January 12, 2018 at 4:55 a.m.

Jay toughs way to title game

Strong fourth quarter carries Jay County boys hoops team to tournament final
Jay toughs way to title game
Jay toughs way to title game

Copyright 2018, The Commercial Review

All Rights Reserved

It’s been a staple of Jay County basketball for years.

Be strong between the ears. Be mentally tough.

The Patriots lacked it at times during the first three quarters despite leading most of the time. In the fourth, however, they had plenty.

And perhaps no one had more than Wyatt Geesaman.

The junior forward dished back-to-back assists that led to five straight points, made a rare shot from the foul line and threw down an emphatic two-handed slam to add an exclamation point as the host Jay County High School boys basketball team defeated the Adams Central Jets 47-39 in the Allen County Athletic Conference tournament semifinal.

“One of the timeouts we talked about mental toughness; thinking next play,” said JCHS coach Chris Krieg, whose team moves to 7-5 and meets the Heritage Patriots at approximately 8 p.m. Saturday in the tournament final at South Adams. “When we’re on defense we have to have a stop. Then the next offensive possession has to be the most important possession.”

Early in the third quarter, Geesaman picked up his third foul and was relegated to the bench. Each call frustrated the 6-foot, 5-inch junior, and Krieg emphasized his importance to the team. With his strength and leaping ability, the Patriots needed him on the court.

“I was angered by (the fouls) because it sat me out most of the game,” Geesaman said, adding he tried to play more with his hands out. “Still tried to play hard, I just had to be smart.”

He delivered, quite literally, when he returned to action.

After Adams Central (3-6), which Jay County defeated 52-43 Saturday in Monroe, took a 31-30 lead early in the fourth quarter, Ryan Schlechty split a pair of free throws to tie the score.

Nearly a minute later following an Adams Central miss and a Krieg timeout, Geesaman had the ball at the left baseline and passed to Michael Schlechty at the left block for a basket.

The Jets came up empty at the other end, and on the ensuing JCHS possession Geesaman again had the ball on the left baseline. This time, he found Cole Stigleman at the right wing for a wide-open triple, and the senior swished it for a 36-31 lead.

“Glad they hit those shots,” Geesaman said. “They were big shots.”

Stigleman had a game-high 15 points, and Michael Schelchty contributed six points as twin brother Ryan was second on the squad with seven points.

The Jets trimmed the lead to 36-33 a few minutes later. With 2:02 to play, Geesaman, who was shooting 26 percent from the free-throw line entering the night, missed the first charity toss but made the second as the Patriots were ahead by four.

In the final minute, Ryan Schlechty brought down a defensive rebound and threw an outlet pass to a streaking Geesaman, who threw down an emphatic dunk to all but end it.

“We came out extremely hard tonight,” Stigleman said. “I was very impressed with how … we showed emotion tonight. We really wanted to win this game.”

Jay County dominated Adams Central on the glass throughout the contest, but especially during the first half. The Patriots went into halftime with nine offensive rebounds while the Jets had just nine total boards. Three of those offensive rebounds came on one possession that ended with a Stigleman 3-pointer.

“I know we out-rebounded them,” Krieg said. “That is huge for us.

“I’m proud of the kids for that.”

And now Jay County will get a chance at redemption against Heritage on Saturday in the tournament final. As defending tournament champions a year ago, Jay County lost its opener to Heritage.

“We’re looking for revenge,” Stigleman said. “They are a good team but I know we can beat them as long as we play like we did tonight, as hard as we did (and) we shoot the ball well.”

Krieg stressed the importance of valuing the basketball against the other Patriots.

“They are identical to us,” he said. “They are the same team. It’s going to be an interesting game. It is going to be a game of possessions.

“Who scores more possessions is going to win that ball game.”
PORTLAND WEATHER

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