Neuhalfen hits buzzer-beater
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| Bureau Valley’s Parker Neuhalfen hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer Wednesday at the Storm Cellar. (BCR photo/Kevin Hieronymus) |
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MANLIUS — If there is one word to describe Bureau Valley freshman guard Parker Neuhalfen, it would be poised.
Neuhalfen showed exceptional poise beyond his years in Wednesday’s regional semifinal clash against Prophetstown at the Storm Cellar. The freshman guard dribbled off most of the final one minute and nine seconds off the scoreboard before driving to the lane and hitting the game-winning shot at the buzzer to lift the Storm to a 52-50 win over Prophetstown.
“Coach always tells us to be poised, don’t get nervous, don’t think what could happen. Just do what you know you can do, so I just did what I did what I knew I could do,” said Neuhalfen, who scored 13 points and led the Storm with four assists and three charges taken.
The shot was highly contested, but Neuhalfen was obviously happy with the results.
“I got whatever I could get,” he said.
“We’ve reminded him and Gebeck and lot of the kids about being poised and disciplined in late-game situations,” BV coach Eric Lawson said. “In order to win in the postseason, you’ve got to maintain that poise. You can’t get rattled, you’ve got to keep playing, play, play.”
The Shot heard around the Storm World propels the Storm (13-14) into Friday’s finals against top-seeded and Three Rivers Conference champion Riverdale (26-3), a 73-38 winner over league foe Morrison in Wednesday’s first game.
Neuhalfen’s heroics capped a big rally by the Storm, who trailed by as much as 11 (44-33) after a Prophetstown bucket to start the fourth quarter. From there, the Storm dug in for the comeback, using a 13-2 run to even the score.
Neuhalfen got the assist on a basket by Jordan Monier and followed with a scoring drive to make it 44-39. The Monier-Neuhalfen duo cashed in once again with Neuhalfen, a promising quarterback in football, passing downcourt to a streaking Monier for a layup to bring BV within 46-41.
Senior center Bryce Walters, who paced the Storm with 20 points and six rebounds, converted a 3-point play from the free throw line and Monier scored on a drive to the hole to tie the game at 46 with 3:36 to play.
Lawson said the Storm finally got out in transition and started attacking the basket.
“We played with more energy and once we started making a comeback the kid played with more confidence and that was the big thing,” he said.
Neuhalfen followed a pair of free throws by the Prophets’ Devin Johnson with two of his own six second later to tie the game at 50 with 2:30 remaining. Both teams exchanged traveling violations, the first by the Prophets. Carter Ames, who led the Prophets with 18 points, missed an ill-advised 3-pointer, putting the ball into the Storm’s hands with 1:09 remaining on a timeout.
Lawson put the ball in the hands of his freshman and said Neuhalfen ran the game-winning play exactly how it was diagrammed. Neuhalfen dribbled out just enough time before launching the game-winner to send the Storm players into a frenzy.
“I always tell the kids, we’re going to start being active around eight seconds and he was right around that spot. He was very poised. He had planned what he was going to do. He got a good look at a floater and knocked it down.”
“I knew we were going to win the game. I just felt confident in my team. We pulled out on top for once. Usually we’re on the losing end of that,” Neuhalfen said.
The Storm coach will allow his team to celebrate the victory overnight and then they would turn their attention to powerful Riverdale at practice Thursday. The Rams went 13-1 to run away with the Three Rivers crown, including a sweep over the Storm.
“We’re going to focus on the other team in practice Thursday, but the kids deserve to enjoy this one,” Lawson said.
Neuhalfen said the Storm will be ready Friday night.
“It’s tough to beat a team three times. I think we got a chance to beat them. (We’ve got to) shut down (PBR’s Wes) DeClerq, I guess,” he said.
• Storm front: BV’s Andrew Nelson and Hunter Klemm advanced to Friday’s finals in the 3-Point Showdown. Riverdale was the Three Rivers Conference champion at 13-1. BV finished fourth (8-6).
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