Connor Phelps drives the lane against Winfield defenders.

by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — It took awhile but the Wellington boys would beat back Winfield 68-53 in the first round of the sub-state tournament at its home gymnasium. And for the second year in a row, the Crusaders will battle Rose Hill for an opportunity to go to state.

The sub-state championship game is at 7:30 p.m. The girls will precede the game at 6 p.m. They, too, will be playing Rose Hill.

The Crusaders had their work cut out for them for much of the first half, playing catchup against the one-win Vikings, who were eager to atone a trying regular season with a surprising sub-state.

“We were trying to do too much early on,” said Brian Buchanan, Wellington head boys basketball coach. “It was as if their bodies were trying to tell them to pass, dribble and shoot at the same time.”

Wellington came up empty on the first four possessions, and subsequently the Dukes fell behind 11-7. But the Crusaders came back to tie the game at 13-all at the quarter break. Early in the second half, Wellington and Winfield traded deuces and a couple of 3-pointers and could not shake the other.

But Wellington had a little momentum in the late stage of the first half to take a 28-24 lead into the half.

Wesley Gilmore opened the second half with the first of three 3-pointers, and the Crusaders were leading 33-26. Eventually, the Crusaders would push the game into double figures outscoring the Vikings 15-10 in the third quarter and 23-17 in the fourth.

This game was marked by its deft free throw shooting. Wellington was an impressive 17 of 18 at the charity stripe. Winfield was 13 of 14 from the line.

The Crusaders, 11-10, will now play the Rockets for the first time this season. Rose Hill beat Mulvane 63-50 to advance to the championship game.

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