MORRIS -- Morris/Cho-kio-Alberta, the ninth-ranked team in Class AA, made free-throw shots when they had to, easing past West Central Area 63-59 in overtime in a Section 6AA-West boys basketball semifinal Saturday at the University of Minnesota-Morris.
The Tigers, also the subsection's No. 1 seed, made only 8 of 18 from the charity stripe in regulation. But it was Lincoln Arnold's one shot with 9.6 seconds left that sent the game to an extra four minutes, where Morris/CA converted 8 of 14 to seal the victory.
Trailing for the last four minutes, the Tigers and Knights matched baskets until the last seconds, when Arnold snared an offensive rebound and was fouled by WCA's Bryce Olson. Lincoln made the first shot to tie the game, but missed the second for the win.
Alex Erickson drained a three-pointer to start overtime for Morris/CA, but Sam Richards of the Knights came back with a three-point play to tie the game.
"We did a better job of getting the ball into the hands of Hennen and Erickson and they got fouled going to the basket," said Morris/CA coach Mark Torgerson. "They started attacking the basket."
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It would be the last time the Tigers trailed. Arnold, who finished with a team-high 18 points and eight rebounds before fouling out, answered with a basket and then made two free throws for a four-point lead.
The advantage was as big as six points after Cory Hennen made two free throws, then Beau Kashmark made a junk basket with a few seconds left for the final score.
The Tigers' cold free-throw shooting mirrored their success from the field to start the game. Morris/CA made just two of their first nine shots while the Knights held a 10-4 lead.
Though it took seven minutes, the shots started to fall. Jackson Henrich started an 11-2 run to give the Tigers their first lead at 16-15.
The teams slugged it out from there, with neither gaining more than a seven-point lead. The last time the Tigers fell behind, then rallied with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 41 with 6:08 left in regulation.
Hennen added 15 points for Morris/CA, which will face Staples-Motley for the 6AA-West title at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Morris. Arnold and Jackson Henrich grabbed 10 rebounds each.
Richards scored a game-high 23 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for West Central Area. Kashmark followed with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Logan Pfingsten added 10 points.
Morris/CA 63, West Central 59
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West Central (15-11) 21 27 11 -- 59
Morris (25-2) 25 23 15 -- 63
WEST CENTRAL AREA - 22-59 FG; 4-16 3-pt; 11-21 FT; 36 rebounds; 20 fouls ... Scoring: Sam Richards 23, Beau Kashmark 12, Logan Pfingsten 10, Colton Blasyck 4, Bryce Olson 8, Christian Hammer 2 ... 3-point goals: Pfingsten 1, Kashmark 1, Olson 2 ... Rebound leaders: Kashmark 11, Richards 10 ... Assist, steal leaders not available
MORRIS/CHOKIO-ALBERTA - 22-61 FG; 3-10 3-pt; 16-32 FT; 40 rebounds; 19 fouls ... Scoring: Lincoln Arnold 18, Cory Hennen 15, Alex Erickson 8, Mac Kampmeier 7, Corey Nohl 5, Eric Riley 5, Jackson Henrich 4, Dan Tiernan 1 ... 3-point goals: Erickson 2, Riley 1 ... Rebound leaders: Arnold 10, Henrich 10 ... Assist leaders: Erickson 2, Riley 2, Henrich 2 ... Steal leaders: Henrich 6
