Kansas Day Thriller
Goessel Varsity Guys Basketball v. Elyria Christian @ Elyria January 29, 2019
Goessel’s Bluebirds came in to Eagle Coliseum in the Elyria suburbs on Kansas Day primed for a quality game. The visitors had to take the “long way” to Elyria because of bridge construction which gave plenty of time to consider how to improve on their December 4th 39-25 loss to the Eagles. With six lead changes, this was a spirited contest. Goessel extended its lead to 10 and Elyria led by as much as 8. The Eagles used a devastating 20-2 run to go from being down 20-10 to leading 22-30, which basically helped determine the outcome of the contest. Goessel hit 6 huge treys including a Miguel Ballesta trey with 5 seconds left in regulation to tie at 43-43. Goessel was called for a foul on a slip in the back-court and sent Stucky to the line. He converted the first of the 1-1, Coach Guhr called time, but Goessel could not get off a shot as time expired. The Bluebirds lost the Kansas Day thriller 43-44.
Drew Lindeman and Dylan Lindeman pushed hard inside and collected two charities, then Jake dished superbly to Drew for two more. Jerah Schmidt quick stepped on the break and went zip-lining in the trees for the nice finish, Jake Hiebert got it to drop off a runner in the paint, and Schmidt laid it up and in again off yet another break. 11-8 . Jake Hagewood caught a pass around the circuit and jiggled in a 15 footer and the Bluebirds looked in rhythm with some nice stops on D, big hands on the larger Eagles and shutting down the home team’s outside game. The quarter ended 13-10.
Dylan stroked one to start the 2nd and Drew found a huge round of fan appreciation taking a charge down the floor the next time. At 5:44 Drew, put up one from beyond the pretzel dispensary to lead 18-10 and moments later Skyler Wuest drove and finished for the largest lead of the night 20-10. The Crazy Train went off the tracks for nearly 8 minutes from there, with shots banging around the rim and shimmying out no matter what English was placed on them. Goessel missed three layup finishes on breaks. The Eagles pushed back patiently and won the quarter 7-10; the half was knotted at 20-20 but this 10-0 run was the first segment of the Eagles’ devastating punch.
Out of the break, the home team put up two huge treys and a layup before Jerah was able to put his own bucket in at 5:22. At 22-30 Coach Guhr called time at 4:37 to try to shut down the 2-20 run. Out of the timeout, Drew caught a Miguel miss and frolicked in a nice put-back. Dylan absolutely buried one incredible slow motion three at 2:30 to bring hope back at 27-30 and Drew got one more charity to stay in it at 28-34 to close the 3rd.
Goessel seemed poised to knot it again, but could not close the gap. Drew got the roll from 5 feet and Jake tipped back in a very nice effort to get to 32-36. Dylan put one up from the corner and the referees were distracted by something and failed to notice the backboard cable throbbing as the gigantic trey fell through. 35-36. On what looked like a charge taken, Froese went to the line but missed both charities; both Dylan and Drew were in with three fouls each. In a huge defensive moment, Goessel got a 10 second call with pressure D on the inbounds but saw it go to 35-41. Drew put up a nice inside push to close within 4, 37-41 and Allen missed the front end of the 1-1 for the Eagles. With 34 ticks left Jerah put one up from pretty near the McPherson refinery to get to 40-41. Timeout. Dylan fouled out with 22 seconds left and Huxman put the Eagles up three with two charities. With 16 seconds Goessel appeared to be going to hot-handed Schmidt, but Ballesta found himself free on the arc and let one loose from Plaza de España, Seville. Nothing but net! Timeout Goessel with 5 seconds left knotted 43-43. On the inbounds, as the Eagles transitioned sideways, Hagewood appeared to almost slip on to the foot of ball-handler Stucky and was called for the inopportune foul, sending the Sophomore to the line for the one and one. He converted the front end, Goessel called time again to discuss, threw a mid-court pass which was intercepted to close out the contest 43-44. Drew led Goessel with 13, Dylan added 11, and Jerah put up 10 on a very solid night. Miguel hit a huge three and Jake H., Skyler, and Jake H. each had 2. Also in for the Bluebirds: Zach Zogleman. Goessel goes to 5-10 overall and 2-5 in the Wheat State League.
-Karl Brubaker
