Shilts’ buzzer-beater sinks rival Delavan
By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The Elkhorn Area High School boys basketball team took control when it mattered and beat Union Grove 62-59 Jan. 15 in a Southern Lakes Conference game at Union Grove.
Elkhorn also used a strong effort late to beat rival Delavan-Darien 64-63 Jan. 12 in a Southern Lakes Conference game at home.
The Elks (5-8, 2-5 SLC) play a SLC game Friday at Waterford (6-6, 4-3 SLC), and play a non-conference game Jan. 25 at Big Foot (5-6).
“We have played in so many close games that it is nice to start finding a way to win,’ Elks coach Josh Skatrud said. “The frustrating part, right now, is that even though we are 5-8 we could very easily be 8-5 or even better.”
Seven of the Elks’ eight losses this season are by 10 points or less. The Elks’ largest margin of defeat this season is a 47-35 loss Jan. 2 in a non-conference game at Stoughton.
“It feels like we are starting to put it together,” Skatrud said. “We are starting to establish an identity by being more efficient offensively and establishing the paint. We need to continue to improve defensively, but show flashes.”
Elkhorn outscored Union Grove 26-23 in first half. The teams played to a 36-36 tie in the second half.
According to The (Racine) Journal Times, Elkhorn outscored the Broncos 22-12 in the final five minutes of regulation. Union Grove led 47-40 with 5:45 left in the second half.
“It was a tight game throughout,” Skatrud said. “We got the ball inside and knocked down a couple of big 3’s down the stretch. Union Grove slows the game down, and we were able to get some stops late in the game.”
Dayne Fisher led the Elks with 17 points, one of three Elkhorn players in double figure. Ross Ingersoll scored 14 points and Alex Easterday added 10. Riley Hale led Union Grove (4-7, 1-5 SLC) with a game-high 19 points.
Ryan Shilts’ tip-in at the buzzer sealed the Elks’ victory against Delavan-Darien (7-5, 4-3 SLC).
“It was a really fun game against a rival,” Skatrud said. “We were behind for most of it. We used our size to dominate the paint in the second half.”
The Elks trailed 32-26 at halftime and outscored the Comets 38-31 in the second half. Skatrud said the Elks took the lead on a Riley Reed layup with less than a minute left in regulation.
“They hit a really tough shot with about ten seconds left to take the lead back and we called timeout,” Skatrud said. “Out of the time-out our play wasn’t there and we got up a shot. Shilts just out-hustled everyone to the boards.”
Ingersoll led Elkhorn with 17 points. Easterday scored 15 and Fisher added 11. Shilts scored five points.
Lucas Delara led the Comets with a game-high 27 points.
