Ressel's late jumper sends Oran boys to Class 2 final four

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- Seth Ressel's first thought when he released the ball was that his shot looked too good to actually be good.

"I just couldn't believe it," the Oran junior said. "It felt good. It just looked too perfect. It was just amazing."

It turned out the shot was just perfect enough to send the Oran boys basketball team to the final four for the first time since 1969.

Ressel received an inbounds pass with 19 seconds left in Saturday's Class 2 quarterfinal at the Farmington Civic Center.

"We originally had a play for a screen for me, and that didn't work out at all, so I kicked it out to Kody [Moore]," Ressel said. "I slid back in Kody's spot and Kody dribbled up, and he kicked it out to me. I took one dribble, stepped in and then it went in."

The basket gave Oran a 63-61 lead over Winona with 2.3 seconds remaining.

"I don't remember," Oran coach Joe Shoemaker said of his thoughts while watching the shot hang in the air. "I just remember when he shot it, and when it went in. Then you start thinking about how much time is left on the clock and what kind of defense to play."

Winona's desperation heave from beyond half court failed to catch the backboard or rim, and the Eagles were able to start celebrating a trip to the final four in a different sport than usual.

"There's no better feeling," Moore said. "It might even be a little bit sweeter than baseball because, I mean, I've already been twice for baseball, but I think coach just said it's been 44 years since Oran's done it in basketball, so it's really special."

The school has been to 11 final fours in baseball, including the last two seasons.

Oran’s Seth Ressel drives to the basket against Winona’s Jeff Smith during the first quarter of their Class 2 quarterfinal game Saturday in Farmington, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

"Those were great experiences, but it's different with basketball because you've got the whole crowd, and it's not just you out there," said senior Alex Heuring, who catches for the baseball team. "The whole crowd gets into the game. It's like it's more than just you. It seems so much bigger. It's awesome."

Oran (27-3) will face Salisbury (28-1) in a state semifinal at 6:40 p.m. Thursday at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo.

Ressel, who scored 14 points in the game, helped the Eagles establish an early lead with his defense. He scored six of Oran's eight points during an early run that gave the Eagles an 11-5 lead, four of which came as a result of his own steals.

"I think it kind of made them realize that, 'Hey, we're here to play,'" Heuring said. "It really got us out to a good start and it got the momentum on our side. It was really a confidence builder."

Winona grabbed 3-0 lead, but did not hold another lead until 1:23 remained in the third quarter, and Oran led by as many as 10 points early in the second half.

But the Wildcats closed the gap with the help of a 7-0 run in the third quarter and by frequently changing defenses.

"It caused us some trouble," Moore said. "We had to figure out what offense we were running and everything else because obviously your zone offense is not going to work against man and vice versa. That was their plan, switching up defenses like that, and it worked. It confused us. I guess we stayed composed enough to know what to do."

Oran managed to take 47-44 lead into the fourth quarter after making just four of its 16 shots in the third.

Winona took it's biggest lead of the game at 53-49 with 6:04 left in the fourth quarter when Jeff Smith made a basket after the Wildcats forced a turnover with a trap.

Oran’s Alex Heuring throws his hands in the air as time runs out in Saturday night’s quarterfinal matchup. (Fred Lynch)

"They like to do their 1-3-1 [zone] in the 3-point line and then they extend it out and do that trap," Moore said. "And it's so effective because they have 6-4 or 6-5, however big he is, up top. It's really hard to throw it through that, and they trap extremely well."

Smith, a 6-foot-8 senior, finished with 22 points.

"He was probably the strongest guy that I've ever guarded, and it doesn't hurt that he's 6-8 and he's got a pretty good finish around the rim," said Heuring, who had a team-high 19 points for Oran. "Don't get me wrong. I've played some great players, but he was tall and strong and he could do it all."

Oran's Hunter Schlosser sank a free throw to make it 53-50 on Oran's next possession, and Moore drained a 3-pointer to tie the game with 4:52 remaining.

"I knew it was big at the time," Moore said. "I knew it tied the score up. Obviously it felt good. I missed quite a few. I feel like I didn't shoot the ball well, and I missed quite a few before that. I just told myself I'm not going to miss every one, so I stepped up and hit it."

The 3-pointer was part on an 11-3 run for Oran that included a conventional 3-point play for Ressel that brought a big Oran crowd to its feet.

"I was missing a lot of layups," Ressell said. "I was off my game tonight. I don't know what was up, but that layup really carried me, and it gave me a lot of confidence. And obviously it helped."

Smith scored five points in a row after the run to give Winona a 61-60 lead with 3:05 left.

The Oran basketball team celebrates after their 63-61 victory over Winona in the Class 2 quarterfinal game Saturday in Farmington, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

Heuring's free throw with 2:36 left tied the game, and the teams exchanged misses for five possessions before Ressel's heroics.

"He used his quickness very well tonight," Shoemaker said of Ressel. "He got to the rim several times, and they're hard to finish on with their length and height, but he just kept attacking and stayed positive. He's grown as the season went on as an offensive player, and he had enough guts to step up and take the last shot this time."

Oran 21 15 11 16 -- 63

Winona 15 14 15 17 -- 61

ORAN (63) -- Kody Moore 13, Seth Ressel 14, Chance Tenkhoff 3, Hunter Schlosser 14, Alex Heuring 19. FG 24, FT 9-16, F 11. (3-pointers: Moore 3, Ressel 1, Tenkhoff 1, Schlosser 1. Fouled out: none)

WINONA (61) -- Austin Mays 6, James Thompson 13, Jacob Smith 10, Zack Smith 6, Jeff Smith 22, Jack Lacey 4. FG 24, FT 6-13, F 14. (3-pointers: Mays 1, Thompson 3, Ja. Smith 1, Z. Smith 2. Fouled out: none)