Free throws came up huge for the Skyline High School boys basketball team Friday night against South Barber, as the T-birds snapped a three-game losing streak with a 68-61 win.
Skyline coach Justin Miltner was very pleased with his team, which shook off a heartbreaking 63-61 overtime loss at Haviland Tuesday. In that game, a pair of missed free throws by Will Wade cost the T-birds a win in regulation.
But Friday night, every Skyline player on the court in the fourth quarter was hitting their freebies — a team total of 15-for-18 in the final eight minutes.
“Free throws made the difference at the end of this one,” Miltner said.” In my two years here, this is the best game we’ve played so far.”
“We played together, we played hard,” Miltner said. “It was the first time I’ve finally got that effort out of them. We’ve been creeping there this year. I’m extremely proud of them.”
Skyline led most of the way, never trailing after South Barber’s Luke Yearout tied the game at 17 with 6:49 left in the first half.
Trent Befort scored back-to-back baskets to give his team the lead for good. He went on to finish with 16 points, six rebounds, two steals and three assists.
Junior teammate Brian Moore ended up with 21 points, shooting six-for-ten from the floor and nine-for-ten from the free throw line.
Wade chipped in with 14 points, eight rebounds, five steals and two assists.
“He always plays hard,” Miltner said of the senior. “He’s been struggling to get going offensively, but his effort paid off tonight.”
The T-birds also got eight points, five rebounds and two assists out of senior point guard Cameron Reece, and classmate Frank Petrowsky added seven points and two assists.
“Everybody played hard. Cameron played a heck of a game. He kept their guards in check and gave some perimeter pressure,”Miltner said. “Other teams are going to start keying on Brian. That’s the scouting report. We were able to create beyond that.”
It was a good thing the free throws were falling, since South Barber’s Bryant Diel got hot in the fourth quarter and hit four threes, just enough to keep the Chieftains within striking distance.
“That made me nervous, but we were making free throws,” Miltner said. “It’s been an emphasis after our last loss. I’m glad to see it pay off.”
Skyline lost a two-quarter JV game, 16-10. Details of that game appear on the Tribune web site, www.pratttribune.com.
The T-birds will travel to Pretty Prairie tomorrow for a non-league contest.
“We go from one tough team to another one that’s a little bit tougher,” Miltner said. “They handled us pretty well last time, but I think we’re a little better prepared this time. We’ve got to take care of the ball. They’re active and athletic.”
Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. in Pretty Prairie.
Skyline 68, South Barber 61
SBHS: Bryant Diel 3 (4) 2-3 20, Luke Yearout 5 3-4 13, Steven Gerber 3 (1) 0-1 9, Dylon Molz 4 0-0 8, Christian Johnston (2) 0-0 6, Nick Morris 1 (1) 0-0 5, Chasen Quick 0 0-0 0, Blake Wagenbuch 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 16 (8) 5-8 61.
SHS: Brian Moore 6 9-10 21, Trent Befort 4 (1) 5-7 16, Will Wade 5 4-5 14, Cameron Reece 2 4-4 8, Frank Petrowsky 1 (1) 2-4 7, Tristen Hirt 0 1-2 1, Jeff Rondeau 0 1-4 1, Jed Brenner 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 18 (2) 26-36 68.
SB 13 13 11 24 — 61
S 17 15 13 23 — 68
