Chris Caporale, sports@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School guard Cole Nelson executes an entry pass around New London’s Devin Winkler during the second half of Shawano’s 52-42 WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal victory Tuesday.
Leader Photo by Chris Caporale Shawano Community High School senior Zeke Gueths powers through New London’s Grant Oberstadt early in the second half of Shawano’s 52-42 WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal victory Tuesday in Shawano.
The Shawano Community High School boys basketball team was not going to lose to New London for the third time this season. Not in the playoffs.
With high energy and an aggressive game plan, seventh-seeded Shawano took it to the 10th-ranked Bulldogs early and often in a 52-42 WIAA Division 2 regional quarterfinal victory Tuesday in Shawano.
Shawano was able to build a 12-point lead in the first half with 6-foot-6 senior Zeke Gueths, who scored 25 points, and 6-foot-5 sophomore Dakota Maltbey in the lineup, size that New London could not match.
When New London tried to stop Gueths inside, the Hawks were able to get open looks outside.
“That was really something we could take advantage of — the fact that they had to help over so much just to contain Zeke that we could get wide open looks for Kaden Richards, who is a good set shooter,” Shawano head coach Dave Ambrosius said.
Richards tallied 7 points.
On the defensive end, when the Hawks played man-to-man, junior Austin Kohl was tasked with shutting down sophomore Will Wohl, who finished with 8 points.
Kohl had a big block, with Shawano holding a 26-20 lead, at the buzzer ending the first half and another on the Hawks’ first defensive stand of the second half.
“Austin Kohl is a really good defender that I don’t think gets the credit that he deserves for what he does defensively,” Ambrosius said. “Those were very big plays. That was a big momentum play to end the half, got us going right away at the start of the second half.”
The Bulldogs responded, leaning on junior Devin Winkler for a spark on offense. Winkler led the Bulldogs with 19 points.
With the Hawks up by 2, Ambrosius gave Kohl and Gueths a breather. Shortly after, a block by sophomore Brayden Kurth gave the Bulldogs a fastbreak that Winkler turned into a 3-point play to push New London up by 1, 37-36.
Shawano junior Tyrell Hesse got his own 3-point play on an assist from Cole Nelson just 20 seconds later to take back the lead. From there, Gueths and Adam Bartz took control, scoring 11 points on a 13-5 run to close out the game.
“That’s what you expect out of your seniors,” Ambrosius said.
Bartz also had the responsibility of defending sophomore Kyle Wolf, who put up 21 points last week against Shawano. Wolf finished with 4 points Tuesday for the Bulldogs (7-16, 6-8 Bay), who defeated Shawano twice, 64-60 and 62-57, during the regular season.
Kohl did not hit a shot for Shawano (10-13, 7-7 Bay Conference) but recorded six rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Gueths had seven rebounds; Nelson added five boards.
“It’s a huge win for us. It means the season is still going,” Bartz said. “That’s what means the most.”
The Hawks will travel to No. 2 Wausau East (14-8, 6-6 Wisconsin Valley Conference) on Friday.
New London (42)
Winkler 8 3-3 19, Zaddock 3 0-0 8, Johnson 1 0-0 3, Wolf 1 1-2 4, Wohlt 3 2-2 8.
Shawano (52)
Richards 3 0-0 7, Nelson 2 4-4 8, Hesse 1 1-1 3, Bartz 1 2-3 5, Maltbey 2 0-0 4, Gueths 9 7-7 25.
New London 20 22 — 42
Shawano 26 26 — 52