WILLARD — For the second time in a week, Shelby did everything it could to stop the powerhouse Sandusky Blue Streaks.
But for the second time, it was just not enough as the Whippets fell to Sandusky, 60-59, when a potential winning at the shot at the buzzer glanced off the back of the rim.
The Division II sectional semifinal win at Willard High School moves Sandusky (18-3) into the district semifinals on Wednesday at 8 p.m. against Ontario (20-3). The Warriors knocked off Vermilion in the first game Friday night.
“We battled back against some kind of adversity,” Shelby coach Troy Schwemley said. “We battled and put ourselves in a position to win the game. That’s what makes this one really hurt.”
TOUGH SECOND QUARTER
Leading 16-14 after the first quarter, Shelby stumbled badly in the second quarter, getting outscored 19-6 in the period. Sandusky ran off an 11-0 run to start the period, taking a lead the Whippets would never regain.
Shelby scored just one field goal in the quarter and that didn’t come until the final 30 seconds of the period.
“Just about everything that could go wrong in the second quarter did go wrong,” Schwemley said. “We were we dysfunctional as a coaching staff and as a team. Everything we prepared for went out the window in that quarter.”
Down 33-22 to start the second half, Shelby began the long road back. The Whippets went on a 16-5 run in the first 5:29 of the period to tie the game at 38. But the Blue Streaks hung on and led 47-41 entering the fourth when sophomore Keith Williams connected from half-court at the buzzer.
The Whippets continued the rally in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to 60-59 with nine seconds left and sensational Sandusky junior Jayrese Williams at the line for two shots. Williams missed both and Shelby worked the ball down quickly for a final shot.
But the potential-game winner from inside the lane kissed off the back of the basket and rolled away.
“It just seemed like it ran out of air,” Schwemley said afterward, watching a video of the potential game winner.
“At halftime, we talked about all the things that had gone wrong in the first half,” Schwemley said, including a back injury to junior Davey Hipp late in the first quarter, exiting with seven points. “All of the things that didn’t go our way.
“So we told the kids just to battle through it and we would have a chance to win at the end,” he said.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Williams led all scorers with 26 points, including two of his team’s three triples. Sophomore Keith Williams added 13 and senior Davion Fisher had 10.
“I knew (Williams) was going to get his points. It’s easy to sit in the stands and say do this and do that. But we coaches know what we are capable of doing and what we worked on in practice. Would I have liked to take the ball out of his hands more? Yes, but they have other great players, too,” Schwemley said.
Sophomore Brennan Armstrong led Shelby with 15 points, including three of Shelby’s eight three-pointers. Junior Brock Kehres added 12, including three more triples. Sophomore Carter Brooks added 10.
Shelby shot 38 percent from the field (21 of 56) and added seven of 12 at the line. Sandusky hit 41 percent from the field (21 of 51) and 15 of 21 at the line. Shelby had a 36-22 rebounding edge, but committed three more turnovers than Sandusky, 13-10.
