Missed free throws costly in double overtime loss

    Missed free throws proved costly in the Chase County Longhorn’s 72-74 double overtime loss to the Ogallala Inidans here Saturday.
    In the first three quarters, the Longhorns made five of seven attempts. But in the fourth quarter, that dropped off to a 2-9 effort.
    Then, during two overtimes, the Longhorns went 6-10.
    “We had all the opportunities in the world,” Head Coach Chris Bartels said this week. “When you don’t cash in on those, you’re not going to win.”
    Bartels said his team shoots  lots of free throws in practice.  But those aren’t in pressure situations like Saturday night when they really needed them.
    He said they’ll be adding ways to put pressure on during practice for those late-game situations.
    Bartels said they need to break a trend where they get behind early.
    At Sidney on Friday, the Longhorns trailed 10-0 before getting on the board.
    Saturday Ogallala jumped to a 6-0 lead to begin the game.
    He said they can’t continue to spot teams early leads and then have to play catch up.
    After trailing Ogallala by six, the Longhorns pulled back within two at the first quarter break, 13-15.
    Three-pointers by Braden Space and Kass Cochran gave the Longhorns a 21-17 lead midway in the second.
    After Ogallala followed with a 10-1 run, baskets by Space and Scott Wheeler and one by Parker Dillan before the buzzer pulled the ’Horns within one at the break, 28-29.
    The two teams traded leads throughout the third with Ogallala breaking out to a 45-40 lead going into the final quarter.
    It was a see-saw battle during the rest of regulation.
    Space gave the Longhorns a  55-53 lead only to have Ogallala go up 55-57 with 2:11 left.
    Jack Bauerle pulled down an offensive rebound and hit a fall-away jumper to tie the game 57-57 with 1:45 left.
     Space drew a foul and went to the line, hitting one of two for a 58-57 lead with 1:12 left.
    From there, clock malfunctions stopped play three times, with neither team scoring.
    Taylor Jablonski went to the line for two free throws at the 16.8 mark but missed both. Ogallala then missed the front end of a one-and-one.
    Space grabbed the rebound with Ogallala fouling him right away.  
    Space made the second of two free throws for a 59-57 lead with 13.1 left.
    Ogallala got a shot off just before the buzzer that went down to tie the game 59-59 and send it into overtime.
    In the first overtime, the Longhorns went 3-6 at the line but that was enough for a 62-61 lead with 44 seconds left.
    The Indians got a 3-pointer for a 64-62 lead with 27.1 left.
    With 3.5 seconds left, Bauerle grabbed an offensive rebound off a Space miss and banked in another one to tie the game 64-64.
    Ogallala drew a foul on the Longhorns as time expired and went to the line for a one-and-one. They missed the free throw to send the game into double overtime.
    Space hit a pair of free throws and added a jumper but the Indians matched that, 68-68.
    Scott Wheeler hit a 3-ball but Ogallala drew a foul on the other end, making one of two free throws to pull within two, 71-69.
    With 1:29 left, Bauerle went 1-2 at the line for a 72-69 lead.
    However, the Indians tied the game, 72-72, on a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left.
    The Longhorns couldn’t get the ball to fall at the other end and were forced to foul with 16.6 left.
    Ogallala made both free throws for a 74-72 lead.
    The Longhorns got two looks at the basket in the final seconds but could not get either to drop, sealing the Longhorns’ fate.
    Space led the Longhorns with 24 points followed by Wheeler with 17 and Bauerle 13.
    From the field, the Longhorns went 5-23 (.22) from outside the arc, 22-44 (.50) inside the arc for a 40 percent shooting night.
    Ogallala went 4-12 (.25) outside and 26-55 (.48) inside the arc.
    The difference came at the line were the Longhorns were 13-26 (.50) compared to the Indians’ 8-14 (.57)., including 3-5 in  the overtimes.
    Bauerle led the rebounding with nine, followed by Wheeler with six. Wheeler also had sixsteals.

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