Cougars finish strong in game with Pretzels
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By KENT COULTAS
Nick Hamilton and Ryker Ford both scored in double figures, and West Central beat New Berlin 42-28 Feb. 26 in the semifinal of the Winchester 1A Boys’ Basketball Regional.
New Berlin scored with 3:53 remaining in the game and cut West Central’s lead to 32-28. The Pretzels, however, would not score again.
Nick Hamilton made a three-point basket on West Central’s next possession and extended the lead to 35-28. Carson Brown scored with 1:55 remaining and the Cougars led 37-28.
Cameron Sievers made five free throws in the final 1:08 to seal West Central’s win.
Ryker Ford made a three-point basket, and Sievers made a free throw as the Cougars jumped out to a 4-0 lead. New Berlin got two free throws and trailed 4-2 with.
Caden Meyer scored off an assist from Sievers and extended the lead to 6-2. Hamilton made a three-point basket with 1:47 remaining, and West Central led 9-2 after one quarter.
New Berlin made three three-point baskets and scored the first 11 points of the second quarter to take a 13-9 lead.
Hamilton made consecutive three-point baskets as West Central regained the lead, 15-13, with 3:29 remained in the quarter. Neither team scored for the remainder of the quarter, and the Cougars led by two points at halftime.
New Berlin took a 18-16 lead in the third quarter before West Central scored seven of the next eight points.
Ford converted a three-point play, and Hamilton scored to give the Cougars a 21-18 lead. They never trailed again in the game. New Berlin made a free throw to cut the margin to 21-19.
Ford scored with 13 seconds remained, and the Cougars led 23-19 after three quarters.
Hamilton scored off an assist from Sievers to start the fourth quarter and extend the leadt o 25-19. Both teams traded baskets before New Berlin made a three-point basket to get with 29-26 with 4:30 remained in the game.
Hamilton made a three-point basket and extend the lead to six points, 32-26, with 4:15 remained in the game.
Hamilton made five three-point baskets and scored 19 points to lead the winners. Ford scored 10 points, including seven in the second half.
Sievers went six-for-eight from the free throw line and finished with six points. Meyer scored three points. Brown and Carson Clevenger each scored two points.
