Cardinals punch ticket to State

(Above) GHV’s Nick Joynt displays the State banner to an enthusiastic crowd following Saturday night’s big win over Osage.  -Reporter photos by Chris Barragy

It was a heart-pumping, foot-stomping game Saturday night, when Garner-Hayfield-Ventura faced their number one nemesis, Osage, in the Class 2A Substate Final played in the Clear Lake gym.  It could have been deja vu for the Cardinals, who fell to Osage last season in the Substate final, but this year the tables turned and it’s GHV’s turn to make the trip to Wells Fargo Arena for the State Tournament.

“Osage has had our number for the last three games,” said Coach Joe Albertson.

Osage was the Cardinals’ only flaw in a very impressive 23-1 overall record this season.  The Green Devils topped GHV, 54-52, on Dec. 3.  Osage also entered the game with a stellar 22-2 record.  Both teams wanted the win and a epic battle ensued.

The Cards went on a 10-4 run in the first quarter to take an early, 18-11 lead.

In the second quarter, James Betz hit a three-point shot early in the second quarter to go up, 21-11, but from there the Green Devils took over the quarter. Osage went on a 10-point unanswered run, to knot the game 21-21.  It was bucket-for-bucket from there, but Osage sunk a shot at the buzzer to take a two-point advantage into halftime, 28-26.

“They do a great job spacing the floor and taking advantage of poor rotations.  Early on we struggled finding their shooters and switching out for a few screens,” said Albertson.

The second half was much better for the Cardinals, as they did a great job switching and containing the dribbler.  Defense was the name of the game in the third quarter, as GHV held Osage to just five points.  Nick Joynt hit a big three-point shot that gave GHV the lead back, 35-33.

Holden Hutcheson hit another key three-point shot to open the fourth quarter and extend the Cardinal lead, 39-33.  The Green Devils snuck back in with a couple of buckets and free-throw to trail by only one-point, 39-38, with 2:33 remaining in the game. The Cardinals managed a five-point lead with :29 remaining, before Osage sunk a three of their own to get back into the game, 45-43, with :14 remaining.  Joynt connected on two huge free throws with :07 remaining for the final, 47-43.

“In the end, the guys that carried us the most were the crazy, red-shirted fans.  It was the loudest crowd in my 11 years of coaching,” said Albertson.

Albertson praised the play of Joynt, who carried the team offensively by attacking the rim and hitting some key shots.  Joynt, a junior, finished with a game high 20-points.  He also had four rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Hutcheson added eight points, while Ryan Meyers had six and Betz had five points.

Meyers and Betz led the team under the boards with eight and seven rebounds respectively.

Meyers and Chase Theobald each had three assists.  Hutcheson had two blocked shots and Betz had one.

The win sends the Cardinals to the State Tournament to be played March 6-11, at Wells Fargo Arena, in Des Moines.  A State Basketball Tournament Bracket Show will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 1, via live-stream on ihssn.com to determine when GHV will take the floor in the State Tournament.  Class 2A first round games will be plated at 6:35 and 8:15 p.m. on Monday night, March 6, and 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7.

This is the first trip to State since Garner-Hayfield and Ventura consolidated in 2012.  Garner-Hayfield was a runner-up in the State tournament in 2002 and qualified in 2007.  Ventura went to State in 2009.  That team was led by Tyler Betz, who is the older brother to current GHV player, James Betz.