HCHS takes Tigers to the wire in regular season finale

 CARROLL (Feb. 18) -- The Harlan Community boys basketball team nearly pulled off an upset at Carroll Thursday night, tying the game twice in the final minute before falling to the fourth-ranked (3A) Tigers 72-68 in the regular season finale for both teams.
 HCHS, which made 10-of-23 three-pointers and shot 54.3 percent overall, dropped to 9-11 going into Monday's (Feb. 22) Class 3A, Substate 8 quarterfinal game at ADM, Adel (9-12).
 “I am so proud of how these guys have hung in there through lots of adversity this year,” stated HCHS coach Mitch Osborn.
 “We definitely stepped to another level and played an outstanding game on the road vs. the number four-ranked team.”
 Cyclone senior Michael Erlemeier, who missed 10 games with a broken bone in his leg earlier this season, stepped up big time Thursday by making 6-of-9 three-pointers and scoring 20 points.
 Carroll (20-2) was led by Kaleb Booth’s 25 points, including a go-ahead jumper with :03.4 remaining that made it 70-68.
 HCHS called a quick timeout but turned the ball over on its “home run” play and the Tigers made 1-of-2 free throws with :01.8 left. Teagon Kasperbauer then threw a full court pass to Jacob Birch that went off his hands, and Carroll added another free throw to seal the win.
 In addition to Erlemeier’s 20 points, Connor Frame scored 14 for HCHS, Aidan Hall had 12 and Brad Curren tallied 11.
 Hall, Frame and Isaiah Ahrenholtz each grabbed six rebounds while Curren and Frame both had six assists.
 Carroll, which shot 53.8 percent and made 8-of-20 treys, struggled at the line, hitting only 8-of-18 free throws. Tory Feldman and Colby Christensen added 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the Tigers.
 HCHS started out hot from long range, drilling four threes to take a 23-15 lead after one quarter. The Cyclones trailed 37-36 at the half but regained a 54-51 lead on Curren’s driving layup to close out the third quarter.
 Carroll scored the first 10 points of the fourth to go up 61-54; however, the Cyclones fought back and tied the game at 66 on Erlemeier’s step-back three. They tied it again at 68 with :35 left, but Booth’s 15-footer put the Tigers in front to stay.

CLASS 3A, SUBSTATE 8 BOYS BASKETBALL
Substate Quarterfinals • Monday, February 22 • 7:00 p.m.
Perry (0-18) at #3 DC-Grimes (17-3)    Clarke (7-12) at #6 Glenwood (19-2)
Harlan Comm. (9-11) at ADM (9-12)     Creston (10-9) at Atlantic (12-6)
Substate Semifinals • Thursday, February 25 • 7:00 p.m.
Harlan Community or ADM vs. Dallas Center-Grimes or Perry -- at Grimes
Glenwood or Clarke vs. Atlantic or Creston -- at Glenwood, 7:00 p.m.
Substate Final • Monday, March 1 • at TBD • 7:00 p.m.