Photo by Jeni Yantis
The Okaw Valley boys’ basketball team celebrated its seniors (pictured) last Friday evening with a win over Cerro Gordo-Bement. From left to right: Devon Still, TJ Pieszchalski, Peyton Hagerman, Greg Walker, Joe Jeffers, Justin Vander Burgh, and Logan Tipsword.

February 25, 2015

Despite Lovekamp’s 35 points, T-Wolves prevail

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

Nathan Lovekamp and the rest of the Cerro Gordo-Bement Broncos may have tried containing OV’s Peyton Hagerman Friday evening, but they couldn’t control the nine other Timberwolves who put points on the board en route to Okaw Valley’s 76-70 senior night win.
“I thought everybody contributed,” said head coach Tony Sparks. “We were able to get to the rim and to the free throw line in the second half.”
The Broncos emerged from tip-off in a box-and-1 zone with Frankie Foran face-guarding Hagerman, which in turn helped in holding the typically fervent point guard to just four opening period points.
But in his place there was always someone else, whether it be Greg Walker fighting for a rebound and put-back, Dylan Park striking from the arc, or Justin Johnson coming off the bench scoring back-to-back baskets.
“Coach Bacon threw everything but the kitchen sink at us tonight,” said Sparks. “They definitely gave us a lot of different looks. Started out with a box and one on Peyton, which kind of neutralized him, but Dylan hit some shots in the first quarter. We did a good job of switching it up, and when you have good guards like we do in Dylan and Peyton, you should be able to recognize that stuff, and we did.”
The Broncos, meanwhile, relied heavily on their senior star guard Lovekamp, who still finished the evening with 35 points.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.

“He’s a stud; that’s all there is to it,” said the OV head coach. “We had guys with hands in his face, and he’s still pulling up, going to the basket. We told them towards the end of the game, when he got the ball, just send everybody at him because he’s not giving it up, and he shouldn’t; he’s that good of a scorer. Last time we held him 18, 19 points, but they had a couple other guys step up and score. We were kind of able to keep the other guys in check tonight. I won’t miss coaching against him.”

Photo by Keith Stewart
Peyton Hagerman drives to the basket Friday evening.

After three lead changes in the first, Walker made each of his free-throws to put OV up 9-8 with 2:02. OV then went on a 7-3 run, but with less than two seconds left on the clock, the Broncos’ Foran launched a 3-pointer just past the half that banked in at the buzzer to pull his team within two at 16-14.
The Timberwolves managed to stay out ahead of CGB the entire second, though the Broncos would pull within one two separate occasions but remained behind by two at the half.
But in the third the Broncos’ began with a 5-0 run to take a 34-31 lead after Curtis Shay’s dribble-drive and-one.
Momentum seemed to be swaying to CGB when Walker neutralized the effect following his monstrous put-back and an and-one to tie it with 6:10 left in third. On the return trip back downcourt, Walker was found open weak side for the easy bucket in to give OV the lead, but Lovekamp would respond with a tip-in.
The Broncos would soon after take another short-lived lead after Lovekamp’s bucket and-one to take a 41-40 lead with 3:39 left.
OV replied again, this time with Walker finding Johnson open low to retake the lead. Johnson then scored a baseline jumper before Lovekamp’s two free throws pulled CGB within one yet again. But sophomore Bradford Pierce then found Johnson open low on a bounce pass in for the easy score.
“I thought Greg Walker had a monster game,” said Sparks. “He was getting layups off the dribble drive, just putting himself in good positions; knocked down some free throws. He really kind of helped us earlier in that game when some other guys weren’t scoring to keep those small leads.”

Photo by Keith Stewart
Nathan Lovekamp tries to get between Okaw Valley's Alex Martin (no. 10) and TJ Pieszchalski.

The Broncos’ final lead came with 20.5 left on the clock, but the Timberwolves were relentless in their replies, this time from Devon Still to take a 50-49 lead into the final period.
The Timberwolves then surged in the final period, beginning by outscoring CGB 13-4. Included in the frenzy was Hagerman’s first 3-point attempt, which he drained, spurring a Bronco timeout and a little outward pouring of emotion from the senior point guard, who walked to his feverish bench, pretending to rip his shirt off.
“I had a guy in my face 100 percent of the game so the first moment I had some breathing room I hit my first 3-attempt of the night, so it was kind of like getting out of jail; I felt free,” said Hagerman.
After his three, Park then knocked another down to put the Timberwolves up by 10, their largest lead of the night.
And best as Lovekamp tried, all 11 fourth quarter points and all, he couldn’t get the job done alone as OV finished the game from the line, shooting 11-of-17 to win.
With the win, the Timberwolves finished the regular season 10-14 overall, 3-3 in the LOVC and celebrate their seven seniors in preferred fashion.
“They’re good leaders. Even the couple that don’t play as much as some of the others, they lead by keeping positive attitudes,” said Sparks. “Justin Vander Burgh, Logan Tipsword–kids who don’t play as much and are seniors can become a cancer to your team, but they are great leaders. They come every day, do what we ask of them in practice. They play hard. They take advantage of the opportunities they do get in the games. I love all those guys. I’ve coached most of them since they were in sixth grade so I’ve been around them for a long time, and they’re a special group, and they mean a lot to me.”

Photo by Keith Stewart
OV's Greg Walker boxes out against Nathan Lovekamp Friday.

“You love the game. Being a senior, it’s got its own little string to it, but having success through the years with these guys has been great,” said Vander Burgh.
“Bittersweet, because we’ve put in all this work, so getting to show it off is nice, but then it’s also coming to an end,” said Joe Jeffers, “but we’ve left it all there, so when you give it your all you don’t have any regrets. I’m just happy to have played with my friends.”
“I just thought about all the hard work I’ve put in. I gave up a sport. I gave up a lot of things just to get better at this, so just to see it wind down and thinking about getting to represent my community one last time with my best friends, it’s just really emotional for me,” added Hagerman.
“No doubt at tip off it felt like any other game,” said Still. “Then after about three quarters of the game you analyze and realize that this is the last time I’ll see my family in the stands, that’s the last time I’m on this floor playing with my friends. That’s tough to handle. But we still have regionals left, and we’re looking to play a lot more games.”
The Timberwolves now prepare for the Moweaqua regional where atop sits Decatur LSA, whom OV beat recently 73-63. At the no. 2 seed is the host who early in the year beat OV by four. The Timberwolves then emerge as the no. 3 seed.
“We’re looking ahead to the regional,” said Sparks. “We’re in a very winnable regional. Our guys, even though it’s been up and down, they haven’t let the losses bring down their attitudes or their work ethic. They’ve stayed positive. And a lot of that is because we’ve been looking at this regional all year knowing that we can put a good two or three games together and do some damage.”
OV plays the no. 6 seed Windsor Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. A win will send them on to play the winner of Central A&M and Decatur Christian Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Yet another win will punch them a ticket to the championship Friday at 7 p.m.
Stats: A. Martin 1-0-2; P. Bradford 0-1-1; D. Park 3-1-9; D. Fruchtl 1-4-6; G. Walker 5-5-15; P. Hagerman 4-6-15; D. Still 5-1-11; T.J. Pieschalski 1-1-3; J. Jeffers 2-4-8; J. Johnson 3-0-6.