break, the Bluebirds gained traction with an added traditional three point play from Lindeman and recorded several fine stops. Senior Jordan Griffin came alive in the paint, going hard to the hoop for two great follows and Goessel had brought it back 31-32. With a Dylan charity, Canton called tim at 3:03 knotted at 32. Off Lindeman’s 2nd charity miss, Griffin swooped in for the follow to retake the lead 34-32, but yet again Pearson answered with a cool as ice baby face finish to go up 34-35. In the frenzied back and forth, Griffin dove in for a solid finish and Pearson answered on the break. The quarter ended 36-39.
Sargent picked up for the Eagles scoring three times to lead off the 4th and take it to 36-45. Goessel called time at 6:19 after the Eagle flights and not until Dylan went absolutely coast to coast at 4:50 was Goessel able to see any light at 38-47. With Senior Carson Sterk at the line, again Dylan was able to fly around the box out and grab the O-board for two and it was 40-47. In back to back runs down the floor Pearson was first charged for an offensive foul, then hooked Griffin going to the hoop and was excused with 5 fouls at 1:39. Griffin hit both charities and Goessel called time at 1:39. Now in full Lion mode, the Birds got back to back turnovers off great effort from Griffin inside, quickly converting to 44-47. Griffin went to the line again in the double bonus and hit the back end of two; Canton called time with :59 left. Both teams were called for travels in critical modes and Goessel was forced to foul Landon Everett, who stepped to the line and hit both in the 1-1 to lead 45-49. Down the floor with 24 ticks left, Lindeman caught the over the top pass in the left hand corner, bounced and let fly from outside the arc. Swish and the home fans ignited as one! Immediately the walking taco hot dog stand exploded with hot sauce. 48-49. Down the floor with 15 seconds left, the Bluebirds again fouled Everett, and this time he hit the front end of the 1-1 and Lindeman brought the ball down the floor behind 48-50. His effort from beyond the arc caromed off, but Bluebirds corralled the board and put up a short three footer, then again from the same range but the nylon refused to admit the sphere and the game ended 48-50, denying the Bluebirds a good chance to prevail in OT sans Pearson. There were five lead changes in the contest, but the Bluebirds could not pull off the final lead change.
Dylan Lindeman led Goessel with 19 tonight, Jordan Griffin scored 15, with Jerah Schmidt adding 6 and Jake Hagewood 5. Jayce Schmidt completed the Bluebird scoring with 3. Also on the floor for the Bluebirds tonight were: Nathaniel Schmucker, Zach Zogleman, and Carson Sterk. Lindeman and Griffin each notched a double-double as Lindeman pulled a huge 17 boards and Griffin 10. Goessel was 50% from the charity stripe in the losing effort.
-Karl Brubaker
