Whitko Falls To Knox
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
PLYMOUTH -ÊThe Whitko Wildcats were not ready for their season to end Friday night, but they could not have gone out of the sectional with a better game.
The Wildcats went into the sectional semifinal with a 12-9 record, facing a 19-4 Knox team. While the Redskins slipped away with a 44-39 victory, the Whitko squad gave them a run for their money.
The first point of the defensive battle did not come until the 5:22 mark, when Whitko's Brad Walpole hit a free throw to put the Wildcats on the board 1-0. Then John Woods made the score 2-0 by hitting a free throw at the 4:53 mark.
The first basket of the game came from the hands of Whitko's Mark Walter at the 3:07 mark, and the Wildcats held a 6-0 advantage.
Knox's Josh Lawrence netted a three just 20 seconds later to ut the Redskins right back in the thick of things.
However, Whitko's Noah Shepherd and Walter hit the last two baskets of the quarter to put Whitko up 8-3 at the end of the first frame.
The game shifted to Knox's favor in the second frame as Cole Herr and Kyle Keiper hit back-to-back three-pointers to open the quarter and give the Redskins their first lead of the game, 9-8.
The teams traded baskets through the rest of the quarter with neither squad going up more than five points.
At the end of the first half, Whitko held a 21-20 advantage.
But that lead did not last long in the third stanza.
Keiper opened the quarter with a basket, and Herr followed with a three-pointer to put Knox up 25-21.
But Whitko fought right back. Alex Frantz and Woods hit consecutive baskets to knot the score at 25-all.
Knox's Tyler Moore broke the tie with a free throw to make the score 26-25 Redskins.
Woods netted another basket to give Whitko a 27-26 advantage, but that was the only time the Wildcats held the lead in the second quarter.
Keiper, Herr and Moore combined to score the next seven points, and Knox held a 33-27 lead.
After Frantz and Walpole hit the last two baskets of the third quarter, the scoreboard showed Knox on top 33-32.
The Redskins held the lead throughout the fourth frame. Whitko chipped away at Knox's lead and got as close as three points, 42-39, with 30 seconds left in the game.
As Knox inbounded the ball, the Wildcats stole the ball and took two quick three-point shots. However, the ball missed its mark on both attempts and Knox plucked the rebound from the air and tried to move down the court.
Keiper was fouled and hit both free throws with 10 second left in the contest. Whitko had one last chance, but Knox got the ball back with three seconds left on the clock. Lawrence missed two free throws, but the Redskins finished with the 44-39 win.
"We never gave up," said Whitko coach Don Zawlocki. "We had some looks at the end of the game and we had the chance to tie it up. The guys never gave up."
Walpole, a senior, led the Wildcats with 16 points in the game. Frantz chipped in seven, Woods scored five and Walter and Shepherd netted four points each. Day was the other Wildcat scorer with three points.
Herr led all scorers with 18 points, wih six three-pointers. Keiper finished the night with 16 points.
Whitko finished the season 12-10, while Knox improves to 20-4 overall. The Redskins move on to face Tippecanoe Valley in tonight's sectional final at Plymouth.
KNOX 44, WHITKO 39
Knox 3 17 13 11 - 44
Whitko 8 13 11 7 - 39
Knox FG FT R S Pts.
Moore 1-5 1-2 4 0 3
Herr 6-12 0-0 5 0 18
Masson 0-5 2-3 8 2 2
Keiper 6-7 3-3 3 0 16
Lawrence 1-3 0-2 5 1 3
Sponaugle 0-3 0-0 2 1 0
Nokes 1-2 0-0 3 0 2
Sennert 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Fosler 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 15-38 6-10 30 4 44
Whitko FG FT R S Pts.
Walter 2-4 0-0 5 1 4
Day 1-3 0-0 1 2 3
Walpole 4-12 5-6 3 0 16
Frantz 2-11 3-4 7 1 7
Woods 2-3 1-2 3 0 5
Coble 0-2 0-0 0 0 0
Shepherd 1-1 2-2 2 0 4
Totals 12-46 11-14 21 4 39
Three-point goals - Knox 8-17 (Herr 6-11, Masson 0-1, Keiper 1-1, Lawrence 1-2, Sponaugle 0-1, Fosler 0-1), Whitko 4-12 (Walter 0-1, Day 1-3, Walpole 3-5, Frantz 0-2, Coble 0-1). Fouls - Knox 17, Whitko 14. Fouled out - None. Technical Fouls - Knox 1 (Moore) [[In-content Ad]]
PLYMOUTH -ÊThe Whitko Wildcats were not ready for their season to end Friday night, but they could not have gone out of the sectional with a better game.
The Wildcats went into the sectional semifinal with a 12-9 record, facing a 19-4 Knox team. While the Redskins slipped away with a 44-39 victory, the Whitko squad gave them a run for their money.
The first point of the defensive battle did not come until the 5:22 mark, when Whitko's Brad Walpole hit a free throw to put the Wildcats on the board 1-0. Then John Woods made the score 2-0 by hitting a free throw at the 4:53 mark.
The first basket of the game came from the hands of Whitko's Mark Walter at the 3:07 mark, and the Wildcats held a 6-0 advantage.
Knox's Josh Lawrence netted a three just 20 seconds later to ut the Redskins right back in the thick of things.
However, Whitko's Noah Shepherd and Walter hit the last two baskets of the quarter to put Whitko up 8-3 at the end of the first frame.
The game shifted to Knox's favor in the second frame as Cole Herr and Kyle Keiper hit back-to-back three-pointers to open the quarter and give the Redskins their first lead of the game, 9-8.
The teams traded baskets through the rest of the quarter with neither squad going up more than five points.
At the end of the first half, Whitko held a 21-20 advantage.
But that lead did not last long in the third stanza.
Keiper opened the quarter with a basket, and Herr followed with a three-pointer to put Knox up 25-21.
But Whitko fought right back. Alex Frantz and Woods hit consecutive baskets to knot the score at 25-all.
Knox's Tyler Moore broke the tie with a free throw to make the score 26-25 Redskins.
Woods netted another basket to give Whitko a 27-26 advantage, but that was the only time the Wildcats held the lead in the second quarter.
Keiper, Herr and Moore combined to score the next seven points, and Knox held a 33-27 lead.
After Frantz and Walpole hit the last two baskets of the third quarter, the scoreboard showed Knox on top 33-32.
The Redskins held the lead throughout the fourth frame. Whitko chipped away at Knox's lead and got as close as three points, 42-39, with 30 seconds left in the game.
As Knox inbounded the ball, the Wildcats stole the ball and took two quick three-point shots. However, the ball missed its mark on both attempts and Knox plucked the rebound from the air and tried to move down the court.
Keiper was fouled and hit both free throws with 10 second left in the contest. Whitko had one last chance, but Knox got the ball back with three seconds left on the clock. Lawrence missed two free throws, but the Redskins finished with the 44-39 win.
"We never gave up," said Whitko coach Don Zawlocki. "We had some looks at the end of the game and we had the chance to tie it up. The guys never gave up."
Walpole, a senior, led the Wildcats with 16 points in the game. Frantz chipped in seven, Woods scored five and Walter and Shepherd netted four points each. Day was the other Wildcat scorer with three points.
Herr led all scorers with 18 points, wih six three-pointers. Keiper finished the night with 16 points.
Whitko finished the season 12-10, while Knox improves to 20-4 overall. The Redskins move on to face Tippecanoe Valley in tonight's sectional final at Plymouth.
KNOX 44, WHITKO 39
Knox 3 17 13 11 - 44
Whitko 8 13 11 7 - 39
Knox FG FT R S Pts.
Moore 1-5 1-2 4 0 3
Herr 6-12 0-0 5 0 18
Masson 0-5 2-3 8 2 2
Keiper 6-7 3-3 3 0 16
Lawrence 1-3 0-2 5 1 3
Sponaugle 0-3 0-0 2 1 0
Nokes 1-2 0-0 3 0 2
Sennert 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Fosler 0-1 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 15-38 6-10 30 4 44
Whitko FG FT R S Pts.
Walter 2-4 0-0 5 1 4
Day 1-3 0-0 1 2 3
Walpole 4-12 5-6 3 0 16
Frantz 2-11 3-4 7 1 7
Woods 2-3 1-2 3 0 5
Coble 0-2 0-0 0 0 0
Shepherd 1-1 2-2 2 0 4
Totals 12-46 11-14 21 4 39
Three-point goals - Knox 8-17 (Herr 6-11, Masson 0-1, Keiper 1-1, Lawrence 1-2, Sponaugle 0-1, Fosler 0-1), Whitko 4-12 (Walter 0-1, Day 1-3, Walpole 3-5, Frantz 0-2, Coble 0-1). Fouls - Knox 17, Whitko 14. Fouled out - None. Technical Fouls - Knox 1 (Moore) [[In-content Ad]]