The Kewaunee Storm boys' basketball season has ended after a heartbreaking loss to the Oconto Blue Devils on Friday evening, falling 65-64 on 104.1 WRLU.
Kewaunee won the opening tip and scored in the first three seconds on a pair of Thomas Stangel free throws. From there, though, Oconto went on a 12-0 run until a Braxton Riha layup at 13:54 in the first half. The Storm would answer back with a run of its own, going on a 9-0 run to bring Kewaunee back within 2 points. After the opening half of play, Oconto went into the locker room with a 37-30.
The second half was as action-packed as the first, as Oconto and Kewaunee traded runs back and forth. Oconto’s Carter Koch and Kewaunee’s Braxton Riha were forced to sit most of the second half due to foul trouble, each having four early in the second half. Riha returned to the game with 10 minutes remaining and gave the Storm a boost, cutting the game to a 2-point Blue Devils lead. Koch re-entered with just under 7 minutes left and led Oconto to emerge with a 10-point lead, 62-52, with 5:08 left in regulation. Koch would foul out in under 4 minutes, opening the door for one last Kewaunee comeback attempt. Oconto missed several bonus free throw attempts as Kewaunee was able to capitalize, pulling within 2 points at 65-63 in the final seconds. Another Blue Devils miss allowed the Storm one final chance. Braxton Riha was fouled with 0.6 seconds left in regulation and went to the free throw line with an opportunity to tie the game. Riha made the first but missed the second, and the final horn would sound as Kewaunee scrambled to the ball for a final attempt.
Kewaunee was led by Thomas Stangel’s 24 points and Connor Kilgore’s 15-point efforts in the defeat. Carter Koch led the way for the victorious Blue Devils with 19 points. Oconto moves on to the WIAA Division 4 Regional Finals, hosting Weyauwega-Fremont on Saturday night.
Kewaunee’s season comes to an end with a 17-8 record. Thomas Stangel, Braxton Riha, Christopher Cullen, and Collin Spranger are graduating this spring.
