KELLY SUFFERS TECHNICAL KO; HAWKS FALL IN 2A SECTIONAL

For those who didn't already know, Jim Hulshof proved how valuable he was to the Kelly Hawks Wednesday night.

The versatile 6-foot-3 guard regarded as one of the premier players in Southeast Missouri, fouled out of the game with 2 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the game.

From that point, Portageville outscored Kelly 11-3 and took a 67-57 Class 2A sectional win over the Hawks at Cape Central's Tiger Field House.

Portageville, the sixth-ranked team in the state, improved to 24-5, while Kelly finished its season at 19-9.

Ironically, the easy-going Hulshof ended his high school career on a technical foul, slapping the ball away from a Portageville player as he was trying to inbound the ball.

Hulshof had just scored a layup to give him a game-high 23 points.

"I was just trying to hustle and get the ball," Hulshof said. "I knew about the rule; I just didn't think about it at the time."

He added, "It was a questionable call, but they made it and I couldn't do anything about it. That's a tough way to go out of your senior year."

After Hulshof's exit, Kelly imploded.

The Hawks were obviously rattled without their floor leader and without their starting point guard Jamie Essner who also fouled out. Kelly heaved and missed four 3-pointers, made just one of its six shots overall and turned the ball over twice in the final 2:33.

"That was the hardest time I've probably ever had sitting on the bench," Hulshof said. "I knew those guys were out there giving all they had and they needed me. I know I didn't let them down, but it felt like I did. I was totally helpless. It was the worst feeling ever."

Said Kelly coach Kent Mangels: "He does so much for us. He's our heart and soul out there. It's just tough to watch him come to the sideline."

Portageville's highly touted point guard Quinton Sykes, meanwhile, was still in the game and wreaking havoc against Kelly's suddenly timid offense.

William Durden scored a team-high 16 points for the Bulldogs. Kelly's Jason Glastetter scored 13 points, followed by Russ Mothershead with 12.

Sykes converted two steals into easy baskets and scored six points in the final 1:40. Twelve of Sykes' 15 points came in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs outscored Kelly 30-17 in the final eight minutes.

Aside from the last 2:33, the game was tight.

Portageville led 16-12 after the first quarter, but Kelly took a 30-28 lead into halftime after Hulshof gathered his own offensive rebound and swished a 15-footer at the buzzer.

Kelly maintained its lead throughout the third quarter and led 40-37 -- its biggest advantage of the game -- going into the fourth.

Portageville quickly regained the lead in the fourth when Sykes scored to make the score 42-40. The Bulldogs opened up the fourth quarter with a 10-1 run and gathered a six-point lead, 47-41, with 6:06 left.

After another Sykes basket made the score 49-43, the momentum swung back in Kelly's favor.

Hulshof and Mothershead collectively outscored Portageville 11-7 leading up to Hulshof's fifth foul.

"(The official) explained the call to me," Mangels said of Hulshof's fifth foul. "It's tough. He was just making an aggressive play. These kids are under so much pressure and so much scrutiny. He made a mistake.

"We're going to miss these seniors. When your kids come out and put this kind of effort on the floor, you can't ask for anything else. We had an incredible season. We came through so much adversity. These seniors put Kelly on the map."

Portageville coach Jim Bidewell was breathing a sigh of relief that his team survived Kelly to advance to the state quarterfinal.

"It was an ugly win but we'll definitely take it," Bidewell said. "Kelly came out and made us play their type of ballgame."

Bidewell said he was in "ecstasy" when Hulshof fouled out, but at the same time, "as a coach you hate that because he's such a good kid and Mangels does such a good job with him. If he doesn't foul out -- and I'm not being pessimistic -- and if their little point guard doesn't foul out, I don't think we would've found a way to win."

The Bulldogs will take on Lutheran North at Park Hills on Saturday. Lutheran North defeated Bismarck 63-57 Wednesday night.