Friday’s game
BOYS
Wilson High School 57, Claflin 52
WILSON (4-1)
Cole Zelenka 0 0-0 0, Kenny Steinle 7 0-0 17, Jake Stoppel 4 5-10 13, Trenton Ptacek 7 0-0 14, Jordan Bess 0 0-0 0, Cole Spears 3 7-10 11, Jacob Cox 1 0-1 2. Totals 21 12-21 57.
CLAFLIN (1-5)
Christian Heitschmidt 9 3-3 29, Aaron Maier 3 3-4 9, Benn Kirmer 3 2-5 8, Bryce Steiner 0 0-0 0, Tim Stueder 0 0-0 0, Matt Beran 0 0-0 0, Kevin Klug 3 0-0 6. Totals 18 8-12 52.
Wilson 13 15 12 17 — 57
Claflin 12 12 12 16 — 52
Three-point goals — Wilson 3 (Steinle 3); Claflin 8 (Heitschmidt 8).
CLAFLIN — Christian Heitschmidt hit eight 3-pointers and finished with 29 points, but the Claflin High School boys’ basketball team still couldn’t quite top Wilson on Friday, losing 57-52.
“It was a game that I knew we’d be close all the way,” Claflin head coach Tony Heitschmidt said. “I saw some tape on them. That 6-foot-5 (Jake) Stoppel, that’s been our trouble all year.
“Once you get into the kids in the 6-5, 6-6 range, that’s when we have trouble and we knew that was going to be a problem.”
Stoppel, who finished the game with 13 points, led the charge for the Dragons in the first quarter with nine of Wilson’s 13 points.
“(Wilson) had pretty balanced scoring with four players in double digits, so it just wasn’t one guy (that) hurt us terribly bad,” Tony Heitschmidt said. “They had four guys that really went and did a good job scoring the basketball.”
From Wilson’s point of view, there was just one guy that hurt them: Christian Heitschmidt.
“He’s come out really well this year,” Tony Heitschmidt said of his eldest son. “I didn’t know how good he would be. He missed all of football with a nerve problem in his shoulder and we didn’t even know if he was going to get to play.
“He’s been a happy surprise for me. I’m thrilled for him, but I know he still wants to win.”
Christian Heitschmidt had a 3 in each quarter, but it was in the fourth quarter, when the Wildcats were trying to close the gap with time running out, that his treys began to really fly.
Claflin was down 40-36 to start the fourth quarter.
Kenny Steinle, who finished with 17 points for Wilson, hit a 3 to open the quarter, but Heitschmidt answered immediately.
After Claflin got two points from Kevin Klug, who finished with six points, the Wildcats were within two points of tying the game.
It would be the closest Claflin would come. Despite Chirstian Heitschmidt’s 12 points in the fourth quarter, Claflin would not get ahead of Wilson, which hit 8 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter to stay in front.
“These kids compete,” Tony Heitschmidt said. “All the kids compete. We’re right there, and I know it’s frustrating for them. I know these kids are going to go out and give me an effort every night so we’ll be in most games. We just won’t lay down for anybody.”
Claflin will play its final game before the Christmas holiday break at Larned on Tuesday.
