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Golden Hawks drop OT thriller
Weber’s heroics send game into extra period, but West Burlington survives
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MT. PLEASANT — Fans from all over Southeast Iowa gathered at Mt. Pleasant Community High School on Tuesday night for a clash between Mid-Prairie and the top-seeded West Burlington Falcons, and the packed crowd on hang to everything they paid for.
Mid-Prairie took West Burlington down to the bitter end before falling in overtime of the Class 2A Substate 5 tournament. The Falcons survived 71-63.
The two teams went punch-for-punch for the entire first half. West Burlington led the game 16-14 after one quarter, but Mid-Prairie closed the second quarter on a 10-2 run, including five-straight from Hudson Ehrenfelt, who nailed a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Golden Hawks up 34-26 at halftime.
Mid-Prairie had a short-lived double-digit lead, but West Burlington came clawing back, thanks in large part to the resurgence of star guard Mason Watkins. The senior, who scores over 30 points per game, had just four at the half, but exploded in the final two quarters.
Mid-Prairie’s lead was down to 46-42 after three quarters, and West Burlington took over with an 11-2 run in the fourth to go ahead 53-48 with just under five minutes remaining.
“We talked about at halftime, they have to expect a punch is going to be thrown at us,” said Mid-Prairie head coach Daren Lambert. “The game-flow kind of swung their way in the third quarter.”
Mid-Prairie’s Brady Weber had just four points of his own going into the fourth quarter, but went for 10 in the final period of regulation, including the shot of the night. Weber flew into the lane and scored on a floater in the final 15 to tie the game at 59-59.
“That's the type of competitor he is,” said Lambert. “He does it in every sport he plays. He's definitely the shortest one on the court, but he's definitely the toughest one.”
Mid-Prairie’s defense held on Watkins’ potential game-winner, and Weber’s half-court shot went long, sending the game into an extra period.
In the overtime, Bryce Henry turned a two-point deficit into a one-point lead with a clutch 3-pointer for the Golden Hawks’ only basket of the overtime period. That put Mid-Prairie up 63-62, but West Burlington scored nine of the final 10 points of the ballgame.
Watkins, who was clamped by Mid-Prairie for the entirety of the first half, scored 25 points in the second half, to finish with 29, a mark that would prove to be a deciding factor in the contest.
“You almost have to just hope they don't go in,” said Lambert. “He's a good player. He's going to find a way to get his points.”
Henry finished the night with 18 points to lead Mid-Prairie in the loss. Weber had 14 to give the Golden Hawks two double digit scorers.
