SCHULENBURG — The Schulenburg High School boys basketball team went up against Flatonia High School in a barn burner that came down to the last shot in overtime. Schulenburg’s execution throughout the game was near perfect and Flatonia held their own with big shots and productive offense. “Flatonia is a great team,” said Schulenburg head boys basketball coach Rich Hoogendoorn.
“We played very poorly against Shiner. I just came in and talked to them and believed they’d respond. It was so back and forth. We’d get after them, then they’d come back. Really proud of the way they finished.
I think they’re a special team. Hopefully we’ll get the guys we’ve been missing back. The young guys were stepping up.”
Shorthorns sophomore guard Byron Johnson netted 18 points and made some huge baskets throughout the game. “Just trying to get wins,” Johnson said. “Go to playoffs, go far.”
Flatonia is still in great shape and will go back to the drawing board to make some minor fixes.
“I thought Schulenburg played an outstanding game,” said Flatonia head boys basketball coach Chris Sodek. “I didn’t think we were maybe as sharp as we have been all season long, but that’s a credit to them because they played well and found a way to win the game. I think the game could’ve gone either way for most of the game, but they made the plays in the end and that’s a credit to Coach Hoogendoorn and the Shorthorns. They’re gonna be around for a long time in the playoffs. We’ll see, we might matchup with them again. You never know.”
Schulenburg grabbed a 13-8 lead after the first quarter on a few free throws, a three, and a couple baskets with one being an and one play. Flatonia’s scoring came mostly from outside shooting and a free throw.
Johnson hit a three for the Shorthorns at the 6:20 mark in the second quarter to take a 1812 lead, then Flatonia scored six unanswered points on a layup, a three-pointer from senior guard Keyshaun Green, and two baskets from senior center Jaidyn Guyton and senior point guard Luke Law to make it 21-18, forcing Schulenburg to call timeout. After trading baskets on each possession, Bulldogs senior small forward Dayton Cliffe hit a three on a shooter’s roll with 10 seconds to go in the quarter to put his team ahead 28-23 at halftime.
Schulenburg’s Johnson converted his second and one play of the third quarter on a tough layup at the 5:45 mark to tie the game with a made free throw at 33 after Flatonia went up 33-28 with a free throw from Flatonia senior guard Holden Kloesel. This was followed by more traded punches as Flatonia took a 50-48 lead at the end of the third quarter with a mix of long range shots and layups from both teams.
The Bulldogs started the fourth quarter by running down the clock, then Johnson made a steal and a layup with six minutes to play to tie the contest at 50. Two layups in a row from Schulenburg put it at 54-50 and Flatonia answered right back with a steal and a layup from sophomore guard Keegan Green and two free throws from Guyton to make it 54 a piece at the two and a half minute mark. Another layup from Johnson and two free throws from Shorthorns senior forward Kenny Schramek gave Schulenburg a 58-54 lead until Flatonia’s Keyshaun Green responded with a jumper to cut the deficit to 58-56. Schulenburg freshman guard Jayse Janda nailed a free throw with 33 seconds to go and put Schulenburg ahead 59-56, then Law cashed in a clutch three pointer at the 24 second mark to tie the outing at 59. The Bulldogs weren’t able to get a shot off on their last possession, which sent the game into overtime.
After back-to-back layups from Flatonia in the extra period, Schulenburg senior shooting guard Kaz McBride hit a huge three at the 1:45 mark to put the score at 63-62. Johnson then hit a big three of his own for the Shorthorns after another basket from Flatonia to tie the game back up at 65, which led to a layup from the Bulldogs and a free throw from Schramek, giving Schulenburg a 66-65 lead with 22 seconds left on the clock.
Law made a nice drive and layup for Flatonia on the next possession before McBride’s dagger three in the corner at the five second mark ultimately won the game for Schulenburg, as Kloesel’s contested double-clutch heave from half-court came up short and the Shorthorns escaped with a 69-67 victory.
