Not many people in Jack Sikma Court could have predicted St. Anne to have a last-second game-tying shot attempt in the fourth quarter of the Cardinals’ host Class 1A Regional title game against Fenger.
Trailing by as much as 18 early in the final frame, it felt like Fenger had the game comfortably in its hands. But with 4.9 seconds to go in regulation with St. Anne down three points, Fenger missed a free throw and Cardinals freshman Raleigh Hays came down the court, eyeing a 3-point shooter to tie the game up.
He found senior Brandon Schoth on the wing, where his off-balance 3-pointer was just short as time expired and the Titans escaped with a 41-38 victory.
“I have nothing but pride for these guys,” St. Anne head coach Rick Schoon said about his team’s effort. “I’m disappointed that it didn’t end better for them because I thought they deserved better.”
The first quarter saw St. Anne have a lead by as much as seven points, thanks in large part to senior Grant Pomaranski’s seven points in the quarter. Fenger ended the quarter with a 3-pointer by senior Savion Singleton that was part of a 4-0 run but still trailed 10-7 after eight minutes.
St. Anne bent more and more as the second quarter transpired and ultimately broke its lead on a layup off a turnover by Titans senior Jeremiah Slaughter Jr. to make it a 18-16 Fenger lead. The Titans would add on four more points to end the first half with a 22-16 lead.
Against a team like Fenger, the Cardinals knew the best way to contain them was by taking care of the basketball. They had 18 turnovers on the night and Fenger made them pay for their mistakes.
“[Fenger] sped us up at times, we sped ourselves up at times,” Schoon said. “Just too many turnovers to beat a team like Fenger.”
Fenger kept in control in the second half, ending the third quarter with a 33-22 lead after an early 6-0 run by the Titans negated an initial layup by Cardinals junior Jackson Hawkins. Fenger would begin the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run which made it an early 40-22 lead for the Titans.
Then momentum started to shift. The Cardinals went on a 13-0 run, spearheaded by back-to-back 3-pointers from seniors Matthew Langellier and Pomaranski. Crucial plays defensively turned the Titans over and gave the Cardinals more chances, but ultimately the deficit was just too much to overcome.
“The only disappointment is that these guys don’t get to continue to play and I don’t get to continue to coach this group,” Schoon said. “The pride I have for this group is just immense. I think they should have made the entire community proud for the way they played throughout the entire season.”
Pomaranski led St. Anne with 17 points, which was followed by Schoth’s eight and Langellier’s six. The Cardinals ended their season with a mark of 23-6.