Perhaps its a simple explanation, and for Wawasee fans its cold comfort, but the fact remians for the Warriors in the NorthWood Sectional final - the shots didn't fall.Wawasee had several chances late in the game to tie or take the lead against host NorthWood but couldn't convert as the Panthers won their first sectional since 2001 with a 60-56 win Monday night.
The game was postponed until Monday because the Wawasee girls team made it to the Class 3A state finals.
NorthWood jumped out to a 10-7 lead after the first quarter and never gave up its lead from that point on.
"We got control of the game early on and never quit," said NorthWood coach Dan Gunn.
The Panthers used a healthy dose of Zach Troyer, Dustin Bussard and Skyler Titus to keep their lead.
Troyer led the way for NorthWood with 20 points, including a three late in the third quarter that changed the game.
Wawasee's Lance Zimmerman hit two free throws to make the score 42-38 in favor of NorthWood with 3.4 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Panthers inbounded the ball and Troyer dribbled up to the 30-foot mark and nailed a three as time expired to push NorthWood's lead to seven.
NorthWood had the possession to start the second half and pushed its lead to nine at 47-38 after a Titus layup.
Wawasee put together a 6-0 run after Titus' bucket to make the score a one-possession affair at 47-44.
The Warriors climbed to within one point at 49-48 but just couldn't get over the hump.
Tylor Trobaugh missed a three with just over two minutes left in the game that would have tied the score at 51-all.
After a Troyer bucket and free throw, Andrew Mock hit a three to make the score 54-51.
The Warriors then fouled Kelly Adams, who missed both of his free throw attempts but Wawasee couldn't capitalize as Mock missed and open three in the corner.
Nate Brown hit one free throw for NorthWood to make the Panther lead 55-51.
Both Mock and Joe Leach missed three-point attempts that would have made the game a one-point affair.
After Adams nailed a pair of free throws, Mock hit a pair of his own free throws with 26.3 seconds left in regulation.
The Panthers responded with a set of free throws from Bussard before Trobaugh nailed a three to make the count 59-56.
Brandon Geiger went to the charity stripe for two shots but couldn't connect on either after Wawasee drew a turnover on NorthWood's inbound play.
Geiger couldn't connect on either shot and the Panthers' Aaron McDowell, who came in for a fouled out Nate Brown, hit one of two free throws to essentially seal the game.
"The shots didn't fall tonight," said Wawasee coach Phil Mishler. "The shots fell for (NorthWood) tonight. We had some good looks it just wasn't falling for us."
Mishler noted that Troyer's three at the end of the third quarter shifted both momentum and how the game was played.
"When you're playing poessession basketball you're going back and forth," said Mishler. "So (Troyer's shot) is huge. After that we were playing with a little bit of desperation."
Mock led the way for all Warriors with 13 points while Leach and Geiger had 12 points. Zimmerman finished with 10 as Trobaugh was the only other Wawasee player to score with nine points.
Troyer led the way for NorthWood with 20 points.
Wawasee (16-6) says goodbye to seniors Leach, Mock, Trobaugh, Zimmerman and Barry Singrey.
Leach, Mock and Trobaugh mark the end of an era, as that group graduates with a lot of honors.
"They've been through a final four, elite eight and played since they were freshmen. It's been a great journey," said Mishler.
Trobaugh was a transfer from Tennessee who played elementary and middle school ball for the Warriors before playing his freshman year at Jimtown and moving while Singrey saw hist most significant minutes this year.
The Warriors' frustation affected things against NorthWood as the Panthers got to the foul line 26 times to Wawasee's 14.
The Warriors had seven team fouls at one point in the third quarter to none for NorthWood.
