When it was over Glendale’s players were so elated they had no idea what to do next.
A game that was destined for overtime from the tip delivered on that promise, but when they trailed Aurora 63-60 with three seconds left in the Class 4 District 11 title game, it didn’t seem that a second overtime was looming.
Then Glendale sophomore Jordan Walton sped towards half-court. Just before the buzzer, he heaved up a prayer that hit nothing but net.
“Right before I got the ball I knew I was going to knock it down,” Walton said of his shot that sent the Falcons into a second overtime. “I don't mean to sound cocky, but if you don't tell yourself you're going to do it then you're not going to do it. I told myself and I did it.” Walton tied the game high with 25 points.
The reaction on the bench and in the stands could’ve fooled you into thinking the game was over, but the players still had five more minutes left to settle who would meet Webb City in the sectional round.
“I didn't settle them down,” Glendale head coach Brian McTague said. “I wanted them to play just as they were and use that energy on defense. We were really solid.”
The pace of overtime was glacial. Neither team was interested in scoring fast. The 10 extra minutes of play only produced 18 total points. Fittingly, Walton hit a pair of free throws in the final minute to give Glendale the final lead of the contest.
“What the game boiled down to was we missed our free throws and they made theirs,” Aurora head coach Daniel Cutbirth said. “That's the difference in the basketball game.”
Aurora built a lead in the second quarter on the strength of Mason Husmann and Logan Bader, who combined for 14 of their 20 points in the frame. Senior guard Josh Fronabarger was an impact player all game, particularly in the fourth quarter when he scored 7 of their 12 points.
“He's a senior leader who left it all out there on the floor and did a great, great job,” Cutbirth said. “Anytime we needed a big basket or a score he gave it to us.”
Fronabarger added four in the overtimes, scoring nearly half of the Houn Dawgs points in extra time. He tied Walton with 25 points.
After the final horn sounded, Glendale’s players were so jubilant and ready to celebrate their win that they did what they’ve done 16 other times this season – ran down the tunnel to the locker room to celebrate a win. Except they hadn’t even gotten their district championship trophy yet.
“We don’t win many of these,” one of their assistants said. Glendale’s first district title since 2006 has been a long time coming.
“We’ve talked about it from the beginning of the season,” Walton said. “This is a big step for us.”
The Falcons told themselves. And then they did it.
Glendale: 15 11 16 16 10 68
Zach Helm 1, Monty Johal 18, Tristan Baker 17, Jordan Walton 25, Josh Call 3, Garrett Freeman 3, Will Sachs 1
Monty Johal’s 18 points leave him with 1,003 career points and counting.
Aurora: 12 20 14 12 8 66
Devan Hilton 1, Logan Bader 20, Josh Fronabarger 25, Austin Carmichael 11, Preston Naylor 3, Mason Hussman 6
