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Rockford Lutheran locks in, shoots past Hampshire

ROCHELLE — Hampshire boys basketball coach Bob Barnett knew his team would have to play a nearly flawless game here Wednesday night in order to extend its season and his coaching career at least one more game.

And while the Whip-Purs played well enough to beat many teams, Rockford Lutheran's tournament-tested bunch isn't like many teams.

The Crusaders, who have advanced downstate two of the last three years, hit 14 3-pointers en route to a 66-54 win over Hampshire in the semifinals of the Class 3A Rochelle sectional.

No. 7 Lutheran (27-2) advances to Friday's championship game against Marengo while Hampshire ended its season 17-12.

The loss also ends the 31-year career of Barnett, who announced on Feb. 23 he was retiring from coaching after the season. He finishes 459-304, including 221-135 in his 13 years at Hampshire.

“It's been a great run,” he said. “Thirty-one years. It's been a lot of fun. I wouldn't change anything in the world. But now I'll have a lot more time with (his wife Marcy) and our grandkids.”

Barnett's team did about all it could to hang with Lutheran, which finished fourth in Class 3A last year, but the Crusaders came out on fire and never cooled down.

Shooting 3-pointers at will, the Crusaders were 14-for-27 from beyond the arc for the night, shooting even better from 3-point range than from 2-point, where they were just 6 of 21.

“Now I know how Kaneland felt the other night,” said Barnett, referring to his team's 30-point onslaught in the first quarter of the regional title game. “These guys were hot. They can shoot the ball. Give them all the credit in the world. We defended them but they knocked 'em down.”

Nevertheless, the Whips stayed in the game, trailing just 15-13 after one quarter and 31-26 at halftime. Sophomore Brennan Woods, who finished with 14 points, hit three of his four 3-pointers in the first half and senior Matt Bridges scored 7 of his 18 points as Hampshire battled back from a 29-18 deficit with 3:10 left in the second quarter.

Bridges' 18 points left him just 3 shy of 1,000 for his career.

“He's had a great three years,” said Barnett of Bridges. “Good kid. The whole team.”

Hampshire, playing in a sectional for the first time since 2005, stayed within striking distance through three quarters, trailing just 48-39 entering the fourth. But Lutheran started pulling away as senior Tim Koehler's 3-pointer with 4:58 left to play gave the Crusaders a 58-43 lead. The closest Hampshire could get the rest of the way was 11, 58-47, on a Woods basket with 4:13 left.

While Lutheran was lighting it up, Hampshire was 20-for-54 from the field. The Crusaders also had a mammoth 40-27 advantage on the boards and pulled down 14 offensive rebounds to Hampshire's 6.

“They shot real well,” said Bridges of Lutheran. “There's not much you could do. We knew we had to limit them inside and make them hit the outside shots — and they hit them.”

Senior Jake Tuttle added 11 points and 7 rebounds for Hampshire, while senior Joseph Kellen led Lutheran with 25 points including five 3-pointers. Senior Nate Wieting added 15 points and senior Ryan Dolan had 11 points and 8 rebounds for the Crusaders.

“I didn't think we played badly,” said Barnett, who suffered a more personal variety of loss on Monday with the death of his father. “But for us to win everything had to go right for us and wrong for them.

“It's tough for the seniors. My senior year we lost in the supersectional and it hurts. But it goes away and you look back on it with fond memories.”

Just as Barnett is sure to do as well.

The time is right for a classy exit from Barnett

Images: Hampshire vs. Rockford Lutheran, boys sectional basketball

  Hampshire's Brennen Woods attempts to shoot with Rockford Lutheran's Nate Wieting defending in the third quarter of Class 3A sectional semifinal play at Rochelle on Wednesday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  From left, Hampshire's Daniel Duchaj, Matt Llamas and Ajiri Oghale react as the finals seconds tick away in the fourth quarter of the Whip-Purs' loss to Rockford Lutheran in the Class 3A Rochelle sectional semifinals Wednesday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Rockford Lutheran's Joseph Kellen, left, fouls Hampshire's Matt Bridges in the fourth quarter of the Class 3A sectional semifinal Wednesday at Rochelle. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
  Rockford Lutheran's Nate Wieting, left, and Ryan Dolan sandwich in and block a shot by Hampshire's Matt Bridges in the third quarter of the Class 3A sectional at Rochelle Township High School Wednesday. Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com
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