Wellington boys knock out Andale 52-48, improve to 8-2
Montel Tate scores this deuce midway through the second quarter.
by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — For the second time this century, the Wellington boys basketball team has picked up a huge win over Andale on its home court. The Crusaders defeated Andale 52-48. In a season of first, this marked the first Wellington varsity sweep against Andale in basketball history.
Using 17 points from Banks Hinshaw (who came to play), 16 from Jack Wright and 11 from Montel Tate; the Crusaders came from behind to pick up the victory. Wellington was trailing 28-23 at the half, before coming back to outscore Andale 16-11 in the third and 13-9 in the fourth.
The victory completes the first half of the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Div. IV. Wellington is sitting at 4-1 chasing Wichita Collegiate at 5-0. Andale follows at 3-2. Overall, Wellington is now 8-2, the best record in years, and will set its sights as the No. 2 seed in the Chaparral Roadrunner Classic next week. It starts Thursday with Conway Springs (see bracket here).
“The key tonight was our defense and rebounding,” said Joe Newman, Wellington’s head boys basketball coach. “They’re similar to using that they like to score a lot of their points in the paint. We did a good job of liming those baskets and forcing them to shoot from the perimeter.”
Wellington shot 58.8 percent from the field and was an impressive 5 of 11 from the 3-point arch.
Wellington had 24 rebounds to 14 for Andale. None were bigger than the final 10 seconds when Wellington nabbed two huge offensive rebounds off of missed free throws.
The Crusaders held a 50-43 lead with less than a minute to play. But Andale scored on two consecutive trips, including goaltending and two free throws making it 50-47. Worse, Wellington got ice cold at the charity stripe, failing to convert on two two-shot attempts.
Malachi Rogers vs. Andale.
Clutching to a 50-47 lead, Wellington failed to convert free throws on two attempts. But one of the Wellington players alertly rebounded the rimmed shot and threw it out to the perimeter to Wright for another offensive rebound. Andale was forced to foul again.
Wright would get 1-of-2 to give Wellington a 4-point lead and secure the victory.
The Crusaders fought hard. After Tate opened with a 3-0 lead, Andale took the lead and was in front 14-10 at the end of the first. It was 28-23 at the half.
“Andale wants to slow things down and grind it out, which is our style as well,” Newman said. “We did a good job of being patient, especially in the second half.”
Wellington kept very close to Andale for most of the third, and Hinshaw hit a 10-footer to tie the game at 2:12 in the third. Brody Weir then hit inside to give the Crusaders a 39-37 lead. It was tied going into the fourth.
With the help of Hinshaw’s 14 points, Wellington started to inch away, ever so slowly, in the fourth. It was 45-42, then 48-42, before 50-43 in the final 30 seconds.
