By RYAN WALKER
The Southern Wells Raiders won an emotional, high-intensity game over Wes-Del 67-64 on Senior Night Tuesday at the Raiderdome.
There were a total of 33 fouls called, 37 turnovers, and a home game that featured likely the largest crowd of the season. Add that either team led by no more than nine points, and you’ve got quite the ball game.
Head coach Joel Roush thinks his team plays better in that type of environment. He let them go to see them attack the basket but stay under control.
“I thought we did a really good job of holding our composure of doing the things that we needed to do,” he said after the game. “We were being strong with the ball when it was necessary. We had guys make plays. When teams press you and trap you, you have to make them pay, and I thought we did a fairly decent job of that tonight.”
Right from the jump, the Raiders (6-14) forced a pair of turnovers while also coughing up some of their own. Kedrik Sonnigsen scored the game’s first points on a transition layup. Then Nick Lozoya nailed a deep jumper.
Sonnigsen would add two steals shortly afterward and pick up four points back-to-back to make it 10-4.
The Warriors (8-12), though, would crawl right back into the game as they did all night, ending the quarter on a 12-3 run.
The second quarter was all about Chandler Oswalt.
The junior hit a three from a few feet behind the three-point line within the first 20 seconds of the second quarter and later hit two more. His 13 points in the period propelled his team to a one-point lead at the break and a game-high 21.
Both teams battled for most of the third, keeping it a one-possession game up until the 1:57 mark.
Then came Lozoya’s time to shine.
The senior splashed his second three of the night, then scored off of turnovers to score the final four points of the quarter. He shot three of four in the third to help give him 14 points for the game.
Southern Wells had six different players score in the middle quarters and went 45 percent from the field in that span.
“We were connected, we shared the ball, and we hit people when they were in a position to do what they do best,” Roush said. “And if you can do those three things, I think you’re going to be successful offensively regardless of what else happens.”
In the fourth quarter, fouls were a dime a dozen, including a late technical foul called on Wes-Del head coach John McGlothin. The game went from a fast-paced, back-and-fourth show to a choppy foul fest.
It looked as if the Raiders had put the game to bed when Evan Pennington hit a one-and-one with 4:25 remaining to give the Raiders a nine-point advantage, but again, the Warriors came storming back.
On the possession after Pennington’s three, Josiah Love hit a triple, and teammate Cade Pretoruis followed up with one of his own, forcing a timeout by Roush.
At the 1:20 mark, Wes-Del was down four after two missed free throws by Jacob Grant. The two teams would trade off the next possession with two points each. Jenson Nusbaumer went to the line and made one of two free throws to makethe score 65-60.
With 26 seconds left, the Warriors set up a play for an open three — but missed. An offensive rebound by Corbin Price allowed for a trip to the free throw line, where he hit both and suddenly it was a one-possession game.
Right after that, a foul put Oswalt at the stripe and he made both free throws. The Raiders put a full-court press on the Warriors as they drove down the court, spending enough time for a Warrior layup with 1.2 seconds left.
Southern Wells would take the ball out on the baseline, and before a five-second call could be made, Pennington used a timeout.
After the timeout, the Raiders nearly lost the ball on the same instance but got the ball to Oswalt, who then fell to the ground as the horn sounded. The officials came together to discuss whether or not the time ran out before Oswalt went to the floor or if a travel occurred.
After about a 10-second meeting, the officials waved their hands, signaling a dramatic end to the game.
The Raiders handed the Warriors their 12th loss of the year, and Roush was pleased with how his team used the scouting report to defeat a team with more wins than the Raiders have.
“They did a really good job on the scouting report, and we’ve seen them play a few times,” he said. “You don’t know what’s coming all the time, but you have a pretty good idea of what’s coming. It’s just very gratifying to see us recognize what’s going on and be able to counter it a little bit.”
Southern Wells also won the junior varsity game 41-29. CJ Reber led the way with 16 points, and Caleb Johnson and Levi Woodward added eight each.
The Raiders will wrap up the regular season on the road against Cowan at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24.
sports@news-banner.com
SOUTHERN WELLS 67,
WES-DEL 64
At Southern Wells High School
WES-DEL (8-12): Travis Bunch 2-3 2-2 6, Cade Pretorius 1-4 3-6 6, Corbin Price 4-9 6-9 14, Josiah Love 8-18 1-5 20, Trey Adams 3-11 4-5 10, Jacob Grant 1-3 0-2 2, Jack Rooker 1-2 0-0 2, Grayson Mealy 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 20-48 16-29 64
SOUTHERN WELLS (6-14): Chandler Oswalt 5-14 8-11 21, Kedrik Sonnigsen 5-8 0-0 11, Nick Lozoya 6-8 0-0 14, Jenson Nusbaumer 2-9 1-2 5, Evan Pennington 5-8 1-5 11, Gage Roberts 0-1 0-0 0, Perrin Gates 1-4 1-1 3, Andrew Aker 1-4 0-0 2, Bryar Gearheart 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 25-55 11-19 67.
Wes-Del 16 14 13 21 –– 64
So. Wells 13 18 19 17 –– 67
Three-point FG: Wes-Del 4-14 (Love 3-6, Pretorius 1-3, Price 0-1, Adams 0-3, Grant 0-1), Southern Wells 6-18 (Oswalt 3-7, Lozoya 2-3, Sonnigsen 1-2, Aker 0-3, Nusbaumer 0-4). Rebounds: Wes-Del 35 (Price 8, Bunch 6, Adams 5, Grant 4, Pretorius 4, Love 4, Rooker 2, Mealy 1), Southern Wells 25 (Gates 8, Sonnigsen 4, Oswalt 4, Nusbaumer 3, Pennington 2, Roberts 2, Aker 1, Lozoya 1). Turnovers: Wes-Del 18, Southern Wells 15. Fouls: Wes-Del 15, Southern Wells 22. Fouled Out: None. Technicals: None.
