Aschliman’s shot is golden for the Pointers

The right place, the right time, the right result.

The right place was on the weakside of the Pointer basket.

The right time was with one second left on the clock with the Pointers trailing for the first time in the D4 title game with Kenosha Saint Joseph’s. 64-63.  

The right result was a hang in the air put back by Drew Aschliman for his only basket of the game.  

The basket was a big one as it gave the Pointers a 65-64 lead which became a win when a half court heave by Eric Kenesie fell short and to the left.

Kenesie had given the Lancers the short lived lead but with 13 seconds left it appeared to be a big one.

But the Pointers had other ideas.

Jaxon Wendhausen had come off the bench to fire in six three pointers in 10 attempts to lead a barrage of 15 made triples for a state tourney record.  Thousand,  Alex Ross and Eli Lindsey each hit  three baskets from beyond the arc.  The Pointers shot it better than 50% drilling 15 of 29.

But while Wendhausen was unbelievable from beyond the arc it was the shot he missed that gave the Pointers the win.  

That was the one Aschliman went high in the air to dump back in for the decider.

Langdon Thousand got the ball to Wendhausen in the corner and his attempt did everything but go in.  But Aschliman had the remedy for that with his twisting, turning put back.

Wendhausen and Aschliman combined for 25 points off the bench for the Pointers with 20 and five points.  Thousand added 15, Lindsey 12 and Ross 11.

Lindsey and Aschliman both pulled down seven rebounds. Thousand had eight assists.

While fans will no doubt recall the 15 three pointers, it was defense that helped the Pointers turn back the Lancers and take home the gold ball.  They forced 21 turnovers.

Kenesie had 23 points for the Lancers with Dominic and Tommy Santarelli adding 14 and 11.

The win ended thedream season for the Pointers with a 28-2 record.  KSJ finished 20-10.

SCORE BY HALVES

Mineral Point    30    35    65

KSJ                    22   42     64

BOX SCORE

MINERAL POINT 65: (fg-ft-tp) Radtke 1-0-2, Ross 3-2-11, Thousand 6-0-15, Vamstad 0-0-0, Lindsey 4-1-12, Wendhausen 7-0-20, Aschliman 1-3-5, Filardo 0-0-0, Phillips 0-0-0. Totals 22-6/9-65. Fouls-8

KENOSHA SJ 64:T. Santarelli 5-1-11, D. Santarelli 5-3-14, E. Kenesie 10-1-23, Werlinger 3-0-7, C Kenesie 2-0-5, Baez 1-0-2, Williams 1-0-2. Totals 27-5/7-64. Fouls-14 Fouled out-D. Santarelli

3 point goals:

MP-Wendhausen 6, Lindsey 3, Ross 3, Thousand 3

KSJ-D. Santarelli 1, E. Kenesie 2, Werlinger 1, C. Kenesie 1