Bluejays bow out in first round loss
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
Bluejay coach Don Brubacher has been harping for months about his team shooting the basketball.
Of Tabor's 10 losses, icy shooting has been a huge culprit in most of the them.
In the opening round of the NAIA Division II's National Tournament Thursday at College of the Ozarks in Branson, cold shooting was just one of the downfalls for the Bluejays.
While 36 percent from the floor will bring good results in many games, it wasn't enough for Tabor against the seventh-ranked Walsh (Ohio) Cavaliers.
Behind a likely first-team NAIA All-American Robert Whaley, the Cavaliers put the brakes on the Bluejays' season with a 68-62 victory.
Tabor ends the year 20-10 while the Cavaliers are into the Final Four.
Whaley and Bluejay standout Martin de Boer are no strangers.
A transfer from Cloud County, de Boer went head-to-head with Whaley while he was at Barton County.
After earning the NJCAA's Player of the Year in 2003, Whaley chose to play for the highly-respected Bob Huggins at Cincinnati, where he was tabbed the top newcomer in Conference USA by several major college publications.
The 6-10 265-pound Whaley transferred to Walsh after complications with Huggins kept him out of action a year ago.
Whaley was a load for the Bluejays, scoring a game-high 24 points, eight rebounds, and six blocks.
Tabor stuck with the Cavaliers the first half, even pulling in front by a point before falling behind, 32-27 at the break, hitting 12-of-34 from the field and a frigid 1-for-8 from downtown.
Playing his final game, de Boer's eight first half points kept the Bluejays in the game.
He and Brad Gattis went on to finish second in scoring to Grant Brubacher, who had 13, with 12.
Gattis and Grant Brubacher each pulled down seven rebounds while de Boer grabbed six to help the Bluejays edge Walsh overall, 39-36.
Also playing their final games for Tabor were Anthony Monson, who scored eight points and Scott Shaffer, who added five.
The Bluejays also lose Josh Wertenberger and James Black from this year's team.
Tabor flirted with getting blown out the second half with Walsh feeding the ball inside to Whaley, who converted on 10-of-18 from the floor.
After hitting 1-for-8 from downtown the first half, the Bluejays warmed up slightly the second to 3-of-9.
The Cavaliers hit 50 percent from the floor the second half, 44 for the game, while hitting 42 from long distance to help push their lead to 14.
Tabor fought back to trim the deficit as close as five in the closing minutes of the game, but no closer down the stretch.
The Bluejays ended the year hitting 12-of-14 from the foul line the second half and 74 percent on the night.
Despite the loss of five seniors, Tabor should remain a favorite to challenge for the KCAC crown next year with an eighth NAIA National Tournament a strong possibility.
