In the final game of the 2024 NSAA Boys State Basketball Championships, it featured #1 Shelton versus #2 Maywood-Hayes Center in Class D2. The Wolves were looking to get their first title since co-oping and for Shelton, they haven't won a title since 1919. On Saturday night from Pinnacle Bank Arena, the Bulldogs got the better of the Wolves with the final score reading 54-42.
In the first quarter, you could tell for the teams there was a feeling-out process for both squads. The ball was loose quite a bit, and specifically for MHC, they were having a hard time finding the bottom of the net. Shelton led 11-8 after the first quarter.
In the second period, Shelton carved out a big lead. They went on a 10-0 run in the first few minutes of the second period. MHC had to take a timeout and regroup down 21-10 with 4:23 to go before halftime.
The Wolves did just that going on a 10-0 run of their own. They were down 21-18 at the intermission.
In the second half, Shelton came out firing, scoring 18 points in the period to expand upon the lead they had already built. The Wolves, had a really nice offensive quarter themselves, scoring 15 points. They were down 39-33 going into the final quarter.
Shelton took the game over in the fourth quarter, going 7-9 from the field including Riley Bombeck going 5-5 with 10 points in the period At one point Shelton led 48-35 just a couple of minutes into the final quarter. MHC fought to get it back close but Shelton kept the Wolves at an arm's distance to secure the win.
Shelton had a big game from the three-point line, going 8-16, and overall they shot 50% from the field. They were led by senior Asthon Simmons with 17 points including five three-pointers and Bombeck had 16 points. Simmons had nine rebounds and Bombeck had nine assists.
Shelton finishes 26-1.
For MHC, Jerry Ingison led the way statistically with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Haydn Farr scored 16 points and had seven rebounds for the Wolves too. As a team, finding the bottom of the net was tough, shooting just 27.5 %. They were solid from the free throw line going 11-14.
Of course, Head Coach of the Wolves, Kolby Hamilton was proud of his team and the growth they showed all season. "They exceeded expectations. Maybe even my expectations. We lost three great seniors last year and to be able to have a season like this after last season's success was amazing."
MHC is losing four seniors from this team and Hamilton talked about what they meant to the program. "...From junior high on you know I've basically coached them for the last six years. And I appreciate all of the hard work they put in but I appreciate how good of kids they are and that's what I am going to miss the most. You know it's fun to win but it's fun to be around good kids and it was an amazing ride and I'll never forget this team. "
MHC appeared in their first-ever title game, capturing their first runner-up trophy and they end the season at 24-4.