The week began with the heartbreaking news of the three-year old son of Wooster assistant coach Doug Cline’s passing away in a tragic accident late Sunday morning, and now ends with the Scots capturing their league-leading 11th tournament title, and thus the NCAC’s automatic berth into next week’s NCAA Div. III Tournament.
Saturday’s championship game was within both squads’ grasp late into the second half. With Wooster barely hanging on to the lead at 68-67, Justin Hallowell blocked a Wabash shot and grabbed the ensuing defensive rebound. Then, on the Scots’ possession, Marty Bidwell, who had struggled at times on the offensive end, connected on a clutch 3-pointer to make it a two-possession game.
Another defensive stop was followed by Hallowell nailing a long-distance 3-pointer for a 74-67 Wooster lead. The Scots held the Little Giants scoreless for a third-straight possession and Bidwell converted a drive to the hoop on the other end, giving the hosts a nine-point cushion with about 3:30 to play.
Neither team would score again until Wabash’s Dominique Thomas stole a ball in the backcourt and laid it in the hoop at the 1:16 mark. Following a pair of Hallowell free throws, Chase Haltom brought the Little Giants within two possessions when he connected on a 3-pointer to make it a 78-72 game with 55.1 seconds remaining.
With Wabash forced to foul, Wooster sealed the outcome via 6-for-6 free throw shooting, the first two coming from Dustin Geitgey and then four by Hallowell.
The Scots never trailed during the first half, but also never led by any more than five as they took a 38-37 advantage into the break. The story of the opening 20 minutes was offensive efficiency, highlighted by Haltom’s 5-for-7 3-point shooting exhibition as part of a 17-point half.
The Little Giants scored six consecutive points during one stretch early in the second and Wooster found itself behind for the first time in the entire tournament. Soon after, the Scots took the lead back, keyed by back-to-back jumpers from Bryan Wickliffe, the second giving them a 46-45 edge.
Wooster would stretch it out to six-point leads a couple of times (56-50 and 61-55), but could not shake sixth-seeded Wabash. The Little Giants’ Wes Smith eventually tied it 65-65 on a 3-pointer, but the Scots were able to make the key plays down the stretch.
Statistically, the Scots shot 56.3 percent from the field (27-for-48), including 11-of-19 3-pointers (.579), and helped hold Wabash under 40 percent overall (.397; 27-for-68), despite a 12-of-29 effort from outside the arc (.414). Wooster also made all but one of its 20 free throw attempts and outboarded the Little Giants 37-26.
Hallowell was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after scoring a career-high 33 points in the championship game on 10-of-13 field goals (6-of-9 3-pointers) and 7-of-7 free throws. He also collected eight rebounds, and for the tourney, the freshman standout made 14-of-22 3-pointers (.636) as part of 61 total points.
Ian Franks also earned a spot on the all-tourney team for the Scots. He had 18 points and three assists Saturday, while Geitgey contributed 11 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, completing a solid tourney run, which saw him average 8.7 points, 5.0 caroms, and 2.3 assists.
Haltom and Smith finished with 20 and 18 points, respectively. Smith’s stat line also featured eight boards, two assists, three blocked shots, and two steals. They were all-tournament team selections and filling it out were Kenyon College’s Dave Jolson and Henry Heeter of Allegheny College.
Wooster, which swept the NCAC regular season and tourney championships for the seventh time, will find out its next opponent when the NCAA announces the bracket Monday morning.