Rich Hill Tigers basketball season ends on a high note

The final curtain call for the Rich Hill Tigers came on Wednesday night at Clinton against the Sacred Heart Gremlins in the sectional round of the play-offs. The Tigers came into the game with record of 24-4 and Gremlins with a record of 23-4. They had both earned the trip with Rich Hill winning District 13 and the Gremlins winning the 14th District. The two schools have played before in football but not basketball and not at this level. The anticipation for both teams was high. Sacred Heart’s team was last year’s defending 2A State Champion. The early prediction was that the Tigers stood little chance against such a perennial power house. The Gremlins have been in the play offs for 7 of the last eight years.

As game time approach the Rich Hill faithful filled a large portions of the large Clinton gym ready to cheer for their Tiger team. Surprisingly both teams took to the floor with little apparent nerves. The early game started at a fast pace but both committing early turnovers. The Gremlins seemed to show little respect for Rich Hill and the Tigers showed little fear of them. At the end of one quarter it was the Gremlins 19 and the Tigers 16. With more confidence in the 2nd quarter the Tigers showed that they had come to play and were well prepared. The Tigers used a chaser defense that limited last years All State player to no first half points and at half time the Tigers trailed 29-30.

In the second half Rich Hill adjusted it’s defense and ran a diamond and two to cover Sacred Hearts two top scorers and were able to take the lead going into the fourth and final quarter. In some ways it was like a heavy weight championship boxing match both teams taking their best shots to knock the other one out of contention. Both teams gave it their best shots but in the end the Gremlins came out on top with the final score of 53- 49.

In the end it wasn't one thing that got the Tigers but small miscues during the game that prevented them from moving on. The Tigers finished with a school record of 24 wins and five losses. Coach Rapp told the team in the locker room after the game that all the summer work and every practice had paid dividends even though they had been stopped short of where they wanted to be. He also told the boys that sometimes even if you do it all right it doesn't work out like you want it to but that doesn't mean you weren't successful.

With this loss we must say goodbye to the seniors who meant so much to this program and the school – Jacob Thompson, Dylan Smarr and Trevor Delozier. Coach Rapp would like to thank all those who have supported the program this year. First the players who we are so proud of, the parents who are vital to getting the boys to practices and games, to the fans who traveled many miles to support the team and to the other staff and administration who worked to get the players ready. Lastly the sometimes forgotten custodial staff that keep locker rooms, gym, floor, and uniforms clean. Thanks again to everyone for a great year.

The leading scorer at the sectional game were Jacob Thompson and Bryant Courter with 15 each, Jacob Mumma and Cole Heckadon with 6 apiece, Dylan Smarr with 5 and Blaine Robb with 2.

-courtesy Rich Hill Tiger Talk

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