Onalaska basketball is now regional champions after knocking off the defending back-to-back state champion Hitchcock Bulldogs 88-85 Friday in Aldine's M.O. Campbell Arena.
The school that had never won a playoff game until a few weeks ago is now in the state semifinals, where they will face Columbus.
Hitchcock had not only won the past two state titles, they had also been in the regional finals four years in a row. To say that experience was on their side is a bit of an understatement.
Size was also with the Bulldogs, which had a roster of seven players 6-foot-4 or taller. It could be argued that many calls whistled in the contest may have gone in favor of Hitchcock.
Yet, through all of it, Onalaska is among the final four of Class 3A Division I.
“It is complete elation, and I am just so proud of them,” Onalaska coach Nick Tyerman said. “I kept telling them all week that we are due, after having a couple of games in a row where we weren't really having our shots falling or scoring a lot. Like Wyatt (Reyes) said last week, it is all I preach – it is a law of averages. Don't doubt yourself, have confidence the whole time, it is going to balance out, because we work that hard and I know it is going to be the way that it is supposed to be.”
The school by the lake would lead by as much as 20 in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs were not giving in.
They would close it to a two-point game late in the fourth. Onalaska guard Patrick Roth beat his man off the dribble for a layup with just 27 seconds remaining. A Hitchcock miss was gathered by Wildcat Dante Leleux and he was fouled with 11 seconds left. Off the inbound pass, Leleux was fouled again with just six ticks on the clock. He hit one of two free throws for a five-point lead to seal the win.
“Honestly, the game plan, and each game plan, has been the same,” Tyerman said. “We mostly focus on the most consistent actions that they run in the half court, but outside of that, we try to dictate the game we want it to be. This is exactly what we wanted. We wanted to get up and down. I knew, historically, they were an up-and-down team, but this year if people pay attention, they wanted to grind it and get it inside. I knew that all of our strengths were their weaknesses, so that is what we focused on all week.”
Hitchcock pulled ahead 6-0 to begin the game, but Onalaska quickly built an advantage by scoring 24 in the opening period. It was built on incredible shooting, as they hit nine 3-pointers in the first half. Despite playing just six, the Wildcats wore down the powerful Bulldogs. An exhausted team could not play defense or rebound close to their capabilities, and Onalaska took advantage.
“They were gassed and that is a testament to my kids,” Tyerman said. “You would think that a team that relies mostly on a six-man rotation, we would be the ones gassed. We are in such good shape, and we just continue to want it. I am so proud of them.”
Onalaska guard Devon Vienneau said taking down the two-time champs wasn’t easy.
“They are a very tough team. We had to battle,” the junior guard said. “They ran a very similar defense as us, but they really didn't have as good of shooters as we did. We just had to cut off the middle and keep them from getting into the paint, because that's where a bunch of their scoring came from.
“In the offseason before our season started, coach would push us every single day in practice, saying how nobody would be able to keep up with us if we would just run them out of the game. It's very fun and a great experience and now we are going to state.”
For Hitchcock, Kason Smith was the high point with 29, Maleek Clark had 25 points and Malcolm Simpson 12. Reyes led the ’Cats with 20 points, Spencer Green and Vienneau had 16 each, Roth 14, Brayden Topkins 13 and Leleux nine.
The team will now advance to play Columbus in the state semifinals. The Cardinals have reached the fifth round by defeating Goliad (72-63), Randolph (83-71), London (81-80 2OT), and Crystal City (86-85). The game is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Houston’s Delmar Fieldhouse.
