27 points, and the ability to hit a three-pointer…Minster’s Cole Albers scored 8 of his points at ‘winning time’…the game’s final five minutes. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
Senior center Cole Albers rescued with Minster with a game-high 27 points…19 in the second half…as Minster survived pesky Russia to reach 2-2.
Russia, OH – Had someone told Minster coach Mike McClurg that Andrew Ketner would hit a pair of threes and his first three shots, collectively, to start the game…that his Minster Wildcats would run out to a quick 13-4 lead over the 1-3 Russia Raiders Tuesday, he would have sat comfortably for the duration of the game with his legs crossed.
Minster Bank proudly sponsors the best in area sports stories on Press Pros Magazine.com.
Because Ketner did all the above, scoring all 8 of his points in the first four minutes.
But Devin Limburg’s young Russia Raiders had other ideas, would not quit, and outplayed Minster for the remaining twelve minutes of the first half. And their tenacity forced Minster center Cole Albers to score 19 points in the second half to eke out an eventual 54-49 win in Tuesday’s makeup game over Russia, rescheduled as a result of last Saturday’s snow storm.
Publisher Sonny Fulks writes OHSAA and Ohio State sports for Press Pros Magazine.com.
McClurg, in fact, spent the entire game on his feet, hands on hips and arms folded, and once with his head in his hands…as Russia fought like banshees to trail by just two points at halftime, 24-22.
“I knew when I saw them play at Botkins that they were going to play hard like they did,” said McClurg, afterwards. “They weren’t going to give up.
“Fortunately, Cole Albers had a dominating night in the paint, he knew he was dominating, and he wanted the ball. I was proud of him,” added McClurg, repeating it two, maybe three times.
Albers, all 6’8 and 240 pounds of him, was the biggest player on the floor by four inches and forty pounds, and Russia simply could not match up against the senior commit to Hillsdale College (Mich.), their biggest player on the court being 6’4″ Michael Voisard.
Minster’s defense had its moments…Andrew Ketner (#12) denies Russia’s Grant Bergman in the first half of Tuesday’s 54-49 Wildcat win.
And Albers made the most of his advantage, scoring 8 in the first half and 19 in the second…importantly, ten in the final eight minutes, and eight in the final 5:05 after Russia had forced a 43-43 tie.
“He wanted the ball,” said McClurg. “And we wanted him to have it.”
Albers was the game’s late story. But the early story belonged to Russia and the way they fought back from 13-4 to trail by two points at halftime.
“Our guys have no give,” said first-year coach Limburg. “They’re going to fight to the end, and that’s the second time this year where they’ve done that…we’ve been down and they fought to get back in the game. They respond. They will NOT give up.”
Dorsten Contracting proudly supports MAC and Shelby County League sports on Press Pros.
Russia’s guards…Cash Grojean, Paxson Bixler, and Cooper Unverferth…clamped down defensively on the older, bigger, and more experienced Minster guards. Minster couldn’t beat them off the dribble, and the Raider trio made it tougher to inlet the ball to the post.
Russia’s young guards showed promise for the future…Cash Grojean scores over Minster’s Andrew Ketner.
But when you’re 6’8″ playing against comparative Lilliputians…well, Albers left the post to go get the ball at the wing, and then showed his athleticism to get to the rim and score, or get fouled. From the floor he connected on 10 of 19 shots (including a first half three-pointer), and from the foul line he hit 6 of 9. None more, or bigger, than during the last 5:05 of the game.
“Man, he’s a haul down there,” added Limburg. “I thought our bigs did a nice job on him, but our bigs weren’t big enough, I guess. And I didn’t realize he had 27 points. We stuck with our game plan to make other kids besides him make shots, and they did.”
Ketner’s 8 in the first quarter…Cole McClurg chipped in 7, six in the first half…Carson Kaylor and Dominic Meyer combining for 10 points.
The Precision Strip Company, in Minster and Troy, proudly sponsors the best high school sports coverage on Press Pros.
But tied at 43-43 at the five-minute mark, Albers did his best work, scoring on three of four possessions to build a six point lead and put the game in the hands of shooters at the foul line.
Minster’s Carson Kaylor and Russia’s Maddox Goubeaux battle for position under the rim.
And still, Cats’ guard Bechkhem Stephey allowed Russia to put their foot in the door when he missed a pair of three throws with a three-point lead and a minute on the clock. But Minster’s defense was good enough at the other end to deny on a pair of empty possessions, and Albers (who else?) would make four of five from the line to ice the game.
Grant Bergman led Russia with 14 points…all in the second half. And Cooper Unverferth joined Bergman in double figures with 10 points. Cash Grojean and Maddox Goubeaux combined for 15 points, but collectively the Raiders could not beat Cole Albers, who had exactly half of Minster’s total of 54 points.
“As it turned out it was nice that Ketner came out and hit a couple of shots…a couple of big threes…because he hadn’t gotten going yet this year. And we knew he would,” said McClurg. “But those guys…yeah, they’re young, but they fight and they know how to play basketball.”
Minster Dental is proud to sponsor the best in area sports stories on Press Pros Magazine.com.
Both teams entered the game with marks of 1-2. And both teams badly needed a win to square things for the sake of return on investment and confidence. But in Minster’s case it was more than a win of convenience. Projected to be one of the higher seeds out of the MAC Conference come tournament draw, McClurg admitted…it was a ‘must’ win. Bigger, more experienced, and frankly better…the ‘Cats had to have this game.
Russia’s Maddox Goubeaux helped the Raiders overcome an early 13-4 deficit.
“It was a must win for us,” he added. “And the whole second half plan was about how many times could Cole Albers touch the ball. He’s got good hands, good feet, a nice touch, and you gotta’ use a kid like that.
“Plus, I don’t know how many rebounds he had, but I’m guessing it was fifteen or twenty. Again, I was proud of our guys for executing down the stretch.”
Ironically, Devin Limburg could muster a smile talking about a loss because his team had played hard. The part about winning in the last five minutes will come.
McClurg could muster a smile because he could not afford to play St. Henry in conference on Friday with three losses. And, of course…Cole Albers.
There’s never been a high school coach yet who didn’t smile…over 6’8″, and 27 points.
Wilson Health/Orthopedics proudly sponsors the best in area sports and the Ohio State Buckeyes on Press Pros.