Foul shots lead Shawnee by Van Wert

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports

Free throws can make or break any basketball team and Friday night, Shawnee proved it. The Indians converted 22-of-24 foul shots, including 16-of-18 in the fourth quarter, on the way to a 60-53 win over Van Wert. Meanwhile, the Cougars converted just 1-of-6 free throw attempts in the game.

The victory gave Shawnee (16-5, 8-0 WBL), the reigning Western Buckeye League champions, at least a share of this season’s league title. The Indians can win it outright with a victory over Ottawa-Glandorf next Friday.

“I’m proud of our guys,” Best said. “The whole culture of our program was on display tonight. It was fun to be a part of. I’m disappointed and upset for our guys but they’ll be ok. We still have hope (for a title share). We have a game against Spencerville and we still have another WBL game and so do they, so we’re still alive, we just need some help.”

The help would come in the form of Ottawa-Glandorf, who plays at Shawnee next Friday. 

Shawnee led 15-10 at the end of the first quarter and 18-11 early the second quarter, but Van Wert (15-5, 7-1 WBL) responded with back-to-back treys by Griffin McCracken, then a layup by Cohen Bragg that gave the Cougars a 19-18 lead. From there, the two teams went back and fourth and Van Wert led 26-25 at halftime.

“I really liked what we did in the first half,” Van Wert head coach Jeremy Best said.

A McCracken trey nearly midway through the third quarter gave Van Wert a 35-31 lead, then a layup by the 5-9 senior late in the period gave the Cougars a 41-39 lead entering the fourth quarter.

A triple from the left corner by Bragg put Van Wert ahead 44-43 two minutes in the fourth quarter, but it was the final time the Cougars would lead in the game. Beckett Bertke converted a pair of free throws and casually swished in a trey from the top of the key, giving the Indians a 48-44 lead with 4:14 left. A layup by Bragg would put Van Wert to within two, 48-46, but that was as close as the Cougars would get, as the Indians went to work at the foul line. Beckett Bertke was 8-of-8 from the free throw line in the period while younger brother Trevick Bertke was 4-of-4 in the quarter. They finished with 22 and 20 points, respectively.

“The Bertkes put you in so many mismatch situations,” Best said. “We just didn’t have an answer all the time on the defensive end.”

Van Wert had three players in double figures, as McCracken finished with 13, while Bragg and Welch each finished with 12.

Van Wert will host Spencerville today (4 p.m. junior varsity tipoff).

Box score

Shawnee   15  10  14  21 – 60

Van Wert   10  16  15  12 – 53

Shawnee: Trevick Bertke 6-6-20; Ashton Wright 1-1-3; Greyson McDonald 0-1-1; Luke Marshall 1-0-2; Cameron Barker 1-0-2; Sullivan Hasting 2-2-7; Beckett Bertke 4-12-22; Luke McGuire 1-0-3

Van Wert: Xavier Kelly 4-1-9; Griffin McCracken 5-0-13; Keaten Welch 5-0-12; Caden Collins 1-0-3; Zach Crummey 2-0-4; Cohen Bragg 5-0-12

JV: Van Wert 51-44