WILLARD — Excitement surrounding Shelby and Willard’s storied rivalry remains very much alive.
The two former Northern Ohio League members, both ranked among Ohio’s top 10 Division II boys basketball teams, squared off in front of a packed Bob Haas Gymnasium Friday.
Shelby coach Greg Gallaway said the rivalry between the Whippets and Flashes is special.
“Anyone that was in this gym tonight could just feel the atmosphere,” he said.
Fueled by five players reaching double-digits, the 2nd-ranked Whippets overpowered No. 9 Willard 89-67 in Friday’s non-conference clash.
Shelby senior Alex Bruskotter led the way with a team-high 26 points to go along with 8 assists and 7 rebounds.
A 6-foot-8 wing, Bruskotter connected on 9-of-18 field goals and shot 50 percent from behind the 3-point line as the Whippets (20-2) sped past Willard (18-4).
Bruskotter said dedication and playing in big games his whole career has helped him thrive under pressure.
“I just depend on that (hard work) when I go out there, that no one can speed me up or change my pace. And I think my team feeds off of that and they do the same.”
Willard’s Cam Robinson joins 1,000-point club
The Flashes led Shelby for more than half of the first quarter.
With 3:43 remaining in the first frame, Willard senior Cam Robinson surpassed the 1,000-career point mark with a layup.
Robinson, who entered Friday’s game 4 points shy of the milestone, has now scored 1,013 points during his career as a Crimson Flash.
His bucket gave the Flashes a 10-4 lead, which the Whippets quickly wiped away by the end of the quarter and tied the game at 17 apiece.
Second quarter surge boosts Shelby
After a scoreless first quarter, Bruskotter erupted for 15 of his 26 points in the second period. Shelby’s 26-point quarter led to a 43-31 bulge at the break.
The Wright State commit said it took some time to get his shot dialed in Friday. But as he continued to find the bottom of the net, Bruskotter said his rhythm returned.
“I’ve shot too many shots in my life to stop shooting,” he said. “I saw one (shot) go in and had a couple of heat checks. But I just found my rhythm again.”
With 5:59 showing on the clock, Shelby had regained a 20-point edge over the Flashes, who struggled to recover from the Whippets’ second-quarter fireworks.
“For a quarter and a half, the kids did exactly what we needed them to do to be successful,” said Willard coach Joe Bedingfield.
“Then it kind of got away from us and we kind of got scattered. Hopefully it’s something we can learn from going into a tough Division II district tournament.”
PHOTO GALLERY
Five Whippets reach double-figures
Shelby sophomore Brayden DeVito had a high-scoring quarter of his own to begin the second half.
A 5-foot-11 guard, DeVito scored 11 points in the third period. He finished with 17 points to go along with 5 assists and 3 rebounds.
Seven Whippets scratched the scoring column and five posted double-digits — including Bruskotter and DeVito.
Seniors Casey Lantz, Issaiah Ramsey, Bryson Baker and Tanner Hartz combined for 35 points, while junior Karsen Homan added 11.
Gallaway said he was proud of the way his squad welcomed Friday’s challenge.
“Our guys played great basketball for four quarters,” he said. “Those are the games you want to play, especially going into the tournament.”
He added the play of Homan and Hartz, coming off the bench, has been invaluable this season.
“They’ve been so solid for us all year,” Gallaway said. “They come in and they know their roles extremely well. And whenever they come in, we usually don’t miss a beat.”
The Whippets drained 33-of-56 field goals and shot nearly 48 percent from behind the arc.
Shelby outrebounded the Flashes 34-23.
The Whippets, who set a program record for most regular-season wins Friday, will take on Vermilion in a Division II sectional championship March 1 at 7 p.m.
Highlight Reel
Dawson remained determined
Despite facing as high as a 20-point deficit in the third quarter, Willard’s Max Dawson continued play his game.
The senior, committed to Ashland University, scored 21 of his game-high 36 points in the second half. He drained 3 of his 4 triples in the third quarter alone.
Gallaway said his goal was to make things tough for Dawson and credited Ramsey for his defensive efforts.
“We knew he was going to make shots and we wanted to do our best to just try and have that hand up, and make him earn all those shots,” he said.
“I thought the majority of those 36 (points), he earned. It’s a credit to him. He’s a really good basketball player. Ashland’s getting a heck of a kid next year.”
Bedingfield said Dawson’s abilities will be something the Flashes lean on in tournament play.
“Everyone knows that he (Dawson) makes us go,” he said.
“But we also need other guys to kind of step up and do the things that we need to be successful. It is nice to have a player like Max on the floor that get’s you a bucket.”
Willard will face the winner of Sandusky Perkins and Tiffin Columbian in a Division II sectional championship March 1 at 7 p.m.