The Red Devils will have a chance to defend their 3rd Region crown. Owensboro was able to fend off a furious second-half effort by Muhlenberg County and hang on for a 56-45 win in the tournament semifinals Saturday night.
The Red Devils (21-10) will meet Owensboro Catholic in the championship game at 7 p.m. Tuesday night after the Aces (20-14) beat McLean County 57-40 in the other semifinal. Owensboro last won back-to-back region championships in 2014 and 2015.
The Red Devils (21-10) made all the right plays in all the right moments — perhaps none bigger than a 3-pointer by Gavin Wimsatt for a 48-42 lead with 2:50 to play. The Mustangs (20-12) had been knocking on the door, three times getting within three points after trailing by 14 in the first half.
Though Wimsatt’s shot didn’t officially put the game on ice, the Mustangs never got any closer. Amari Wales knocked down a pair of free throws a minute later for an eight-point lead.
Then with 1:16 to go, Wimsatt curled through the lane and scored down low on an inbound play — drawing the foul and hitting the free throw — for a 53-43 lead with just 1:16 to go.
“We found out something with Gavin,” said Owensboro head coach Rod Drake. “He can put his back to the basket and he can stretch the floor. That’s been a huge asset for us.”
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For more photos from the game, click here.
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The Red Devils looked on their way to another blowout win in the first half. After battling to take an 11-9 lead through the first quarter, OHS started to pull away in the second.
Wales gave them their first double-digit advantage at 24-13 on a drive with 2:10 to go. The biggest lead came at 28-14 on a jumper by Trey Hinton, but the Mustangs got back within 12 before halftime with a pair of late free throws.
The teams largely traded baskets for the first six minutes of the third quarter before Muhlenberg made their push. Nash Divine buried a step-back 3-pointer — his fourth triple of the period — to get the Mustangs within 37-34 with 1:16 to go in the quarter.
“When we came out in the second half, I thought we had the opportunity to put them away,” Drake said. “We had some empty trips then it was back to a six-point ball game. They just got on a run, and we didn’t convert. But we got it together.”
OHS took a 40-34 lead into the final frame. Again trading scores over the first few minutes, Muhlenberg’s last chance came when Donovan McCoy got them within 45-42 with 3:10 to go. Wimsatt drained his 3 from the top of the key, and the Red Devils rolled the rest of the way.
“I’m proud of the way we bounced back,” Drake said. “We have a whole different rotation since the last time we played them (a 59-55 win on Jan. 17). We got some things accomplished and we’ve had growth.”
Wales finished with a game-high 24 points and was instrumental all night long. His nine second-quarter points helped OHS take control, and he added some key buckets in the second half.
“He’s been lights out,” Drake said of Wales, who scored 27 in their blowout win over Meade County on Thursday. “He’s just been converting. It’s been there all year long, but he’s busted out at the right time.”
Wimsatt added 13 points to go along with eight rebounds and six blocks. Kenyata Carbon also scored 13 points. Jaiden Greathouse had seven rebounds, a couple on the offensive end that helped the Red Devils get second-chance points as their lead was dwindling.
“The thing about all these guys is they are winners,” Drake said. “They know how to win, they compete, they play through adversity, and they like each other. That means a lot.”
Drake knows a repeat title won’t come easily, especially against a district rival.
“Keep the momentum going,” he said. “We can’t overlook these guys, but I don’t think it will be a problem getting up for them.”
BOX SCORE
MCHS 9-7-18-11—45
OHS 11-17-12-16—56
MCHS (45): Nash Divine (21), Donovan McCoy (12), Isaac Rose (4), Hayden Perkins (4), Trey Lovell (2), Brayden Lovan (2)
OCHS (56): Amari Wales (24), Gavin Wimsatt (13), Kenyata Carbon (13), Cayman Powell (2), Trey Hinton (2), Jaiden Greathouse (2)
