One more win.
Sheboygan Lutheran needs that to reach the Division 5 boys state basketball tournament after edging Hustisford, 76-64, in overtime in a sectional semifinal in Fond du Lac Thursday.
“Being one win away is a great feeling, but we need to get the job done Saturday to get there,” Crusader Jacob Ognacevic said.
Top-seeded Lutheran, ranked second in the state, will face second-seeded and 10th-ranked Rio at 1 p.m. Saturday at West Bend East. The Vikings eliminated top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Randolph, 46-43 on Thursday.
Lutheran was led by Ognavevic’s 28 points and 14 rebounds, and Delvin Barnstable contributed 26 points.
“Barnstable stepped up big offensively in moments we really needed a bucket,” Lutheran coach Nick Verhagen said. “And the bench gave us great minutes defensively.”
Second-seeded and seventh-ranked Hustisford got 28 points from Justin Kuehl and 19 from Dylan Kuehl.
“The Kuehl boys were dominant,” Verhagen said.
The Crusaders had the ball last in regulation but missed a shot at the buzzer.
They then outscored the Falcons, 16-4, in overtime to improve to 24-2.
“The difference was our defense,” Ognacevic said. “We got key stops and that led to us scoring.”
In the game, Lutheran was 19 for 24 from the free-throw line while Hustisford was just 1 for 3. The contest was also filled with several runs back and forth, according to Ognacevic.
“It was all about keeping our composure and staying calm,” he said.
