Celina ends Van Wert’s season 61-41

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

CELINA — Van Wert stayed with Celina for three quarters, but things quickly changed during Tuesday’s Division II sectional semifinal at the Celina Fieldhouse.

No. 10 seed Van Wert trailed by just three, 40-37, but Celina’s Braylon Gabes ended the third quarter with a trey that sparked a big scoring run and a 61-41 victory by the seventh seeded Bulldogs (13-10). The loss ended Van Wert’s season at 4-19.

“That basket at the end of the third quarter – I don’t want to say it was a backbreaker – but it kind of shifted the momentum of the game,” Van Wert head coach Ben Laudick said.

Caleb Gabes opened the fourth quarter with a triple then seconds later, Grant Duncan converted a pair of foul shots that extended Celina’s lead to 48-37 less than a minute into the period. The lead steadily grew to as many as 22, as the Bulldogs finished the game on a 21-4 scoring jaunt. The Cougars didn’t score until the 2:29 mark, when Colin Haggerty put in a short jumper.

“Credit Celina for making some shots down the stretch,” Laudick said. “I felt like it was Groundhog Day, where we got a bunch of good looks but nothing went in and the other team got a bunch of good looks that went in. It’s a tough way to go.”

Despite foul trouble in the first half, Braylon Gabes finished with 21 points and Caleb Gables added 20 points for the Bulldogs.

Celina led 12-10 after one quarter, with Braylon Gabes scoring on an offensive rebound and putback at the buzzer. Van Wert briefly led late in the second quarter, 20-19, but the Bulldogs claimed a 24-22 lead at halftime.

Conner Campbell scored 11 of Van Wert’s 15 third quarter points. He went on to lead the Cougars with 18 points, including a pair of slam dunks.

“I think we executed the game plan for three quarters, almost to perfection,” Laudick said. “We took away some of the things they wanted to do and obviously they countered with some things but we made some adjustments at halftime. It’s a credit our guys – they bought in, they got knocked down a couple of times and they got back up and that’s kind of been our M.O., but we just couldn’t make shots in the fourth quarter.”

Van Wert finished the game 13-of-42 from the floor, including just 1-of-17 from three point range. The Cougars connected on 9-of-11 foul shots, all in the first half and had 20 rebounds. Celina hit 23-of-48 shots and 10-of-14 free throws and had 24 rebounds. Both teams finished with 10 turnovers.

The game was the final one for five seniors – Campbell, Haggerty, Kaden Shaffer, Rylan Miller and Gage Stemen.

“They’re a special, special group,” Laudick said. “Some people are going to say they only won four games but they continued to come to work every day with a workmanlike attitude to get better, to continue to claw and find ways to get better and to win. My message to them was if they take those qualities with them in the game of life they’re going to be successful because life is tough…you never know what’s around the corner and you’re going to get knocked down and you have to get back up.’

“Each year you say goodbye to another group of seniors that kind of tears at your heartstrings a little bit, it kind of leaves a hole in your heart but at the same time, I’m one of their biggest fans and they’re going to go out and do great things,” he added.

Celina will play at No. 3 seed Shawnee for the sectional championship Friday night. Shawnee won the regular season matchup between the two teams, 53-46. The Indians had a first round bye.

Box score

Bulldogs 12 12 19 18 – 61
Cougars 10 12 15 4 – 41

Celina: Caleb Gabes 8-3-20; Braylon Gabes 9-1-21; Grant Duncan 2-1-5; Lennon Cisco 1-1-4; Kaiden Werntz 3-0-7; Jake Knapke 0-2-2

Van Wert: Kaden Shaffer 1-0-3; Conner Campbell 8-1-18; Rylan Miller 2-0-4; Keaten Welch 2-5-9; Cohen Bragg 0-2-2; Colin Haggerty 2-1-5