Potthoff scores 15, Hines hits crucial FTs as Winamac beats NM

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

WALTON — Sophomore Justin Potthoff has advanced from the bench to the starting lineup to starring in a sectional victory for the Winamac boys basketball team.

Potthoff scored a team-high 15 points to lead four players in double figures, and Winamac rallied from a 10-point second-quarter deficit to beat North Miami 55-50 in a Class 2A, Sectional 36 quarterfinal at Lewis Cass Tuesday.

Jayse Bentle added 13 points, Brendan Hines had 11, and John Malchow had 10 for Winamac, who improved to 12-12 and earned a matchup with Lewis Cass in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Hines’ playing time was limited due to foul trouble in the first half, but he hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 7:00 left in the third quarter to trigger a 10-0 run and give Winamac a 28-27 lead they would never relinquish.

Hines also hit all four of his free throws in the final 56.9 seconds after North Miami had gotten within four.

The loss spoiled Jake Riley’s monster game for North Miami: He scored 12 of his game-high 29 points in the fourth quarter. Riley, who stands 5-11, also hauled down 13 rebounds.

Drew Wright hit three 3-pointers and added 11 points.

North Miami (3-20) lost to Winamac in the sectional for the second straight year, and they have not won a sectional game since winning their last sectional title in 2011. North Miami had no senior starters.

The game was tied at 25 at halftime.

Riley scored on a post layup to give North Miami the lead, but Winamac went on a 10-0 run to take a 35-27 lead.

Potthoff followed Hines’ trey with a finger roll putback. Malchow hit a 3, and Potthoff scored in transition.

North Miami committed only four turnovers in the first half, but they had more turnovers (nine) than points (eight) in the third quarter.

Still, Lake Musall and Wright hit 3s as North Miami inched within 39-33 after three quarters.

A pullup banker from Will Malchow and nifty footwork from Potthoff helped him convert a spin move in the lane as the lead reached 44-36.

Riley hit a long jumper with his foot on the 3-point line, but John Malchow scored on a putback to get the lead back to eight.

A Musall 3-pointer that hit the front of the rim, kissed the backboard and dropped in helped North Miami stay within 52-48, but Hines answered with free throws.

Already leading 12-11, North Miami went on a 9-0 run covering the first and second quarters. The run started with a Wright 3-pointer and then Riley scored three quick buckets in the first 90 seconds of the second quarter, scoring in the post and then a 15-footer from the left elbow and a right baseline pullup to make it 21-11.

Bentle then carried Winamac to the half, driving to the hole for a 3-point play and later triggering a half-closing 7-0 run with a trey from the top of the key to make it 25-21. Pullup jumpers from Will Malchow and Potthoff tied it.

Winamac 55, North Miami 50

NORTH MIAMI (50) (3-20)

Lake Musall 2 0-0 6, Jake Riley 12 3-7 29, Ryan Meredith 0 0-2 0, Ray Pickett 2 0-0 4, Drew Wright 4 0-0 11, Kale Deardorff 0 0-0 0, Bryce Gosnell 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 20 3-9 50

WINAMAC (55) (12-12)

Brendan Hines 3 4-4 11, Justin Potthoff 7 0-2 15, Jayse Bentle 3 5-7 13, Will Malchow 3 0-0 6, John Malchow 4 1-2 10, Jaybin Hines 0 0-0 0, Ethan Burgess 0 0-0 0, Ayden Jimenez 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 20 10-15 55

Three-point field goals:

North Miami 7 (Wright 3, Riley 2, Musall 2),

Winamac 5 (Bentle 2, Potthoff, J. Malchow, B. Hines)

Total fouls: North Miami 10, Winamac 13

Turnovers: North Miami 15, Winamac 5

Score by quarters

North Miami 15 10 8 17 – 50