Norwalk gets another shot at redemption

NORWALK — It's a trip that has always been close to Steve Gray's heart. The Sunday afternoon following a victory in the OHSAA sectional tournament means a lot to the Norwalk boys basketball coach, who earned career win No. 450 last week. "When you get to the district, it's like being in the NCAA tournament," Gray said. "Not as many teams get to do it, obviously. On a Sunday afternoon, driving to the district site to pick up tickets and everything else — it's a special opportunity for the kids and the community to enjoy a championship." The No. 4-seeded Truckers (17-7) will face former Northern Ohio League rival and No. 3 Shelby (18-5) in a Division II district semifinal at 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Mansfield Madison Middle School. The first game at 6:15 p.m. features No. 1 Upper Sandusky (22-1) against No. 5 Ontario (17-6). The winners will return at 2 p.m. Saturday in the district championship game — which the Truckers won last season by beating Ontario (three overtimes) and Vermilion. "This is my third most-favorite trip of the whole tournament," Gray said. "The second is if somehow … somehow, if we can win this four-team tournament." That will have to start with a win over the Whippets in a rematch of an excruciating last-second regular season loss — one of three the Truckers have taken this season. In the second game of the season on Dec. 10, Norwalk took a 55-48 lead with 1:15 left at Shelby in a weeknight non-league game. But a flurry of turnovers and rushed shots capped a 24-turnover game, as the Whippets' Cody Lantz scored with 1.6 seconds left to put Shelby up 57-55. The Truckers then got a deep pass to around the free-throw line that Garrett Chapin caught. He turned around and was able to get a shot off as time expired, but the ball rolled off the rim for a miss. But that game was not quite four months ago. Neither team is the same. "The only thing we take from that game is the kids know who they are playing," Gray said. "They know how big and athletic Shelby is, and what they are capable of doing. "In terms of X's and O's we don't really take much away from it — because I think we're a much different team now," he added. "We've been a better team over the last 10 games (9-1 record with a double-overtime loss). Our point guard play with Will (Gehlhausen) has improved dramatically and Garrett Obringer has taken his game to a whole new level. We've improved so much." Wednesday's game is Norwalk's second straight chance at turning around one of those last-minute losses. The Truckers let a late fourth quarter lead slip away in a 54-50 overtime loss vs. Huron on Jan. 18 at home. Last Friday in the sectional championship game at Willard, the Truckers trailed the Tigers (16-5) by a 46-43 score with under 2:20 left. But they closed the game with six straight points for a 49-46 win, which included Chapin making 3 of 4 free throws with 1:34 remaining and 11.7 seconds left. "I had the confidence to step to the line there," Chapin said. "I felt comfortable. It's something we practice. The scoreboard is 55-53, and the other team is up. We have to find a way to come back in practice." Gray elaborated on the time and score scenarios the Truckers work on. "It can be any score, but we put two minutes on the clock usually," he said. "We'll change it with timeouts and free throws and everything else. The goal is to get them as many reps as possible to prove to themselves they can come back from a 3-to-5 point deficit — or put the game away when they have that type of lead." Gray said the session is usually done with past players who come in and offer a different look. "The more repetition they get, the better they are," he said. "It's really a great drill that has benefited us over the years. (League Elementary principal) Adam Kreischer is in charge of getting some of the alumni guys and does a great job of organizing them. The alumni enjoy it, and so do the kids." The Whippets started the season with a 13-1 record, but went 4-4 over the final eight games of the regular season in February. Shelby scored at a high rate in an 87-67 win over Clear Fork in last week's sectional title game. Shelby is led by the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference Player of the Year TJ Pugh, a 6-foot-6 junior who averages 22 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. The 6-3 Lantz adds 14.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. "Besides those two, they have some really athletic kids that more than anything go after and really trap the heck out of you," Gray said. "They are physical with the ball, are athletic and anticipate very well. For us to be successful, we have to handle it. "I know we're good enough, it's a confidence thing and what my players expectations are for themselves," he added. "We've been preparing for this game for a long time and the style of play. I think we're ready." Obringer averages 14.8 points and 5.2 rebounds for the Truckers, while Chapin averages 14.6 points and nine rebounds for a 1-2 punch of 30 points and 14 rebounds per contest. Gehlhausen adds 8.8 points and 3.7 assists. "I think there are two keys," Gray said. "Our ability to take care of the ball is one. For us to be successful, Will has to have a great game and rely on his teammates to help him. "The second key is Norwalk," he added. "It's our expectations and confidence to attack their pressure. And if we make them pay, eventually they'll get out of it." Norwalk is 4-2 against the Whippets all-time in tournament games, including a 3-1 mark in the district semifinal round. ------------------------------------------------------------ Norwalk district tournament history (since 1960) 14-19 with four championships Class AA At Sandusky High School March 11, 1960: Norwalk 68, Genoa 50 March 12, 1960: Eastwood 58, Norwalk 53 At Marion Coliseum March 10, 1961: Norwalk 63, Marion Harding 55 March 11, 1961: Sandusky 55, Norwalk 41 At Marion Coliseum March 9, 1962: Mans. St. Peter's 71, Norwalk 50 At Bowling Green State University March 5, 1965: Maumee 44, Norwalk 43 Class AA at Galion High School March 11, 1971: Bucyrus Wynford 50, Norwalk 42 Class AA at Ashland College March 10, 1972: Lexington 52, Norwalk 30 Class AA at Ashland College March 7, 1974: Norwalk 64, Shelby 55 March 9, 1974: Norwalk 54, Lexington 52 At Ashland College March 9, 1977: Lexington 38, Norwalk 37 At Lexington High School March 12, 1981: Willard 77, Norwalk 25 At Ashland College March 10, 1983: Willard 57, Norwalk 41 Division II At Ashland College Feb. 28, 1989: Norwalk 56, Bowling Green 51 March 3, 1989: Lexington 60, Norwalk 40 At Ashland University March 6, 1991: Lexington 71, Norwalk 54 At Ashland University March 9, 1995: Norwalk 69, Kenton 54 March 11, 1995: Clyde 63, Norwalk 61 At Ashland University March 9, 2000: Norwalk 46, Shelby 44 March 11, 2000: Willard 61, Norwalk 30 At Ontario High School March 6, 2002: Willard 59, Norwalk 54 At Ashland University March 10, 2004: Shelby 73, Norwalk 53 At Ashland University March 2, 2005: Norwalk 73, Willard 68 March 5, 2005: Upper Sandusky 98, Norwalk 63 At Ashland University March 8, 2006: Upper Sandusky 73, Norwalk 60 At Ashland University Feb. 27, 2008: Lexington 62, Norwalk 49 Division I at Willard and Bowling Green March 8, 2012: Norwalk 78, Mansfield Senior 66 March 10, 2012: Norwalk 52, Anthony Wayne 38 at Galion High School March 7, 2013: Mansfield Senior 44, Norwalk 42 Division II At Mansfield Senior High School March 5, 2014: Norwalk 74, Clyde 45 March 8, 2014: Norwalk 55, Perkins 44 At Mansfield Madison March 6, 2019: Norwalk 52, Ontario 48, 3OT March 9, 2019: Norwalk 46, Vermilion 39 At Mansfield Madison March 4, 2020: Norwalk (17-7) vs. Shelby (18-5)