MAYVILLE – Horicon was as immune to substitutions Friday night as Noah Johnson was to pressure.
Johnson converted all six of his free throw attempts in the final 82 seconds. He joined his four fellow starters in playing all 32 minutes in a 50-44 Flyway boys hoops win, Horicon’s first of the year, at rival Mayville.
Horicon’s students rushed the court after the game even though both teams only have one win each. That’s how much this game matters in both towns.
“I’m not originally from Horicon,” Horicon coach Larry Bornemann said. “But I know this is the game to win.”
Johnson joined 6-foot-8 junior Adam Ruka and Austin Oechsner, who all scored 11 points. Senior Andy Mueller led all scorers with 17 points to go with five rebounds and four steals.
“Andy was by far the best player on the court tonight,” Bornemann said. “We need the ball in his hands at critical times.
“Noah was huge from the free throw line. The close games come down to that.”
The biggest lead of the night came on Johnson’s free throws with eight seconds to play. Otherwise the contest swung back and forth incessantly and while Horicon led nearly the entire fourth quarter, its lead was in peril down the stretch.
Mueller tried to take a defensive rebound for what would have likely been a clinching basket to put the Marshmen (1-3, 1-1 Flyway) up eight in the final minute. Brandon Waas sprinted the length of the court to reject Mueller’s layup and Scott Moyle hit his third 3-pointer of the night with 29 seconds left.
It got even more interesting when Mueller lost his balance under duress of a double team near the half court line. Either Mueller or Bornemann was awarded a time out before Mueller tumbled to the floor with the ball for a traveling violation.
Johnson drained two free throws with 16 seconds left. Mueller poked the ball away from Nick Geiger when Mayville tried to score as Johnson recovered the loose ball and iced the game.
“We played with heart but if you don’t play smart, it won’t matter,” Bornemann said. “We played the game plan to a T.”
With Ruka lurking in the paint and Mueller prowling the perimeter, Horicon dared the Cardinals to beat them from the outside. Mayville hit five of 15 shots behind the arc but its 18-for-52 overall effort (34.6 percent) indicated the zone served the Marshmen in many ways.
“We wanted to clog the lane and keep them outside,” Bornemann said. “We couldn’t keep (Seve) Strook out of the lane but we kept him from finishing.
“I was very happy with our man defense but we had to save our legs.”
In his first game of the season, Strook finished with four points and five assists. It was his first game action of any kind since breaking his leg over the summer.
“It’s the first time he’s done anything since June,” Strook said. “I take the blame for this one because I had no expectations he’d play that many minutes.
“I’ll still have him taking those shots any time.”
Strook will need time to get back into game shape but his ability to distribute is sorely needed by the Cards.
Mayville did get solid efforts from Moyle (13 points) and Geiger, who at 6-1 registered 12 points and 12 rebounds.
“Geiger played hard, Moyle played hard,” coach Strook said. “Seve gives us more than scoring and we’re struggling to score.”
Ruka finished with seven rebounds while Johnson added five. Horicon visits Laconia Thursday.
Mayville (1-4, 0-2) visits Waupun Tuesday.
HORICON 50, MAYVILLE 44
Horicon 14 13 11 12 - 50
Mayville 16 7 13 8 – 44
HORICON - 17, Ruka 11, Oechsner 11, Johnson 11, Totals 17 12-17 50.
MAYVILLE - 8, Waas 8, Strook 4, Dejno 2, Turk 2, Moyle 13, Geiger 12, Totals 18 3-5 44.
3-Point Goals-Horicon 4 (Oechsner 2, Johnson 1), Mayville 5 (Hug 2, Moyle 3). Total fouls-Horicon 9, Mayville 17. Fouled out - Geiger, Moehr (M). JV – M, 50-34.