Winfield-Mount Union eliminated

DONNELLSON — Tournament basketball brings its share of ecstasy and agony, and on Tuesday night, the Winfield-Mount Union boys had a taste of the ladder.

The Wolves were just a couple of shots shy of a substate final berth as an older Danville team did what it needed to in the 44-41 Class 1A District 9 championship.

The Wolves and Bears traded blows all night. WMU led 10-7 after one quarter, but Danville cut the lead to one, at 23-22, before the first horn.

Going into the fourth, WMU still held a one-point lead, this time at 34-33.

But as time pressed on in the fourth quarter, a much older Danville squad edged ahead. Led by Danville-New London cross-country star Ty Carr, the Bears pushed out to three-point lead in the final minute.

WMU freshman Jake Edwards was the Wolves’ hot hand on the night, but his game-tying 3-pointer went short with just under 25 seconds remaining. Carr got the ball, got fouled and knocked down one free throw to put the Bears up 44-39.

The Wolves put up two more points before the final buzzer, but time ran out on the game and the WMU season.

“Games this time of year usually come down to whichever team can make one or two more plays, and we were just short,” said WMU head coach Klay Edwards in a social media post after the game. “Congrats to Danville on a hard-fought battle.”

Jake Edwards finished with 13 points to lead WMU. Abram Edwards and Cam Buffington scored nine apiece. Konner Wade had five. Anderw Brown scored three, and Carter Loyd finished with two.

Carr led the Bears with 15. Caiden Gourley and Sawyer Nelson added 10 apiece.

The Bears (22-2) and their talented group of seniors, who make up four of the Top-5 scorers, will face off with WACO (20-4) in the Substate 5 championship on Saturday at a site to be determined.

WMU finishes the year 21-3. The Wolves will be among the favorites again next year, as their Top-3 scorers, and five of the Top-6, return for another season.