Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School junior forward Austin Kohl blocks New London junior Grant Oberstradt in the Hawks’ 62-57 loss to New London on Thursday.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School sophomore Kaden Richards, left, pressures New London’s Devin Winkler during Shawano’s late second-half comeback effort in a 62-57 loss Thursday.
Trailing by as many as 12 points in the second half Thursday, the Shawano Community High School boys basketball team cut the lead to just 2 points with under a minute remaining but never had a chance to take the lead as the Hawks fell 62-57 at New London.
In the Hawks’ furious comeback, senior center Zeke Gueths scored 5 consecutive points, reaching the 1,000-point career milestone.
Shawano fell behind by 10 the opening half of both teams’ final game of the regular season.
“We just started out slow and dug ourselves a little hole. We didn’t come out as a team with the energy,” Gueths said.
With 6:28 remaining in the game, Gueths made two free throws, before Austin Kohl drilled a 3-pointer from the wing to cut the deficit to 7. Gueths and senior guard Adam Bartz each knocked down two free throws in the next minute to cut the lead to 5.
After three free throws from speedy New London guard Devin Winkler, Gueths was fouled on a made layup, then on the next possession dropped in a lay-in for the milestone points and a 4-point deficit.
After one made free throw on the other end, Kohl hit another 3, cutting the lead to 2, but New London, which shot 87 percent from the free-throw line, iced the game from the charity stripe.
The Hawks were without starting guards Cole Nelson and Adam Bartz, who had both fouled out, down the stretch.
Shawano head coach Dave Ambrosius would have preferred for the Hawks to pick up the pace a few minutes earlier, giving them more time to complete the comeback.
“I would have liked to see a sense of urgency maybe 3 minutes earlier,” Ambrosius said.
In the opening half, New London was able to hit some shots from the perimeter, which the Hawks decided to allow as part of the game plan. However, Ambrosius would have liked more energy on the defensive side of the ball.
“We left some of their shooters with open shots,” he said.
New London sophomore Kyle Wolf had a game-high 21 points, including 14 in the second half.
Gueths posted a team-high 20 points for the Hawks.
“Our guys have been focusing on post defense and never gave up,” New London head coach Kurt Schommer said. “We got a couple of fouls, and that’s OK. That’s what you get when you play aggressive.”
The teams will meet again Tuesday in a WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal in Shawano. The Bulldogs (7-15, 6-8 Bay Conference) have defeated Shawano (9-13, 7-7 Bay) in both matchups this season.
“As a team, we’ve got to come out ready to play, play hard,” Gueths said. “Do our best, and finish on a hell of a ride here.”
Shawano (57)
Richards 3 0-0 11, Mueller 1 0-0 2, Nelson 1 0-0 3, Ainsworth 1 0-0 3, Hesse 0 0-1 0, Bartz 1 2-2 4, Kohl 3 0-0 8, Maltbey 3 0-2 6, Gueths 6 8-8 20.
New London (62)
Winkler 3 8-9 14, Zaddack 3 1-2 8, Kurth 2 0-0 4, Johnson 2 0-0 5, Wolf 6 7-8 21, Oberstadt 1 0-0 2, Wohlt 2 4-4 8.
Shawano 18 39 — 57
New London 28 34 — 62