03-01-05
BY JACK BULLOCK
NEWTON - In Tuesday nights' Newton Class A Sectional semifinal game between Flora and state-ranked Teutopolis, the same key players that have stepped up for the Wolves all season long, got the job done for coach Phil Lieb.

Lucas Stanford and Adam Forth were up to the challenge and delivered their team to the sectional title game.

Stanford put home a game-high 20-points while defensive standout Forth kept T-Town in what seemed like a 'Fourth and Long' all night.

Toss in some huge baskets and assists by Blaine Headlee and Adam Cartright and the Wolves reached the 'Round of 32' with a come-from-behind 48-43 overtime win.

The Wooden Shoes can look no further that their own problems shooting the ball, including a dreadful 8-of-16 performance at the free throw line, to see how their promising season came to an abrupt halt.

In a contest that featured 14 lead changes and six ties, Flora (23-9) overcame 14 turnovers to survive this hard-fought defensive struggle.

The Wolves are now 'howling' at a shot at the school's first boy's sectional title since 1990.

"Forth on the defensive end, Stanford on the offensive end, Headlee hit some shots, everybody contributed tonight," said Lieb, who was celebrating his birthday on the night.

Hitting 4-of-5 free throws in the final :37 of overtime, the Wolves put away the Shoes
T-Town coach Ken Crawford pointed to two main reasons for his teams' early sectional exit.

"Our lack of patience when we got the early lead is what really hurt our chances early in the game," explained Crawford. "We got out to an eight point lead and then we got in a hurry, we came down and became 'quick-shot artists.' I think we missed a golden opportunity at that point of the game to get a big lead. And to win games like this you have to hit free throws and we didn't do it tonight, either."

The Wooden Shoes struck first in the game with a big early run to take control of the first quarter, only to see the Wolves quickly rally.

Six first quarter points by T-Town senior guard Luke Niebrugge got his club going early.

His fast break lay in off of a steal early on gave Teutopolis an 8-4 lead with 4:37 to go.

An assist by Luke Niebrugge to Paul Niebrugge on an interior lob pass followed by another Luke score gave T-Town its largest lead at 12-4. Much of the T-Town success started on the defensive end as Flora committed six first-quarter turnovers.

But the Wolves rallied quickly as the Shoes allowed them back into the contest.

A score on a reverse lay in by Tyler McGrew; a basket by Forth and then a nice drive to the bucket by Stanford between two T-Town defenders cut the lead down to 12-10 at the first horn.

Flora got its first lead of the game as they finished off their 9-0 run with a basket by Headlee with 7:13 left in the second quarter which put the Wolves up 13-12.

Coach Lieb's club reached its first half 'high-water' mark late in the period after two McGrew free throws and a runner in the lane by Stephen Putbrese made it 19-16.

However as they had managed to do for most of the season, the Shoes' got on a brief roll to end the half with the lead.

After missing their first four free throws of the half, Matt Crawford came off the bench and hit a pair after getting fouled by Stanford with 1:28 left.

After a turnover on an offensive foul by McGrew for throwing an elbow under trapping pressure, T-Town's junior Lee Zerrusen hit his only 3-pointer of the night, as he came off of a screen at the top of the arc to give back the lead to his team 23-21 at intermission.

As nice as it was to have the lead at the break, Coach Crawford was upset about the Shoes shot selection in the opening half.

"We shot way too many 3-pointers in the first half," explained Crawford, talking about T-Town's 1-of-9 effort from behind the line. "It just gets back to being patient on offense, which we got out of after getting the lead."

In what could have been the most unsightly third quarter of the season for both teams, Flora outscored T-Town 6-5.

However the biggest news of the frame was the Wooden Shoes' foul problems that began to mount against their groundwork for success.

Both Blake Schumacher and Paul Niebrugge spent time on the bench after they each picked up their third fouls.

Chris Zerrusen, who was held in check for most of the game, hit one of his two 3-pointers on the night late in the quarter.

His 'trifecta' from the top of the arc coming off of a screen made it 28-25.

But with T-Town in foul trouble and playing a zone for the most part of the third quarter, Flora began to find openings.

A turn around shot in the paint by Stanford closed the quarter at 28-27 Teutopolis heading home.

Shooting themselves in the foot in the stanza, T-Town was just 2-of-14 from the field in the eight minute stretch.

"We went to our bench some in the third quarter because of our foul problems and we played with some kids out there that we are not used to having on the floor," added Coach Crawford.

All of the afore mentioned stats pointed to problems ahead for the state-ranked T-Town club.

But the Wooden Shoes stayed in the race for the duration of the contest.

Following an early quarter steal and fast break lay up by Stanford and a 3-pointer on a wide-open look from the left wing by Headlee, Flora led 32-29 with 5:14 remaining.

Working against the zone defense, Flora began to break down T-Town from the outside in.

After yet another T-Town comeback evened the game at 34-all, Stanford canned his only 3-pointer of the night, also from the top of the key, giving the lead back to Flora 37-34.

However Chris Zerrusen scored a pair of big shots late in regulation for Crawford's squad.

A drive to the basket and a 3-pointer from the left wing on consecutive offensive trips put Teutopolis up 39-37 with a chance of victory.

However, after going back to man-to-man on the defensive end, the Shoes coughed up an easy basket to Adam Cartright on a great interior pass from Stanford to even the game with 1:19 to play.

T-Town had two different chances to score late in the quarter, but a turnover on an ill-advised pass and a missed 3-pointer at the horn by C. Zerrusen sent the two teams to overtime.

"This was our sixth overtime game this season so we have been here before and I told the kids that I guarantee that they (Teutopolis) haven't been here more than we have," Lieb added.

Flora took quick command of the extra session, thanks in part to continued foul problems by T-Town.
Sending the Wolves to the line proved to be the difference in the outcome.

Once T-Town's C. Zerrusen hit 1-of-2 free throws to give T-Town its last advantage at 40-39, Flora scored a couple of quick baskets and then let their free throw shooting do the rest.

Another drive to the basket by Stanford and a back door cut by McGrew, courtesy of an assist from Headlee, gave the Wolves the comfort zone that they needed.

Missing shots and then fouling closed out T-Town's season.

While the Shoe's missed all three of their 3-point attempts in the final moments, Flora closed out the game making 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.

Stanford's final pair with :08.7 remaining ended the game's scoring and Teutopolis' season.
"We dodged a few bullets tonight but Flora beat us," finalized Crawford. "Our kids left everything out there on the floor tonight and played their hearts out. I think anytime you win 26-games you had a great year."

After spending most of the season winning statistical battles, T-Town lost all of the key categories on this night.

Going just 3-of-16 from behind the 3-point line, with just 16-of-46 overall, the Flora defensive game plan worked.

"We knew coming in that we wanted to defend their screens and Adam Forth, he is like a pit bull in a sock, he will chase you and make you earn every point that you get," added Lieb. "We had a great game plan and we stuck to it tonight."

Flora, on the other hand, hit a bit better from the field as the Wolves were 19-of-37 overall and 8-of-12 from the free throw line.

Coach Lieb's club held a slight 23-20 rebounding edge, with 17 of them coming on the defensive end, many of which were late in the game.

The Wolves will have a rematch Friday night with a team they played this season, having had contests against both St. Anthony and conference rival Lawrenceville.

Coach Lieb's team has a 59-40 win over St. Anthony back on November 22 at the Bulldogs' Thanksgiving Tournament.

But Lawrenceville has had the Wolves number this season with a pair of wins (60-42 at the LIC Tourney January 27; 69-66 at Flora February 18) but things all change when the games count in post-season.

"I told the kids that we have to cut and slash when attacking their zone," said Lieb. "We got Blaine (Headlee) open for a big 3-pointer and that sort of softened their defense up. When they had to go back to man, we got back control. I am so proud of our kids tonight; they all stepped up in their own way. McGrew with some key rebounds, Cartright hit some shots, and it was a great effort all around."