by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — In the end it was not to be for the South Haven boys basketball team. The Cardinals would lose the Class 1A Division 1 state championship to St. John- Hudson 67-50 Saturday evening at White Auditorium in Emporia.

Ten Cardinals finished an impressive four-year run in which the final three were 20-win seasons. William Lowe, Lane Cully, Austin Showman, Bryce Byers, Hunter Ray, Justin Harris, James Moreland, Levi Schuster, Chase Upton and Devin Culp will put away their South Haven jerseys leaving behind arguably one of the best basketball teams ever assembled in the South-Central Border League.

From the onset of this one, St. John-Hudson – located south of Great Bend, were pretty much in control. St. John-Hudson would score on its first seven possessions, building a 13-7 advantage. 

St. John-Hudson led 21-13 after one quarter and was in front 36-23 at the half.

Both teams struggled to score early in the third quarter with the Tigers outscoring the Cards 6-3 in the first four minutes. St. John-Hudson was up 48-30 before South Haven rattled off seven straight points to end the third quarter down by 11, 48-37. It was setting up to be a potential come-from-behind rally to start the fourth.

But the first sequence of the fourth quarter proved to be a killer for South Haven. The Cards missed an easy layup and then St. John came down and scored a layup on its own in a matter of five seconds. That was a four-point swing, South Haven could not afford to have.

The Tigers would build the lead up to 20, before winning by 17.

For the game, South Haven shot 33.3 percent from the field, going 17-of-51 from the field. It was worse from the three-point arch, usually a Cardinal staple, but going 4-of-19 Saturday night.

St. John-Hudson was also 4-of-19 from outside the arch, but it was a more proficient 20-of-46 inside the paint. For the second straight game South Haven had to deal with a lanky 6-8 sophomore. This time, though, Dean Wade would score 18 points for the Tigers, compared to 7 for the Stockton sophomore the night before.

The Tigers also got to the foul line more, going 23-of-29 from the charity stripe, compared to South Haven’s 12 of 16.

For the game, Showman scored 21 points. No other South Haven player was in double figures. The Cards were facing foul trouble all evening. Showman would foul out. Lane Cully and Anthony Cully had four fouls. William Lowe, who has a huge presence inside, started the game with two fouls right off the bat.

For St. John-Hudson, one has to hand it to the state champions. The Tigers seized the opportunities presented to them. Of the 67 points scored, four of the five starters were in double figures and the other one had 8. It was no accident that St. John-Hudson finished with just one loss all season and was a permanent fixture on top of the Class 1A Division 1 poll.

As for the future of South Haven’s boys basketball, there is no doubt “rebuilding” will be the dominant word next season. You don’t replace a group like this everyday.

St. John-Hudson 67 South Haven 50. 

South Haven 13 10 14 13 — 50

St. John 21 15 12 19 — 67

South Haven: Lowe 7, Showman 21, Byers 2, Ray 3, Hawkins 8, Schuster 2, Moreland 2. Total: 17-51 (4-19) 12-16 50. St. John-Hudson: Kinnamon 10, Nusser 10, Long 8, Wade 19, Reyes 17. Total: 20-46 (4-19) 23-29 67.