July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
FR going to final (03/02/05)
FRHS boys basketball
By By MIKE SNYDER-
WAPAKONETA, Ohio — His team missed out on countless opportunities to put its opponent away.
Travis VanSkyock didn’t.
VanSkyock, whose Fort Recovery Indians were making their first appearance in the second round of the tourney since 1999, scored a game-high 23 points — including a critical 3-point shot from the wing with 1:29 remaining — as Fort topped Ada 58-48 in the semifinals of the Wapakoneta district tournament Tuesday.
The Indians, who hadn’t played in a district game since their run to the state title game in 1999, will play Midwest Athletic Conference rival Minster Friday night for the district championship. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
Minster won the opening game of Tuesday’s split session, defeating Dola Hardin-Northern by a 51-38 margin. Minster won the regular-season game against the Indians by seven points.
In Tuesday night’s second game, Fort Recovery (14-8), which took the lead for good about midway through the first quarter, couldn’t put the Bulldogs away until the closing minutes.
Fort led by as much as 13 points late in the third quarter, but Ada kept chipping away and shaved the Indians’ lead down to two, 49-47, with about two and a half minutes left on the clock.
Sean Kahlig gave Fort Recovery a little breathing room with a short-range jumper at 2:12 for a 51-47 advantage, but momentum was definitely on the side of the Bulldogs.
After Ada’s Shane Fitzgerald trimmed the lead back to three with 1-of-2 free throws, it was Fort’s VanSkyock, appropriately, who sank what turned out to be the decisive shot.
The 6-foot-5 junior guard, who had a pair of 3-pointers late in the first quarter as the Indians took control, buried a 19-footer from the right wing at 1:29 that finished the Bulldogs. VanSkyock is the leading scorer on the season for the Indians at 12.5 points per game.
“I’m glad some of our kids stepped up and made some big plays,” said Fort Recovery coach Brian Patch. “Travis had a hot hand early ... and he certainly made a big one.”
VanSkyock hit 8-of-10 shots overall, including 6-of-7 3-pointers.
The rest of the Indians struggled from the floor, hitting a combined 10-of-35 (29 percent).
Sean Kahlig, a 6-foot-5 senior, struggled from the field but was good from the line as he contributed a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He was 9-for-11 from the free throw line.
Dusty Tobe had 10 points for the Indians.
Ada, which closed its season with a 10-12 record, also struggled with its shooting touch, hitting just 39 percent (18-for-48) from the field.
Chris Singleton led three Bulldogs in double-figures with 14 points, while Andy Fetter added 13 and Andrew Suzo 12.
Patch said the keys to Friday night’s match-up against Minister will be handling the Wildcats’ pressure and guarding their perimeter shooters.
The regular season match-up between the two teams saw Minster prevail by a 56-49 margin at Minster. The loss was the first of the season to that point for the Indians, who started the year 3-0.
District notes
•In one of Fort Recovery’s previous district games at Wapakoneta, the ending was much more bizarre than it was Tuesday night. In the 1993 district title game, New Knoxville’s Evan Eschmeyer brought things to a crashing halt — literally — as his dunk shattered the backboard in the closing seconds. After a brief consultation among the officials, it was decided to end the game with New Knoxville up by six points with seven seconds remaining. Fort Recovery High School girls basketball coach Jeff Roessner was Fort’s boys coach at the time. Eschmeyer, who was about 6-foot-11 at the time, went on to star at Northwestern University and played for several years in the NBA.
•Although they hadn’t played in a district game since 1999, the Indians did get some experience on the court at Wapakoneta recently. The Indians defeated Spencerville at Wapakoneta by a 64-60 margin on Feb. 12.
•The Indians have struggled in road games this season, winning just 3 of 10 while going 9-1 on their home court. But the win Tuesday night over Ada, combined with the Feb. 12 game against Spencerville, makes the Indians 2-0 in games played on a neutral court.
•Tickets for Friday night’s game against Minster will go on sale Thursday. They will be available in the FRHS office Thursday from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Advance tickets are $4 for students and $5 for adults. All tickets at the door will be $5.[[In-content Ad]]
Travis VanSkyock didn’t.
VanSkyock, whose Fort Recovery Indians were making their first appearance in the second round of the tourney since 1999, scored a game-high 23 points — including a critical 3-point shot from the wing with 1:29 remaining — as Fort topped Ada 58-48 in the semifinals of the Wapakoneta district tournament Tuesday.
The Indians, who hadn’t played in a district game since their run to the state title game in 1999, will play Midwest Athletic Conference rival Minster Friday night for the district championship. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
Minster won the opening game of Tuesday’s split session, defeating Dola Hardin-Northern by a 51-38 margin. Minster won the regular-season game against the Indians by seven points.
In Tuesday night’s second game, Fort Recovery (14-8), which took the lead for good about midway through the first quarter, couldn’t put the Bulldogs away until the closing minutes.
Fort led by as much as 13 points late in the third quarter, but Ada kept chipping away and shaved the Indians’ lead down to two, 49-47, with about two and a half minutes left on the clock.
Sean Kahlig gave Fort Recovery a little breathing room with a short-range jumper at 2:12 for a 51-47 advantage, but momentum was definitely on the side of the Bulldogs.
After Ada’s Shane Fitzgerald trimmed the lead back to three with 1-of-2 free throws, it was Fort’s VanSkyock, appropriately, who sank what turned out to be the decisive shot.
The 6-foot-5 junior guard, who had a pair of 3-pointers late in the first quarter as the Indians took control, buried a 19-footer from the right wing at 1:29 that finished the Bulldogs. VanSkyock is the leading scorer on the season for the Indians at 12.5 points per game.
“I’m glad some of our kids stepped up and made some big plays,” said Fort Recovery coach Brian Patch. “Travis had a hot hand early ... and he certainly made a big one.”
VanSkyock hit 8-of-10 shots overall, including 6-of-7 3-pointers.
The rest of the Indians struggled from the floor, hitting a combined 10-of-35 (29 percent).
Sean Kahlig, a 6-foot-5 senior, struggled from the field but was good from the line as he contributed a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He was 9-for-11 from the free throw line.
Dusty Tobe had 10 points for the Indians.
Ada, which closed its season with a 10-12 record, also struggled with its shooting touch, hitting just 39 percent (18-for-48) from the field.
Chris Singleton led three Bulldogs in double-figures with 14 points, while Andy Fetter added 13 and Andrew Suzo 12.
Patch said the keys to Friday night’s match-up against Minister will be handling the Wildcats’ pressure and guarding their perimeter shooters.
The regular season match-up between the two teams saw Minster prevail by a 56-49 margin at Minster. The loss was the first of the season to that point for the Indians, who started the year 3-0.
District notes
•In one of Fort Recovery’s previous district games at Wapakoneta, the ending was much more bizarre than it was Tuesday night. In the 1993 district title game, New Knoxville’s Evan Eschmeyer brought things to a crashing halt — literally — as his dunk shattered the backboard in the closing seconds. After a brief consultation among the officials, it was decided to end the game with New Knoxville up by six points with seven seconds remaining. Fort Recovery High School girls basketball coach Jeff Roessner was Fort’s boys coach at the time. Eschmeyer, who was about 6-foot-11 at the time, went on to star at Northwestern University and played for several years in the NBA.
•Although they hadn’t played in a district game since 1999, the Indians did get some experience on the court at Wapakoneta recently. The Indians defeated Spencerville at Wapakoneta by a 64-60 margin on Feb. 12.
•The Indians have struggled in road games this season, winning just 3 of 10 while going 9-1 on their home court. But the win Tuesday night over Ada, combined with the Feb. 12 game against Spencerville, makes the Indians 2-0 in games played on a neutral court.
•Tickets for Friday night’s game against Minster will go on sale Thursday. They will be available in the FRHS office Thursday from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. Advance tickets are $4 for students and $5 for adults. All tickets at the door will be $5.[[In-content Ad]]
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