Posted/Modified on Sunday, January 22, 2006 7:49 PM

Wheaton Academy entered the final game of the Superman Classic with plans of a victory, but the athletically and skilled team from Paducah thought otherwise. Tilghman had two talented big men, but surprisingly scoring was evenly distributed among the guards and big men. The first quarter certainly looked like this would be a one-sided game, as Paducah Tilghman took a 17-2 lead over the Warriors. WA simply could not shoot in the first period in addition to the allowance of drives to the basket for Paducah.

The Warriors stepped up their play in the second quarter and for the rest of the game. Back-to-back three pointers from Benjamin Euler (19 points, 4 rebounds) and Jeremy Parker (17 points) led into two free throws by Nate Williams (4 points) to tie the score 36-36 with 1:35 left in the third quarter. John Tillery (9 points, 6 assists) and Jason VanderVeen (3 points, 4 assists) both contributed in the comeback as well.

The game stayed close for the remaining five minutes of the fourth quarter. Wheaton Academy had many opportunites to take the lead off of free throws, but a team 11 for 18 effort from the line was not enough for the win. WA eventually had one last chance for the tie or the win. They had the ball with the throw in from their own baseline with 6 seconds left on the clock. Benjamin Euler got the ball and drove to have his shot blocked and deflected out to Jeremy Parker who had a look at a final potential game-winning three which did not go in.

The loss is especially disappointing when Wheaton Academy could have come out on top if they would have made their free throws and boxed out, stopping the second-chance points that Paducah scored. WA shot a season-low 29.3% from the field (16/54), in addition to making only 11 of 18 free throw attempts (61.1%). Made free throws would have won the game for Wheaton Academy. The team traveled home after the game, and will face St. Francis at home next Tuesday night.

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