And thus, for a spot in the Section 1A final, for a “sub-section” champion or second place trophy, 1-seed R-P (21-7) and 5-seed Kingsland (17-11) battled. The Knights entered in a rare spot. They beat the Trojans back in December 56-47, their first win over R-P since 2012 (eight meetings). As is the case as the stakes get higher in big games, strategy became key. In an oddity for basketball of any kind these days, the winning team did so almost exclusively without utilizing the three-point shot. Naturally, R-P’s defense was on full-display. They extended their 1-3-1 zone. The goal was to curtail Knight stand-out shooters Zach Bubany and Wyatt Pruter, who combined for 38 points in the teams’ first meeting. Passes were dictated to the high post or free-throw line area, where other Knights were dared to make decisions, dared to make mid-range shots or facilitating passes. They couldn’t do so consistently, despite their being opportunity. Offensively, R-P attacked from the high and low posts, a little retro-action back to yesteryear, when the game was played more on the interior. Senior forward Jake Paulson was the catalyst. The Trojans offense most often ran through him. Ben Ansell was the favorite weapon. The 6’5” senior center made a huge turn-around in a year’s time, going from not playing versus Spring Grove in the same spot in the play-offs last year, to posting a career-high versus Kingsland. R-P didn’t dominate the contest, but they controlled it, never trailing and there was just a sole tie (2-2). The lead was as high as eight in the first half and six at halftime (23-17). It hung right around ten for most of the second half, until Kingsland was forced to get desperate late, and R-P widened its advantage at the free throw line. The Knights just couldn’t score consistently enough. They never scored on three straight possessions. They went scoreless on three or more five times. Kingsland couldn’t get stops. R-P had just one three-possession span where it didn’t score, and in it, the Trojans missed two free throws. The result; Tom Vix’s Trojans beat John Fenske’s Knights by a final of 56-43. Ansell had a career-high 26 points (11-18 FGs, 4-6 FTS) with 6 rebounds. And that occurred going up against Knight 6’8” senior center Ian Meisner. Ansell’s shot 50% or better in 26 of 28 games in which he has played (62.3% for the season). Freshman marksman Luke O’Hare was the only other Trojan in double-figures (10 pts, 5-6 FGs). Paulson had the best all-around game with 9 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. Pruter (10 points) led Kingsland. He was the only Knight in double figures. All his points came in the second half. Bubany added nine points (3-6 threes). Meisner also had nine points, also all in the second half. R-P shot 20 of 37 (54%) to Kingsland’s 17 of 47 (36.2%). The Trojans were just 1 of 2 from distance, Kingsland 6 of 21. R-P held a significant edge at the free throw line (15 of 25 to 3 of 6), though a lot of that came late in the game. It is a tough end (17-12) for the good Kingsland senior group of Bubany, Meisner, Jordan Beck, Jackson Rindels, Ethan Fenske, Matthew Woods and Daniel Hays-Hall. They were largely responsible for leading the Knights to back-to-back good seasons including some memorable moments in the play-offs. They take home sub-section second place hardware. R-P (22-7) wins the sub-section and moves on to face long-time 1A East nemesis, 2-seed Spring Grove (24-5), which handled upstart 11-seed Lyle/Pacelli (16-11) 68-60. R-P beat SG 64-57 in early January. The Trojans have won 13 of their last 15. SG has won 15 in a row.
Retro-Trojans to Section Title Game
