HAYWARD — In an ending that could not have been scripted any better, the Spooner Rails boys basketball team dramatically won their fourth game in a row, beating longtime rivals from Hayward at the buzzer, 54-52.
As time expired, Spooner’s Caden Wiberg grabbed the ball and sunk a basket for the win.
The exciting Heart O’ North Conference win improves Spooner to 4-11, lifting them out of the HON basement. Overall, the Rails are now 5-14.
It was easy to see that the Spooner boys and their crowd were fired up as the game began. The two teams battled toe-to-toe, but every time the Rails would threaten to grab the lead, the Hurricanes would manage to pull ahead a bit, holding them off. By the end of the half, Hayward held a 31-28 edge.
In the second half, though, the Rails picked up steam, outscoring Hayward 26-21 to gain the narrow 2-point win.
“I was so proud and happy for our players, especially our seniors,” said coach Josh Fizel. “To get a hard-fought win on the road against a quality opponent means a lot. Each senior had a positive contribution to the win. Sports are a lot about belief and our players had an unwavering belief that they would find a way to win.
“The ending was unlike any I have seen. Credit to our players for making winning plays late in the game when the situations called for them. They did not get rattled. Our players never quit and played hard until the final buzzer and I believe that attitude is what contributed to us finding a way to win.”
The victory has lifted the surging Rails above both St. Croix Falls and Barron in the HON Conference standings. HON standings currently …
HON Conference
Cameron 14-1 (19-2, overall)
Northwestern 12-2, 14-6
Ladysmith 11-3, 15-5
Cumberland 9-6, 12-8
Chetek-Weyer. 7-8. 9-11
Ashland 6-9, 6-13
Hayward 4-11, 4-17
Spooner 4-11, 5-14
Barron 4-11, 5-16
St. Croix Falls 3-12, 4-16
“We didn’t defend particularly well in the first half and we talked about it at halftime,” said Coach Fizel. “Our players responded to the challenge and really limited Hayward’s opportunities and good looks in the second half. We were able to keep their best player from scoring the last 18 minutes. It was a great team effort.
“On offense we were able to be consistent enough to stay in the game. We responded with baskets every time we needed one, especially in the second half. Once again, I thought we got important contributions offensively from many.”
Wiberg, including the winning basket as time expired, led the team with 12 points and 7 rebounds. Maverick Swanson had 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 steals. Evan Potaczek had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. Jaxson Fizel scored 9 points, and had 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
Spooner played at Barron on Tuesday, Feb. 13. On Friday, Feb. 16, Spooner will host the conference-leading Cameron Comets at 7 p.m. On Monday, Feb. 19, Spooner plays a non-conference game at Amery. The Rails will close out the regular season back home as they host Chetek-Weyerhaeuser on Thursday, Feb. 22.
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