Timely miscues added up and ultimately proved to be the difference maker for West Liberty-Salem’s boys basketball team Saturday.
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West Liberty-Salem’s Austin Miller goes up for a shot against a Bethel defender during the first quarter of their Division III sectional final Saturday at Northmont High School. (EXAMINER PHOTO | AARON LaBATT)
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The Tigers were tied 45-45 with Tipp City Bethel after three quarters in the Division III sectional final at Northmont High School, but saw the Bees pull out a 61-57 win to advance to the district final.
“There were some pretty disappointed guys in the locker room,” said WL-Salem head coach Darrin Leichty. “They prepared hard and were ready. Bethel prepared, too, and made a few more plays than us and stuck a few free throws down the stretch.”
The fourth-seeded Tigers end their season with a 21-4 record and were the outright champions of the Ohio Heritage Conference this winter.
The fifth-seeded Bees (18-6) face Purcell Marian Wednesday in the district final at the University of Dayton.
“With the way the preseason started, with our injuries I didn’t know where we would be,” said Leichty. “A lot came together before the season started and we made progress as the season went.
“The telling sign is how close we were and our chemistry. As we walked out of the locker room a lot of guys were hugging each other and picking each other up. That says a lot about their character.”
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