DAYTON — Shelby’s Alex Bruskotter authored one of the greatest performances in state tournament history, but Maysville found just enough second-half magic to extend their storybook season.
Bruskotter scored 34 points but the Whippets saw their own Cinderella season come to an end with a 68-65 loss to the Panthers in front of 6,874 fans in a Division II state semifinal game at the University of Dayton Arena.
A Mr. Basketball finalist, Bruskotter matched the Division II state semifinal record of 34 points by Trotwood-Madison’s Torrey Patton in 2017. The Wright State-bound Bruskotter was 13-for-16 from the floor and connected on 4-of-6 3-pointers.
“The Bruskotter kid … I mean, my goodness,” Maysville coach Dave Brown said. “He hit some tough shots.”
So did Maysville’s Jordyn Watson. The 6-foot-3 sophomore slasher scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half as Maysville overcame a three-point halftime deficit.
“My coach, before the game, he looked me in the eye and challenged me to go out there and be aggressive,” said Watson, who knocked down three second-half 3-pointers and was 5-for-6 from the free throw line. “I think when you have a coach who backs you that anything is possible.”
Watson was a part of a pivotal five-point sequence late in the fourth quarter that gave the Panthers (26-3) the lead for good. His layup off a Coen Fink assist gave Maysville a 61-59 lead with 1:49 to play. Senior teammate Alex Bobb then stole the inbounds pass and scored while being fouled. The ensuing free throws gave the Panthers a 64-59 advantage with 1:44 remaining.
“We just find ways to make plays. Our kids are just so gritty,” Brown said. “These guys work so hard 12 months a year. We’ve got a blue-collar community and our kids are blue-collar.
“We preach to them how you do anything is how you do everything. Everything they do is 100 percent and that’s why we’re going to be playing for a state championship.”
Highlight reel
The Whippets (25-3) cut Maysville’s lead to 64-62 on Bruskotter’s fourth and final 3-pointer with 1:28 left, but Bobb hit a pair of free throws with 34 seconds remaining to make it 66-62.
Issaiah Ramsey banked in a miraculous trey from the corner to make it 66-65 with 24 seconds remaining.
Bobb split a pair of freebies with 15 seconds to play to give the Panthers a 67-65 edge. Shelby misfired on two free throws with three seconds to play and Watson corralled the rebound and was fouled immediately. He sank 1-of-2 from the line with 1.8 seconds left to give the Panthers a 68-65 lead. Maysville’s Nicholas stole the inbounds pass to seal the deal.
“That’s just a heck of a basketball game,” Shelby coach Greg Gallaway said. “I’m just really proud of the way our guys kept battling. It just seemed like that game was always a one-possession game throughout the first quarter all the way to the end.
“It was a great basketball game. I’m sure when people come down to the state Final Four, they expect games like this.”
Casey Lantz backed Bruskotter with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Ramsey added nine points.
“It feels good to go out with a bang … (but) obviously I would want to be playing tomorrow,” Bruskotter said. “I’m really blessed to be in this situation. It was really cool to see our community come together as one this week.”
The East District Player of the Year, Bobb scored 22 hard-earned points for the Panthers. Nicholas had 18 points.
Maysville will play for the Division II state title at 5:15 p.m. Sunday against Kettering Alter. The Knights beat Youngstown Ursuline 73-37 in Saturday’s other Division II semifinal.
“The last four weeks we have been fighting and clawing to get to this point,” Brown said. “We just kept telling our kids we’re going to win this game because we love each other.
“We always say a true soldier fights not because he hates what’s in front of him, but because he loves what’s behind him. Our kids just fight.”