NEW LISBON TOPS LOYAL IN REGIONAL FINAL, 57-54
By David Paradise
Star-Times Sports Editor
The New Lisbon Rockets (15-7) traveled to Neillsville on Saturday for the WIAA Division IV Regional Finals against the Loyal Greyhounds (12-11).
It was the Rockets' first regional final since the 2003-04 team lost to Auburndale 37-28.
Loyal scored the opening basket of the game, before a Jacob Woggon free throw and Kyle Brummond three-pointer put the Rockets in the lead, 4-2.
The Greyhounds answered with a three-pointer before Brummond knocked down another three to give the Rockets a 7-5 lead. Loyal went on a 6-0 run that put them up, 11-7.
Chad Wyss ended the Greyhounds' run with a basket inside, and Woggon followed it with a three-pointer as the Rockets regained the lead, 12-11.
Loyal quickly answered the Woggon three with a basket to go up 13-12.
Woggon and Brandon Brockman scored back-to-back baskets to give New Lisbon a 16-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Loyal opened the second with a 4-0 run to retake the lead, 17-16. Woggon tied the game at 17 with a free throw.
The Greyhounds went on a 6-2 run to take a 23-19 lead.
Woggon and Brockman knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to give the Rockets a 25-23 lead with 2:33 left in the half.
Loyal tied the game at 25 before a 6-0 Rockets run, capped off by a Mitchell Vinz steal and layup, gave New Lisbon a 31-25 lead at halftime.
Trailing by six at half, the Greyhounds hit a pair of free throws to start the third quarter, narrowing the Rockets' lead to four.
Woggon scored to put the Rockets back up six. Loyal answered with a 6-2 run to cut the New Lisbon lead to just two, before a RJ Titus basket and another Brockman three-pointer gave the Rockets a 7-point cushion, 40-33.
Following a Greyhounds basket, Vinz made a free throw and Titus scored inside to give the Rockets a 43-35 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Loyal quickly erased the Rockets lead with an 8-0 run over the first 2:08 of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 43.
New Lisbon knocked down six straight free throws to put them back in control.
A Loyal basket narrowed the lead to four, before Vinz knocked down two free throws and Brockman added one to put New Lisbon up, 52-45.
A 7-0 Greyhounds run tied the game at 52 with 1:38 remaining.
Brockman knocked down two free throws to put New Lisbon back on top, but Loyal answered with two of their own to tie the game.
Wyss got free and scored for the Rockets with 34 seconds left, to give New Lisbon the lead. After a pair of missed free throws by the Rockets, Loyal missed a pair and was forced to foul Wyss with less than 10 seconds left.
Wyss hit one-of-two, and the Greyhounds missed a last second three-point attempt, to give New Lisbon the 57-54 victory and move them into sectional action.
"Brandon (Brockman) made some big free throws toward the end, and Chad (Wyss) hit the big one at the end," New Lisbon coach Brad Bever said. "Exciting game, both teams played well, it was a good overall performance for us. It was good to see kids step up under pressure and knock down shots."
New Lisbon continues their playoff run on Friday, when they travel to Osseo-Fairchild to take on top-ranked Eleva-Strum (23-0).
The winner will advance to the sectional final at Onalaska and play the winner of Barneveld (17-6) and fifth ranked Seneca (23-0).