Hornets left feeling the sting

CHAFFEE -- Advance opened the Class 2 District 3 championship with a hot-shooting first half.

But the Hornets went cold in crunch time and dropped a 72-65 decision to Bernie in Thursday night's boys basketball championship game.

Advance (22-7) had one field goal in the final 3 minutes and was outscored 8-2, with Bernie's final six points coming at the free-throw line. The Hornets' last shot to tie the game was a long 3-point attempt by leading scorer David VanGennip with 52 seconds remaining that fell short.

"He wanted me to shoot the ball, whatever I wanted to do," VanGennip said, referring to coach Josh Dowdy.

Advance worked for more than 30 seconds against Bernie's defense before VanGennip, a senior who led all scorers with 31 points, finally had a little bit of space about 23 feet from the basket.

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.comAdvance's Blake Seabaugh is trapped by Bernie's Jordan McGowan, left, and Jacob Owens during the second quarter in the Class 2 District 3 championship game Thursday at Chaffee.

"It slipped out of my hand," he said. "I know it sounds stupid, but it really did."

But the Hornets had misfired on some other shots as well in the final 11:15, helping Bernie rally from a 55-48 deficit to take the lead for good at 62-61 with 4:27 to play.

"Late in the game, the pressure was more intense," VanGennip said.

Dowdy thought it was just bad luck.

"They just didn't fall," he said. "I don't think pressure had anything to do with it. We hadn't shown any signs of that all year and we won a lot of close games. Bernie was just better than us tonight."

Pacing Bernie during the 14-6 scoring spree was junior guard Quinton Stevens, who scored 13 of his 16 points in that stretch, including three of his four 3-pointers.

"He has the ability to do it," Dowdy said. "They all have the ability to shoot. We were supposed to locate him there, but we didn't and that's just part of it. They tried to do the best they possibly could, and I couldn't be more proud."

Stevens did not score at all Wednesday night when Bernie (26-3) crushed Saxony Lutheran 80-48 in the district semifinal.

"That's why we're hard to guard," Bernie coach Brad Botsch said. "On any given night, anybody can get hot. I could say something about every kid; every kid did something tonight to contribute to the team. They all just exhibit so much confidence and they're willing to make 'the play.'"

The Hornets were the top seed in the district but ranked 10th in the state, while second-seeded Bernie was ranked No. 3 in the state. The teams had split two regular-season meetings, with Bernie winning at Advance and the Hornets winning the league tourney at Dexter.

Advance opened a 6-0 lead on VanGennip's two 3-pointers in the opening minute of a fast start. Bernie climbed ahead 24-15 before Advance scored the final nine points of the opening period for a 24-24 tie.

"I told my kids to play free tonight," said Dowdy, whose team had its best offensive output of the season Tuesday with 81 points.

With 6:52 to play before halftime, VanGennip already had 19 points and Advance had a 28-27 lead.

Bernie countered with balance as point guard Jake Welch and shooting guard Jake Owens matched Stevens' 16 points for the night.

Advance, which led 43-38 at halftime, took the lead to seven -- 55-48 -- late in the third with more scoring by VanGennip, a basket by Luke Steil and one by Dylan Dunivan.

But just as Smith caught fire, Advance closed the final 3 minutes of the third with four missed shots and a 10-second violation.

The Hornets claimed their last lead at 61-59 on a basket by VanGennip with 5:12 to go.

Bernie, in addition to Stevens' shooting, was 9 for 12 on free throws in the final 5 minutes. Advance had two missed shots, a missed front end of a 1-and-1 free throw and two turnovers, including one when VanGennip -- already with four fouls -- grabbed a rebound and was whistled with a violation for throwing elbows excessively without contact.

Advance crept within 66-65 on a basket by Steil, who scored eight points, but Owens countered with two free throws with 1:30 to play and Bernie came up with the key defensive stand.

Jacob Bond, also a senior like VanGennip, finished with 12 points.

"The effort was definitely there," Dowdy said. "It's obviously a tough circumstance but, my gosh, this team was very successful this year. You can always say it's not about winning or losing -- you obviously want to win -- but I always tell these kids we measure ourselves by how successful we are on a given night, and I feel like we were pretty darn successful tonight. We were a successful team all year long; I couldn't be prouder of them."

"I just wish it could have lasted a little longer," said VanGennip.

"He's a load out there in the paint and he can step out and hit that 3-point shot," Dowdy said. "I thought fatigue in the fourth quarter affected him on that 3, but that's what happens when you have to work that hard for four quarters. I am very proud of that kid. From the moment I got him, we've come a long way, he and I; and I love that kid to death."

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Bernie24141519--72

Advance24191210--65

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:BERNIE (72) -- Jake Welch 16, Quinton Stevens 16, Jake Owens 16, Daniel Becking 13, Jake Smith 5, Jordan McGowan 6. FG 24, FT 16-22, F 16 (3-pointers: Stevens 4, Owens 2, McGowan 2. Fouled out: Smith)

ADVANCE (65) -- Luke Steil 8, Grant Gray 2, Dylan Dunivan 4, David VanGennip 31, Blake Seabaugh 6, Jacob Bond 12, Darren VanGennip 2. FG 25, FT 11-15, F 17 (3-pointers: David VanGennip 3, Bond 1. Fouled out: None)