Toppers win it with late free throws
By Mike Ramczyk
MADISON – Catholic Central senior forward Ben Heiligenthal beamed during a press conference immediately after his team’s 37-35 semifinal victory over Barneveld Friday morning.
When asked how he felt after the clock hit zeroes and the Toppers won their first state tournament game since 2006, the 6-foot-3 star, who led the Toppers with 11 points and seven rebounds, said he has been dreaming of this moment.
“Ever since I was a freshman, I’ve dreamed of playing for a state championship at the Kohl Center,” he said as head coach Kyle Scott and teammate Frank Koehnke sat to Heiligenthal’s left.
“It was a feeling of immediate joy.”
Catholic Central (19-9) advances to the WIAA Division 5 state championship game Saturday at 11 a.m. The Hilltoppers will face McDonell Central (26-2), which knocked off Green Bay NEW Lutheran, 70-51, in the game following the Toppers’ victory.
After closing the first half with an 11-0 run to gain a 17-10 halftime advantage, Catholic Central continued its comfortable cushion until late in the game.
With a little more than two minutes remaining, Barneveld (23-5) tied the game at 35-35 on a Mike Zouski layup.
Catholic Central committed three straight turnovers to allow an 8-4 run, which led to the first tie score since early in the first half.
With a minute left, Heiligenthal imposed his will to the bucket and almost completed the three-point play. His free throw gave the Toppers a 36-35 lead.
Barneveld missed a good look at a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 15 seconds on the clock, and the rebound ricocheted to Barneveld. The ball was worked around the perimeter to Drew Archie, who slashed to the hoop past two Catholic Central defenders, but his contested layup rimmed out.
Frankie Koehnke, who added 10 points and seven rebounds, secured the rebound and made one of two foul shots to extend the Topper lead to 37-35 with 9.1 seconds.
Barneveld pushed the ball the length of the court, and Will Clausen pump-faked Heiligenthal and seemed to have a clear path on the left baseline.
But Heiligenthal recovered, forced a difficult one-handed runner and the hurried attempt rimmed around and out.
Cole Pankau grabbed the rebound, and Catholic Central players leapt back to the bench victorious.
Clausen laid on the floor and needed a teammate’s hand to stand up.
Pankau finished with eight points, and Rueber totaled seven.
Catholic Central out-rebounded Barneveld, 24-17, and the Toppers made 46.9 percent from the field.
Matthew Myers, Barneveld’s leading scorer at 18.6 points per game, was held to zero points on 0-7 shooting. He committed three turnovers.
The Toppers’ defense had six steals and forced the Golden Eagles to shoot 41 percent. Catholic Central disrupted Barneveld passing lanes the entire game. The Golden Eagles scored more efficiently in the second half and outscored the Toppers 25-18, but it was too late.
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