Boys Basketball Goes Out Fighting In District Loss

In his final message to the team, head coach Kobe Wands thanked them for “laying the foundation” for Sullivan’s future success. He stated that “regardless of the wins and losses,” the "culture [they] instilled” will live on for years to come. 

The Eagles (4-23) finished their first season with Wands at the helm on Monday, Mar. 3. They fell 60-40 to St. James (13-15) in the Class 4 District 3 Quarterfinal. Sullivan squared off against the Tigers at Owensville High School. 

Despite their trials, Wands remains proud of his boys for overcoming adversity. Because of Sullivan’s hard work, the coach stated that the “concrete was poured.” He explained, “It was laid down, and the groundwork has been completed. And then you just have to continue to build on that each and every year… For [our] seniors, it’s hard because they won’t be able to get any of the glory of it. But deep down, they’ll know that they were a part of the process.”

Sullivan had five seniors who left it all on the court for one last time.

Cooper Donner and Chris Glaser each sank ten points in their final game.

Seth Valley finished his high school career with three free throws.

Seniors Robert York and Brayden White dominated the boards.

Sophomore Landen Doza led Sullivan with 15 points, while freshman Jared Toews drilled a layup.

After months of grinding, Wands praised the Eagles for improving in every area, especially their "competitive edge." He said, “At the beginning of this season, we did not feel like we could be competitive with many teams that we played with… And you know, in a dog-eat-dog world, you got to be competitive everywhere. On every drill, at every game, no matter what you do, you’re trying to beat the next person and to make sure that you are the top guy, the alpha, the head honcho.”

Sullivan had been through the wringer with tough losses but never lost their love for the game. The Eagles fought as a band of brothers, building a culture they and Wands hope to continue later down the road.

St. James - Game Recap

Doza tipped off the quarterfinal by burying a jumper. The Tigers then retaliated, clawing out ten unanswered points.

Doza came to the rescue again for Sullivan. He drove to the net and made a reverse layup while guarded by Valley’s pick.

Glaser swished a free throw and Donner drained a three to cap off the first quarter. Despite their efforts, Sullivan still had a large deficit to catch up from, as they were down 15-8.

St. James continued to dominate from the arc. Tigers guard Isaac Smith started the second period with a three, while forward Isaiah Cairer sank two back-to-back triples.

Doza kept Sullivan's fight alive with a shot from downtown and a floater from the paint.

Valley and Glaser each made a free throw to close out the first half. The Eagles entered the locker room, trailing St. James’ lead by half, at 30-15.

Sullivan returned to the court, ready to fight back and save their season. Doza ignited his team’s rally with a layup. Glaser added five points to the board and snagged steals while York attacked the glass. Toews then sank a basket that trimmed Sullivan’s deficit to eight.

St. James would ice the Eagles with a timeout, followed by a 6-0 run at the rim.

Sullivan broke their drought with thirteen seconds to go in the third quarter. Doza dropped a dime to Donner for the bucket that would put the Eagles back on track.

To start the fourth, Valley hauled in a defensive board, then bolted down the floor and dished out an assist to Donner. 

York continued his team’s momentum by picking off a St. James inbound pass, which led Glaser to firing a three-point dagger.

However, the Tigers still refused to back down, and the Eagles struggled to lock them out of the perimeter.

As Sullivan’s season was on the line, Valley sank two more free throws to give his team some life. Doza also tried to rally his squad back with a floater, while Donner dropped four more points. But the Eagles fell short in their comeback, and St. James advanced to the district semifinal.