The free-throw numbers that almost cost the fifth-seeded Braves (16-7) were this: 14 of 26 for the game, 8 of 17 in the fourth quarter and 4 of 10 in the final 42 seconds. Fortunately for the Braves they entered the final two minutes with a 44-38 lead.
“We put ourselves in the position to be able to weather missing some of those free throws,” McGuire said. “A lot of times you miss free throws, especially in a district semifinal game, you lose the game. So we’re fortunate that we were able to build ourselves a big enough lead.”
The Braves play in a district final for the second straight year Saturday against Cincinnati Mariemont at the University of Cincinnati. Mariemont, a No. 6 seed, knocked off No. 3 Cincinnati Summit Country Day 42-40 on Friday.
Last year’s Shawnee team reached the regional final and lost some key players. This year McGuire had some key players back like Zion Crowe, Patrick Fultz and R.J. Griffin. Fultz led the Braves with 17 points, Crowe scored 14 and Griffin 12.
“We envisioned that we could be good and we could be back in this situation,” McGuire said. “But when you start the year, envisioning it and actually doing it are two way different things. We played a tough schedule, hoping to prepare us for games like this and teams like this. And these guys have gotten better as the year’s went on.”
The Braves led 36-28 in the third quarter on consecutive baskets by Fultz and Crowe, but McKane Finkenbine led 10th-seeded Anna (9-15) back to trail 36-35 entering the fourth. Fultz opened the fourth with a basket and a 3-pointer for a 41-35 lead, setting the stage for the final six minutes of hanging on.
Finkenbine scored 18 and set up others for baskets, including Zach Ambos who scored 11. Finkenbine made a couple of deep 3-pointers, but his last attempt to tie fell short. An Anna player grabbed the missed shot and laid in the final points with a second left.
“He’s a special player,” McGuire said of Finkenbine. “He passes it probably better than any player that I’ve coached against.”
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