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GUYS MILLS — The Woodshed was packed for the Maplewood boys final regular season basketball game. The Tigers hosted Saegertown, who needed a win to clinch a share of the Region 2 title. The Panthers got the win 64-40 and a claim of the title.
"We had a goal in mind from the beginning of the season that we wanted to win the region. This was just one step in the process," Saegertown head coach Chris Greco said.
Maplewood started the game with ambitions to stop their rival from claiming the region crown, grabbing a 6-0 early lead and not giving Saegertown any room to work.
After the Tigers' sixth point, the Panthers broke out of their early funk. Saegertown rallied off 28 unanswered points, with a run that extended into the second quarter.
The Panthers' tiring physicality, ball movement and an offensive outburst from their two-headed monster of Jackson Scott and Luke Young allowed the lead to expand to 28-6.
"We talked a lot about sprinting and trying to match their physicality," Maplewood head coach Kevin Kurt said. "At the beginning of the game we did that, but as the game went on, they just wore us down. Give them credit, sometimes they just surround you and it feels like there's no where to go."
In the first half Scott and Young scored 11 and 12 respectively.
"[Young and Scott] is our two-headed monster. They are so dynamic," Greco said. "They can do things differently, outside and inside. It's the other players too, not just the two of them. [Young and Scott] see the floor so well. They move the ball. They know it depends on all five pieces working together."
At the end of the first half, Saegertown had amassed a 32-17 lead.
"Our offense was really good tonight [Friday]," Young said. "We ran transition well and we were really prepared for tonight, because we wanted to win so bad."
The Panthers continued to build their lead, dropping 21 points out of the break. Young and Scott kept up scoring, adding eight and seven, but their efforts could not be achieved without the other three players on the court.
William Shaffer and Blake Leslie only combined for four points on the scoresheet, but their defensive efforts were key in holding Maplewood's total low.
"William Shaffer does a great job in the middle and on the glass. Blake [Leslie] does a great job on the backside of the defense, also having a nice outside shot," Greco said.
In addition to his scorers and defensive cogs, Greco credited the role players on his team.
"Levi [Gardner] taking care of the basketball, distributing and knocking down shots. Mason Gjovik and Everett Gardener being able to knock down a key shot. We trust them," Greco said.
Maplewood put up a good fight in the fourth, adding 13 to their total.
"I'm really proud of my guys. They played really hard all year and I couldn't ask for a better group of guys to coach," Kurt said. "These kids don't quit. That's the thing I love about them. They come into practice, they're ready to work hard and they just compete. They aren't afraid of anyone. They compete to the final buzzer and I'm really proud of them for that."
Chase Koelle knocked down nine of his 15 points in the final frame to led the team.
With the region-clinching win, the Panthers finished their season 11-1 in Region 2 and 18-3 overall.
"I'm so proud of these guys at what they've accomplished from the beginning of the season to now," Greco said. "To see their growth from November, the belief in themselves, the belief in their teammates and the adjustments we throw out at them, sometimes on the fly. Their basketball IQ is getting a whole lot better."
With the Region 2 title share, Saegertown projects to be a high seed in the District 10 playoffs. The seeding will be decided today, starting around noon.
"We're not done. You've got to play each game like it's your last game," Greco said. "You play with the same energy, effort and enthusiasm. We feel like this is a playoff run that we need to make deep. That was another goal of ours, to win a playoff game and have a chance at a District 10 championship."
Panthers' leading scorer and senior Young, echoed the same sentiment.
"It means a lot. Our team came together tonight. We really wanted it this year, especially in my senior year," Young said. "It feels really good to get it, but we aren't finished, the job's not done.
"We need to come to practice Monday with focus and we need to be prepared. We should have a high seed, so whoever we play, we need to bring the fire."
Maplewood's path to the playoffs is not as certain as Saegertown's. The Tigers fell to 6-6 in Region 2 and 8-14 overall. Playoffs or not, Kurt is proud of his Tigers and says they reached one of their season goals.
"We had small goals. One of our goals at the beginning of the season was to get to .500 in the region and we did that," Kurt said. "If we're picked to be in, we're going to be ready. We don't care who we play, where we play, we just want to play basketball. They just want to play and compete, so hopefully we get that opportunity."
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Saegertown (64)
E. Gardner 3 0-0 8, Young 8 5-11 21, Leslie 1 0-0 3, Baker 1 1-2 3, Shaffer 0 1-2 1, L. Gardner 2 0-0 5, Scott 9 2-2 20, Baker 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 25 9-17 64.
Maplewood (40)
Jordan 5 4-6 14, McCarl 1 0-0 2, Pierce 2 0-0 4, Reynolds 2 0-0 4, Koelle 6 2-3 15.
Totals: 16 6-9 40.
Saegertown 18 14 21 11 — 64
Maplewood 6 11 10 13 — 40
3-point goals: Saegertown — E. Gardner 2, L. Gardner; Maplewood — Koelle 2.
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"We had a goal in mind from the beginning of the season that we wanted to win the region. This was just one step in the process," Saegertown head coach Chris Greco said.
Maplewood started the game with ambitions to stop their rival from claiming the region crown, grabbing a 6-0 early lead and not giving Saegertown any room to work.
After the Tigers' sixth point, the Panthers broke out of their early funk. Saegertown rallied off 28 unanswered points, with a run that extended into the second quarter.
The Panthers' tiring physicality, ball movement and an offensive outburst from their two-headed monster of Jackson Scott and Luke Young allowed the lead to expand to 28-6.
"We talked a lot about sprinting and trying to match their physicality," Maplewood head coach Kevin Kurt said. "At the beginning of the game we did that, but as the game went on, they just wore us down. Give them credit, sometimes they just surround you and it feels like there's no where to go."
In the first half Scott and Young scored 11 and 12 respectively.
"[Young and Scott] is our two-headed monster. They are so dynamic," Greco said. "They can do things differently, outside and inside. It's the other players too, not just the two of them. [Young and Scott] see the floor so well. They move the ball. They know it depends on all five pieces working together."
At the end of the first half, Saegertown had amassed a 32-17 lead.
"Our offense was really good tonight [Friday]," Young said. "We ran transition well and we were really prepared for tonight, because we wanted to win so bad."
The Panthers continued to build their lead, dropping 21 points out of the break. Young and Scott kept up scoring, adding eight and seven, but their efforts could not be achieved without the other three players on the court.
William Shaffer and Blake Leslie only combined for four points on the scoresheet, but their defensive efforts were key in holding Maplewood's total low.
"William Shaffer does a great job in the middle and on the glass. Blake [Leslie] does a great job on the backside of the defense, also having a nice outside shot," Greco said.
In addition to his scorers and defensive cogs, Greco credited the role players on his team.
"Levi [Gardner] taking care of the basketball, distributing and knocking down shots. Mason Gjovik and Everett Gardener being able to knock down a key shot. We trust them," Greco said.
Maplewood put up a good fight in the fourth, adding 13 to their total.
"I'm really proud of my guys. They played really hard all year and I couldn't ask for a better group of guys to coach," Kurt said. "These kids don't quit. That's the thing I love about them. They come into practice, they're ready to work hard and they just compete. They aren't afraid of anyone. They compete to the final buzzer and I'm really proud of them for that."
Chase Koelle knocked down nine of his 15 points in the final frame to led the team.
With the region-clinching win, the Panthers finished their season 11-1 in Region 2 and 18-3 overall.
"I'm so proud of these guys at what they've accomplished from the beginning of the season to now," Greco said. "To see their growth from November, the belief in themselves, the belief in their teammates and the adjustments we throw out at them, sometimes on the fly. Their basketball IQ is getting a whole lot better."
With the Region 2 title share, Saegertown projects to be a high seed in the District 10 playoffs. The seeding will be decided today, starting around noon.
"We're not done. You've got to play each game like it's your last game," Greco said. "You play with the same energy, effort and enthusiasm. We feel like this is a playoff run that we need to make deep. That was another goal of ours, to win a playoff game and have a chance at a District 10 championship."
Panthers' leading scorer and senior Young, echoed the same sentiment.
"It means a lot. Our team came together tonight. We really wanted it this year, especially in my senior year," Young said. "It feels really good to get it, but we aren't finished, the job's not done.
"We need to come to practice Monday with focus and we need to be prepared. We should have a high seed, so whoever we play, we need to bring the fire."
Maplewood's path to the playoffs is not as certain as Saegertown's. The Tigers fell to 6-6 in Region 2 and 8-14 overall. Playoffs or not, Kurt is proud of his Tigers and says they reached one of their season goals.
"We had small goals. One of our goals at the beginning of the season was to get to .500 in the region and we did that," Kurt said. "If we're picked to be in, we're going to be ready. We don't care who we play, where we play, we just want to play basketball. They just want to play and compete, so hopefully we get that opportunity."
------------
Saegertown (64)
E. Gardner 3 0-0 8, Young 8 5-11 21, Leslie 1 0-0 3, Baker 1 1-2 3, Shaffer 0 1-2 1, L. Gardner 2 0-0 5, Scott 9 2-2 20, Baker 1 0-0 2.
Totals: 25 9-17 64.
Maplewood (40)
Jordan 5 4-6 14, McCarl 1 0-0 2, Pierce 2 0-0 4, Reynolds 2 0-0 4, Koelle 6 2-3 15.
Totals: 16 6-9 40.
Saegertown 18 14 21 11 — 64
Maplewood 6 11 10 13 — 40
3-point goals: Saegertown — E. Gardner 2, L. Gardner; Maplewood — Koelle 2.
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