July 27, 2024
By Morgan Wenger
Tournament Director

Triway and Wooster hooked up in an ultra competitive bracket challenge game in the 8th grade division. Both teams had rolled through their pool play games relatively easily, with the exception being Triway’s hard fought 28-22 win against Norwayne. The bracket challenge game between the two undefeated teams was intense from the beginning. Triway was the first team to be able to slow down Wooster’s Sam Schantz. Schantz had scored 30 total points in dominating Wooster’s two pool play games. With Schantz finding the going a little bit tougher against Triway, Wooster turned to Hudson Braxstorm for the majority of their offense. Braxstorm added a three pointer to the variety of baskets he scored inside to keep the game close throughout with his total of 13 points. Triway was not to be denied in this game though, as they rode the hot shooting of Caiden Soss to a 30-24 victory and the top seed on the tournament bracket. Soss nailed four of his team’s five three-point baskets on his way to a dominant 16-point performance for Triway.

In an even closer bracket challenge game, the Bucket Getters were able to squeak by a game Hoop Elite squad 26-24 to earn their first win of the day. This game was a duel between Brayden Boyle of the Bucket Getters and Alex Lakota of Hoop Elite. Boyle bullied his way inside against the younger Hoop Elite squad for 14 points to lead the way for the Bucket Getters, while Lakota mixed in some pinpoint three point shooting to go along with his dizzying array of drives to the basket on his way to a game high 16 point performance. Taj Lipkins added eight points to help secure the victory for the Bucket Getters.

With Triway and Wooster seemingly on a collision course for the championship game, bracket play began. The two top seeds quickly found out that the going would be a lot tougher than it was in pool play. Wooster had dispatched Hillsdale in a 30-13 rout earlier in the day, but Hillsdale was ready to battle them in the semifinals. Hillsdale was attacking the basket from all angles in the back and forth affair, with Ryder Bisesi (12 points) and Porter Boreman (10 points) leading the way. Sam Schantz simply would not let Wooster lose this game. After a scintillating 17 point onslaught in the first matchup against Hillsdale, he was even more dominant the second time around. Schantz was simply unstoppable driving to the basket in this game. He effectively used his handle and quickness to get past his defender and then finished efficiently with power once he got inside. His 24 point masterpiece helped Wooster avoid Hillsdale’s upset bid and advance to the championship game.

Wooster's Sam Schantz prepares to shoot during the championship game

Norwayne survived a tough 30-22 game from the Bucket Getters in the quarterfinal round behind 24 points from Cole Gasser. Tylan Deese led the way for the Bucket Getters with nine points in defeat.  Gasser rode this momentum into Norwayne’s semifinal matchup against top seeded Triway. Gasser scored 11 points in the first matchup with Triway, but that was nullified by Triway’s Kayden Wallace hitting four three pointers on his way to a 14 point showing. Wallace could not connect from long distance this time around, and Gasser was playing at a different level. Gasser dropped in two three-point bombs to stretch his team’s lead as the game reached its midpoint. Before and after those shots, he was scoring from everywhere else on the court. By the time the game was over, Gasser had amassed 18 points and extinguished Triway by the score of 28-22. Triway could never get untracked offensively in this game. Coi Beachy and Jayden Baher each dropped in eight points to lead Triway in defeat.

Norwayne had taken the long road to the championship game after starting the day 1-2. Wooster had taken the more traditional route, with their bracket challenge battle against Triway the only blemish on their record. This was evident early on in the championship game as Wooster looked to have much better energy than Norwayne did. Sam Schantz (Wooster) and Cole Gasser (Norwayne) had turned in some of the most dominant performances of the entire tournament. They were the focal point of their opponent’s defensive strategy in this game. Schantz still managed to score eight points while Gasser tossed in six points of his own. Griffin Siegenthaler had his best stretch of play when Wooster needed it most. Siegenthaler connected on three daggers from long range in the second half of the championship game that proved fatal for Norwayne and removed any drama from the contest. Siegenthaler finished with a game high 13 points for the champions. JR Wright chipped in six points for Wooster, while Bryson Indorf shared scoring honors for Norwayne with six points and Daniel Steiner finished with five points.

Wooster (Hudson Braxstorm, JR Wright, Sam Schantz, Griffin Siegenthaler)

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