|
Mar. 11, 2010
SOLON ECONOMIST
|
| Nick Day calmly canned two free throws with 20 seconds remaining to help push Solon past IKM-Manning , 42-34, in the 2A semifinal Thursday. |
|
|
DES MOINES- Wow, now that was a game.
At halftime, the Solon Spartans had scored only 14 points and were shooting less than 24 percent from the field.
But they only trailed by a basket.
Led by its seniors, the Spartans scored 28 second half points and Solon moved into the Class 2A championship with a 42-34 win over No. 2 seed IKM-Manning Thursday in Des Moines.
The Spartans now face No. 4 seed Western Christian-Hull Friday, March 12, at 8:05 p.m. in the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. For those of you with short memories, the Spartans faced Western Christian in last year's exhausting double-overtime semifinal win.
To get there, however, the Spartans had to score some points and break the defensive gridlock that surrounded the first half.
Nip-and-tuck well into the third quarter, Solon took the lead for good heading toward the fourth thanks to the effort of senior Bubba Carter.
Down by two points, Bubba Carter scored a layup after a steal by Hale Rickels to tie the game. Then, after a charge was called on Zach Velez-Westphal, Carter stole the ball and was fouled. On the next trip down the floor, Carter got an offensive rebound and a basket to give Solon the lead for good. Moments into the fourth another offensive put-back to put Solon ahead by three.
The Spartans nursed that lead until the final moments, when seniors Tanner Wentzien and Nick Day took over at the free throw line. Wentzien had two blocks during the flurry of the fourth quarter, then went 7-8 from the charity stripe in the final minute to extend Solon's lead to six points.
Wentzien led in scoring with 13 points rebounding with six and steals with five. Carter and Rickels had eight points each.
Solon shot 74 percent from the line for the game. |
|
|
