Bluejays stagger into NAIA Tournament
Friends slaps No. 22 Tabor in first round, 54-52
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
You probably won't hear any complaints from the Bluejays about not seeing the Friends Falcons again this season. It's a safe bet they've seen enough of them.
Especially in Hillsboro.
The KCAC season ended Wednesday night, much like it began for the Bluejays, in Hillsboro hosting the Falcons in the opening round of the KCAC Tournament.
The nothing-to-lose Falcons ambushed Tabor (20-9, 14-5 KCAC) in its second KCAC game of the season back in December, and did it again Wednesday, outlasting the Bluejays, 54-52.
Illnesses have been running rampant on a few Bluejays.
Tabor's game looked sick all the way around Wednesday, like the team that opened the league's season instead of one that won 10 straight.
"It's obvious we had a letdown," a boiling Bluejay coach Don Brubacher said. "But it's also true we played the way we often have even in our 10-game winning streak.
"The difference was we didn't really have the good stretches to carry us through this game."
The Bluejays looked like somebody dumped molasses in their gas tank from the start of the game with Friends opening on an 8-0 run.
Twice in the game's first 9:30, Tabor was in jeopardy of trailing by double digits, and generally, it was Greg Carrell or Josh Urban having a hand in it.
Carrell had a game-high 14 points while Urban chipped in 12.
Hindered by their inability to take care of the basketball, committing 10 first half turnovers and 17 for the game, the Bluejays never got on track.
"If you want to pick out one single element that swung the game, it was just those turnovers we committed up top that were absolutely needless turnovers," Brubacher said. "There was no pressure on the ball. We're not about to give up a five-second count, we just caught it and threw it to Friends."
And the Falcons were more than happy to rip off 13 points from Tabor's poor ball handling and poor free throw shooting the first half to go up 30-23 at the break.
The Bluejays shot nearly 50 percent from the floor and 40 from downtown, not to mention holding Friends to 37 percent.
"That's really an immense swing in the course of the basketball game, but it's just indicative of how we played," said Brubacher. "We were not alert. We did not see the court."
About the only time the Bluejays' game looked healthy was the in the first 5:00 of the second half.
Tabor's only double digit scorers, Brad Gattis and Anthony Monson, who each had 10, furnished four each to put the Bluejays in front, 33-32, 3:00 in.
"We played well on both ends. We rebounded and we looked like we knew what we were trying to accomplish," Brubacher said. "We looked organized and determined and we won very easily in that stretch, but after about 5:00 of that, we had enough of that level and effort."
That lead lasted only 1:15 before the Bluejays were trying to catch up again as the Falcons built their lead back up to eight with under 10:00 to go.
Gattis scored six points in the closing 6:19 to cut the deficit to 52-50 at the 2:13 mark.
Tabor had several golden opportunities to shift the momentum, but ended up loosing the ball in the process.
Finally with :33 left, Martin de Boer tied the game with a pair of free throws at 52.
Down 54-52, Grant Brubacher recovered a lost ball with two seconds left on the clock.
The Bluejays got the ball into Gattis' hands for the winning shot, but drew iron, sending the Falcons onto the second round.
"Our defense gave us a chance to win the game, but as bad as we were offensively, that's not enough," said Don Brubacher. "We needed to hold them to 50 points to win tonight, 54 was too many.
"That's pretty ridiculous for a college basketball game you can't produce more than 54 points on your home court, but it's where we were. It's where we always are when we play against a determined defense."
Friends joins the Bluejays as the KCAC representatives March 9-15 at the NAIA Division II National Tournament in Branson, Mo.
The Falcons did the impossible, winning the KCAC Tournament, defeating Sterling.
Tabor will be in action March 9 or 10 against an unknown opponent.
HRC to host
men's tournament
Hillsboro Recreation Commission will host a USSSA men's "E" state qualifier double elimination tournament April 2 and 3 at Hillsboro Sports Complex.
The entry deadline is 5 p.m. March 25 and the fee is $120/$100. The tournament is limited to the first 24 paid teams.
For more information E-mail or call HRC at hillsbororec@dtnspeed.net or (620) 947-3490.
HRC to sponsor men's spring slowpitch league
Hillsboro Recreation Commission will sponsor a men's spring slowpitch softball league. Games will be played Sunday afternoons and evenings April 3, 10, and 17. A double elimination tournament will be held April 23. Games will be played at Memorial Field and Hillsboro Sports Complex and the cost is $125 for an eight-game minimum.
For more information, call or e-mail HRC at (620) 947-3490 or hillsbororec@ dtnspeed.net.
