Sunday, January 16, 2022

Wade Briggs Scores 26 as Shamrock Boys Stop Bobcats

Wade Briggs scored 26 points for the North Harrison boys as they managed to turn back East Harrison and their 6'6" skyscraper, Mark Willis. Willis had 28 points for the Bobcats, but the Shamrocks were able to hit their free throws down the stretch to get the 58-49 win in the consolation semifinal round of the South Harrison Tournament Wednesday. They lost to South Harrison to start the tournament; they have found back to back nights tough going, as they lost 29-26 to Mercer in the consolation game Thursday in a game that was moved up due to inclement weather.

The game was tied at 6 and 11 in the first quarter before free throws from Tyson Gibson and Nick Babinski put the Shamrocks up 14-11 with 54 seconds left. Wade Briggs had the hot hand for the Shamrocks with 9 first quarter points, while Willis had 9 for the Bobcats. Hagen Booth cut it to 14-13, but Wade Briggs hit an NBA 3-pointer to put the Shamrocks up 17-13 at the end of one.

But then the Bobcats went to a box and one on Briggs, and they started setting ball screens to free up their guards to lob it into Willis. Sure enough, they started coming back and they regained the lead at 19-18 at the 5:49 mark. But after their most physical player, Owan Roberson, got his third foul, the momentum started swinging back in the Shamrocks' favor. Wade Briggs beat the box and one with a drive, and then everyone else stepped up, with six Shamrocks scoring in the period. Cooper Cracraft hit Brandon Hamilton in transition, Matthew Heintz got a putback, and Nick Babinski hit from the high post with 2:12 left to make it 26-21. The teams traded buckets for the rest of the quarter until Garrett Baker hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to draw the orange shirts to within 30-28.

Wade Briggs hit a 3-pointer to start the third quarter, but then Willis got the hot hand for East Harrison, and Hagen Booth's putback put the Bobcats back in front again at 37-36. But then Cooper Cracraft scored off a drive and Wade Briggs went coast to coast to make it 40-37. But Willis then got a lob to cut it to 40-39 at the end of three. He picked up his fourth foul, but then came back to start the fourth and then scored a 3-point play off another lob to make it 42-40 to start the fourth.

But then North Harrison was able to get it into Brandon Hamilton twice, and he scored twice over Willis, who couldn't afford to pick up his fifth foul, and North Harrison moved back in front 44-42. Wade Briggs added a free throw after Brandon Hamilton stole one of East Harrison's lobs to Willis to make it 45-42. 

Another lob to Willis cut it to 45-44, but then Matthew Heintz got a putback and Brandon Hamilton added a free throw to make it 48-44. Tyson Gibson, who had done all he could to stop Willis despite giving up several inches, and who got six steals picking off some of East Harrison's lob passes, fouled out, but Matthew Heintz took over guarding Willis in the paint and East Harrison had to start fouling after Cooper Cracraft got a critical steal. Nick Babinski hit a shot from the high post and Wade Briggs went 8 for 8 from the line in the last 1:38 as the Shamrocks were able to pull away.

Wade Briggs had 26 points for the Shamrocks, Nick Babinski had 10 points, 11 boards, and 6 assists. Brandon Hamilton had 7, Matthew Heintz had 6 points and 8 boards, Tyson Gibson had 5 points, 11 boards, and 6 steals, and Cooper Cracraft had 4 points and 5 steals.

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