Redskins muscle past Allen East
Wapakoneta closed out the year on a good note, which anyone will take about now.
The Redskins battled their way to a 5452 win over visiting Allen East on Tuesday in nonleague action, their final one of the 2020 calendar year.
With the win, Wapakoneta improves to 7- 2 on the season, which nearly matches their win total from all of last season.
On Tuesday, both teams started off slow, with the Redskins nursing a small lead through the first half. Allen East went ahead briefly, but Wapakoneta went back in front. They were up by eight early in the fourth. Allen East staged a rally and went up by one with just under three minutes to play.
Senior Noah Ambos then stepped up in the homestretch, scoring the Redskins’ next nine points. The win was finally secured thanks to free throws by Garrett Siefring.
“It was just one of those nights where we couldn’t find the spark,” said Wapakoneta coach Trey Elchert of his team’s play at the beginning.
“At the end of the day, we found a way.”
He added that “we had guys step up and did just enough down the stretch.”
Besides Ambos, who finished with a teamhigh 14 points, Kaden Siefring had 11, and Garrett Siefring nine. Zach Rogers and
Braeden Goulet each added eight as well. Goulet did his job underneath, grabbing 13 rebounds.
Gabe Criblez had 20 points, Tyler Clum 12 and Bradden Crumrine 10 for the Mustangs.
Allen East had the initial advantage, taking a 6- 1 lead on three baskets over the first five minutes of play.
The Redskins got in the groove late in the period. Kaden Siefring scored the team’s first field goal with 2: 20 to play. Garrett Siefring hit with 52 seconds to play. A series of passes from Garrett Siefring to Rogers to John Buchanan produced a score. A bucket by Goulet with 14 seconds left put Wapakoneta up 9- 6.
A three- point play by Criblez tied the contest early in the second. The Redskins then went on a 8- 2 run to go ahead 17- 11. The last two scores in that run were by Goulet, one following a missed shot.
A score by Clum and another three- point play from Criblez closed it back to a onepoint game. Ambos and Criblez each made a pair of free throws to leave the ‘ Skins ahead 19- 18 at intermission.
Criblez scored the opening points of the third, and Crumrine made one of two free throws to give the Mustangs a two- point lead.
Kaden Siefring then boosted the Redskins back in front with back- to- back 3- pointers. Allen East then scored twice to tie it. After another scoring exchange, Wapakoneta controlled things in the rest of the period, scoring nine points, while Allen East was held to two threes by Crumrine. Going to the fourth, the Redskins held a threepoint lead, 36- 33.
Rogers opened the final quarter with a 3- ball. After a free throw by Criblez, Ambos connected from behind the arc for a 42- 34 lead, the biggest of the night.
Clum hit a two, then a three, and Criblez followed with a basket and made one free throw to tie it with 3 1/ 2 minutes to play. With 2: 54 to go, Garrett Newland made his first but missed the second from the stripe.
Kaden Siefring then drew a foul. He missed the shot, but it was the one that put Wapakoneta into the bonus situation. Ambos then made two with 1: 39 to go. A three by Crumrine put the Mustangs up one.
Ambos drove the baseline and hit a runner, then made a steal and sprinted down for the basket. He continued the one- man run with a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left. Clum hit a three to keep Allen East in range, 51- 49.
With 15 seconds left, Garrett Siefring was fouled. It was the 10th, giving him two shots, and he made good on both.
The Mustangs then had a couple chances before Keaton Miller hit a three with 1.7 seconds left, again getting them to within one.
They fouled Garrett Siefring after the inbounds. He made the first, then intentionally missed the second. Allen East had to heave the ball the length of the court, and it was well wide of the mark.
Game Notes
The JV contest was also close, with Allen East winning that 4443. Scoring for Wapakoneta: Grant Bauer 12, Logan Crow 10, Landon Brandt 9, Jordan Schneider 6, Deacon Retterer4, Connor Guthrie 2.
Wapakoneta was originally slated to play Perry on Tuesday, but the Commodores had to withdraw due to COVID- 19 issues.
Allen East was free since the annual “Border Battle” tourney with Waynesfield-Goshen, Upper Scioto Valley and Ada had been canceled.
The two girls teams also faced each other on Tuesday night, with the Lady Redskins winning as well.
Wapakoneta ( 1- 1 WBL, 7- 2) will return to action next Tuesday when they host Bluffton. They then resume league play with a visit to Shawnee next Friday.
Score by quarters
Allen East 6 12 15 19 -- 52 Wapakoneta 9 10 17 18 -- 54
ALLEN EAST ( 52)
Jacob Hershberger 0- 0- 0- 0- 0; Bradden Crumrine 0- 3- 1- 2- 10; Kaden Armstrong 1- 0- 0- 0- 2; Keaton Lehman 0- 0- 0- 0- 0; Tyler Clum 3- 2- 0- 0- 12; Garrett Newland 2- 0- 1- 3- 5; Zach Miller 0- 0- 0- 0- 0; Gabe Criblez 7- 0- 6- 8- 20; Carter Young 0- 00- 0- 0; Keaton Miller 0- 1- 0- 0- 3; TOTALS 13- 6- 8- 13- 52.
WAPAKONETA ( 54)
Noah Ambos 3- 1- 7- 7- 14; Zach Rogers
1- 2- 0- 0- 8; Kaden Siefring 1- 2- 3- 5- 11; Braeden Goulet 4- 0- 0- 2- 8; Grant Bauer 0- 0- 0- 0- 0; Jackson Courter 0- 0- 0- 0- 0; John Buchanan 1- 0- 0- 0- 2; Garrett Siefring 3- 0- 3- 4- 9; TOTALS 13- 5- 13- 19- 54.