Boys hoops: Thorp's Kobylarczyk hits 3-pointer to beat Macks
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By The Chippewa Herald
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 7:32 AM CST
THORP — It was an ending so brutal even the winning coach said it was hard to deal with.
After coming back from a 15-point deficit in the second half, the McDonell boys basketball team looked to be heading to overtime with Thorp.
No one told Jace Kobylarczyk that, though. The sophomore hit a buzzer-beating three from near half-court to give Thorp the 56-53 win.
“I’m sitting here like we didn’t win,” Thorp coach Rich Sonnentag said. “Their kids worked their butts off fighting back and to lose like that is a dagger. I’ve been in Archie (Sherbinow’s) shoes before. It’s heartbreaking.”
McDonell’s Landon Bresina hit two free throws to tie the game at 53-53 with six seconds to go.
Sonnentag said the ensuing play got blown up as his team came down the court, but Kobylarczyk ended up with the ball and took advantage of it.
“He got a clean look at the bucket,” Sonnentag said. “It wasn’t how I would draw it up, though.”
Bresina’s free throws concluded a hard-fought comeback from the Macks (3-5, 2-5 West Cloverbelt Conference), who were down 35-20 at halftime.
Sonnentag said he could tell the second half was going to be very different after a few possessions.
The Cardinals (5-3, 3-3 WCC) missed two straight layups in the third and Jarrod Martell finished off a three-point play to start McDonell’s drive back into the game.
Despite the comeback’s shortfall, the game did have a silver lining for McDonell. It was Derek Watton’s return after an injury sidelined him for about a month. Sonnentag said he played solidly, despite some rust.
Watton had eight points while Bresina and Martell each had 10. Connor Olejniczak’s 21 led Thorp.
Eau Claire Regis 55, Stanley-Boyd 45
In Eau Claire, the Orioles hung with the Ramblers for most of the game.
Even in the end, Stanley-Boyd coach Tom Hause said his team played tough against the conference foe.
“Regis knocked down a couple big shots but we had good defense on them,” he said. “I was impressed with the kids. They were hanging in there and were patient.”
Hause said the patience of the Orioles (4-3, 4-3 West Cloverbelt Conference) led to success with their interior passing game.
Jason Reit totaled 19 points to lead Stanley-Boyd while Jack Eaton’s 18 were most for Regis (6-3, 5-1 WCC).
Cadott 56, Gilman 48
In Gilman, the second and third quarters did in the Pirates.
Gilman (0-7, 0-6 West Cloverbelt Conference) managed just nine and four points in the quarters, respectively.
“We couldn’t put the ball in the hole,” Gilman coach Robin Rosemeyer said. “We just had poor shooting in the second and third.”
The Hornets (1-6, 1-5 WCC) had 18 in the second and 14 in the third as they picked up their first win.
The big reason for that was Stephen Kelly, who had 27 points and four threes.
Jason Kulesa led the Pirates with 19 points.
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