Fairland boys avenge two losses to Nowata with 53-49 OT win in 2A regional semifinals
By Ty Loftis
Photo of Nowata boys taking on Fairland
NOWATA - Thursday evening was a chance for teams to get a win and make it to the area tournament next week.
In Nowata, the Ironmen were playing host to Fairland for a chance to make it to area in the Class 2A Area III regional semifinals.
This was the third time the two teams had played, with Nowata winning on the previous two occasions, but it was Fairland coming away victorious on Thursday with a 53-49 overtime win.
“It feels good to get the win,” Fairland coach Bobby Waters said. “Getting back to the area tournament is always special and now we just need to put ourselves in the best position by getting another win on Saturday (the regional championship game).”
With just under a minute to go in regulation, the Owls led 41-40 and Carson Schertz was going to the foul line for a one-and-one. He missed the first shot, but an over the back call on the rebound attempt put Fairland’s Boone Perryman back on the line, where he made both to put Fairland up by three.
On the other end, Kaleb Bashford got a three-point play to tie the game with 30 seconds left. Both teams had an opportunity to win the game before the buzzer sounded, but it went to overtime with the game tied at 43 apiece.
In that overtime period, Nowata’s Spencer Bullen and Yamarion Cole fouled out and with a six-man rotation, that hurt the Ironmen.
Schertz scored six points in overtime and came away with a game-sealing steal with seven seconds left. He led the way in scoring with 21 points and Waters is proud of the way he played.
“That’s what we expect out of him,” Waters said. “He comes up big when it matters most and he did that (Thursday).”
Neither team could get much going early, as the game was tied at 6 at the end of the first quarter, but the Owls opened the second frame on a 12-3 run and took a 20-14 lead into halftime.
A basket by Schertz extended the Fairland lead to 11 midway through the third quarter before Nowata trimmed into the deficit. The Ironmen got it to within two entering the fourth quarter, but the Owls opened the final frame with back-to-back 3's.
Schertz talks about what it meant to weather those Nowata runs.
“We are a confident bunch,” Schertz said. “We know teams are going to make runs, but we just have to relax, do our thing and answer. That is exactly what we did (Thursday).”
Baskets from Skylar Stevens and Michael Prince cut the lead to four and the game stayed close from there until it was sent to overtime. Waters talks about how proud he is of his team for holding on for the close victory.
“Wins are never easy, but with this one, it would have been easy for our guys to hang their heads in the late-going,” Waters said. “We were playing in Nowata, a team that we had already lost to twice this year. This was a good team win.”
Markeen Webb and Schertz each had 21 points for Fairland, while Bashford had 20 for Nowata.
Nowata now plays Chouteau-Mazie in an elimination contest on Friday evening in Colcord and Fairland plays Colcord in the regional championship game on Saturday night, also in Colcord.
Girls
Fairland 39, Wyandotte 25
Wyandotte met up with Fairland on the girls side with both teams looking for an automatic berth into area and it was the Lady Owls coming away victorious, 39-25.
With the game tied at 21 apiece heading into the fourth quarter, Fairland outscored Wyandotte, 18-4, in the final frame to get the convincing win.
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In that fourth quarter, Kinley Powell scored 10 points. She had 18 for the game.
Wyandotte will play in a win-or-go-home game against Chouteau-Mazie on Friday evening and the Lady Owls will play Warner in the regional championship game on Saturday in Colcord.
