ALBANY - With his Albany boys basketball team trailing by two points in the final seconds Thursday, coach Derek Allen took a timeout to draw up the final play.
Albany sophomore Josh Dahl lost the ball on his way up for a jump shot and then gathered it and just missed a jumper at the buzzer as Juda outlasted the Comets 44-42.
The play Allen called during the timeout required a dribble handoff and a shot afterward.
"Things got a little hectic, and it didn't work out the way we planned," Allen said. "Josh still got a good look. I think if there would have been one or two more minutes left we could have won it. We just ran out of time."
The result was a big improvement over the last time Albany (6-9, 2-5 Six Rivers East) played Juda as the Comets lost 72-60 on Dec. 9.
Juda (10-4 overall) improves to 5-2 in the conference is tied for third with Black Hawk.
Albany senior Connor Trow scored a game-high 20 points and drilled six 3-pointers. Senior Brock Gilkes added 13 points but left the second half due to a knee injury. After Gilkes left, the Panthers went on a run and built a 14-point lead. The Comets rallied in the final 8 minutes and had a golden opportunity in the final seconds.
"It's a big improvement," Allen said. "I think it says a lot. The last time we played them at Juda they just whipped us. They just killed us on the fastbreak in the first game. I bet they only had four or six fastbreak points in this game. We were able to limit them."
Juda junior Keagen Haffele scored a team-high 18 points and knocked down three 3-pointers. Senior Matt Schmitt added 11 points, and senior Skyler Stuckey chipped in nine points, including two 3-pointers.
Black Hawk 72, Monticello 41
SOUTH WAYNE - Sophomore Conner Meyer scored a game-high 28 points to power the Warriors to a Six Rivers East Conference win over Monticello.
The first half was tight until Black Hawk (11-3, 5-2 Six Rivers East) went on a 14-4 run in the final 3 minutes to build a 13-point lead at the half.
Black Hawk junior C.J. Leuzinger scored 14 points and knocked down two 3-pointers, and senior Josh Meier had 11 points. Junior Jett Rufenacht chipped in 10 points.
"I think Jett Rufenacht came in and gave us a big spark off the bench," Black Hawk coach Charlie Anderson said.
The Warriors broke the game open with a 22-7 run in the second half.
"In the second half, we did a much better job of getting the ball inside and attacking the basket," Anderson said.
Senior Zach Price scored a team-high 16 points and hit two 3-pointers for Monticello (3-13,1-7). Freshman Reece Rufer added 10 points.
New Glarus 94, Marshall 86
NEW GLARUS - Sophomore point guard Jaden Kreklow scored a team-high 30 points to lift New Glarus over rival Marshall in a shootout.
New Glarus (11-3, 4-0 Capitol South) remains unbeaten in the conference. New Glarus is tied with Wisconsin Heights atop the conference.
New Glarus junior Cullen Brooks added 24 points and junior Dishawn Gale had 18 points. Both Kreklow and sophomore Zach Feller hit two 3-pointers.
Marshall's Reece Leistikow scored a game-high 45 points and knocked down four 3-pointers.
The Knights were 17 of 23 from the free-throw line, while the Cardinals made 19 of 26.
Albany sophomore Josh Dahl lost the ball on his way up for a jump shot and then gathered it and just missed a jumper at the buzzer as Juda outlasted the Comets 44-42.
The play Allen called during the timeout required a dribble handoff and a shot afterward.
"Things got a little hectic, and it didn't work out the way we planned," Allen said. "Josh still got a good look. I think if there would have been one or two more minutes left we could have won it. We just ran out of time."
The result was a big improvement over the last time Albany (6-9, 2-5 Six Rivers East) played Juda as the Comets lost 72-60 on Dec. 9.
Juda (10-4 overall) improves to 5-2 in the conference is tied for third with Black Hawk.
Albany senior Connor Trow scored a game-high 20 points and drilled six 3-pointers. Senior Brock Gilkes added 13 points but left the second half due to a knee injury. After Gilkes left, the Panthers went on a run and built a 14-point lead. The Comets rallied in the final 8 minutes and had a golden opportunity in the final seconds.
"It's a big improvement," Allen said. "I think it says a lot. The last time we played them at Juda they just whipped us. They just killed us on the fastbreak in the first game. I bet they only had four or six fastbreak points in this game. We were able to limit them."
Juda junior Keagen Haffele scored a team-high 18 points and knocked down three 3-pointers. Senior Matt Schmitt added 11 points, and senior Skyler Stuckey chipped in nine points, including two 3-pointers.
Black Hawk 72, Monticello 41
SOUTH WAYNE - Sophomore Conner Meyer scored a game-high 28 points to power the Warriors to a Six Rivers East Conference win over Monticello.
The first half was tight until Black Hawk (11-3, 5-2 Six Rivers East) went on a 14-4 run in the final 3 minutes to build a 13-point lead at the half.
Black Hawk junior C.J. Leuzinger scored 14 points and knocked down two 3-pointers, and senior Josh Meier had 11 points. Junior Jett Rufenacht chipped in 10 points.
"I think Jett Rufenacht came in and gave us a big spark off the bench," Black Hawk coach Charlie Anderson said.
The Warriors broke the game open with a 22-7 run in the second half.
"In the second half, we did a much better job of getting the ball inside and attacking the basket," Anderson said.
Senior Zach Price scored a team-high 16 points and hit two 3-pointers for Monticello (3-13,1-7). Freshman Reece Rufer added 10 points.
New Glarus 94, Marshall 86
NEW GLARUS - Sophomore point guard Jaden Kreklow scored a team-high 30 points to lift New Glarus over rival Marshall in a shootout.
New Glarus (11-3, 4-0 Capitol South) remains unbeaten in the conference. New Glarus is tied with Wisconsin Heights atop the conference.
New Glarus junior Cullen Brooks added 24 points and junior Dishawn Gale had 18 points. Both Kreklow and sophomore Zach Feller hit two 3-pointers.
Marshall's Reece Leistikow scored a game-high 45 points and knocked down four 3-pointers.
The Knights were 17 of 23 from the free-throw line, while the Cardinals made 19 of 26.
