Highland overcomes Mascoutah with dramatic finish in Class 3A regional title game

Garrin Stone and his Highland basketball Bulldogs teammates had come up short in back-to-back games against Mississippi Valley Conference rival Mascoutah during this 2023-24 regular season.

Stone and Highland ensured that didn’t happen this time in the postseason.

Stone, a junior forward, flashed to the basket for his final points of the night, and finished a lay-in with 2.2 seconds left to lift the Bulldogs to a dramatic 47-45 victory over Mascoutah in the Class 3A regional championship at Freeburg High School Friday night.

Third-seeded Highland (21-12) advances to take on No. 1 Centralia on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in a Class 3A sectional semifinal at Triad High School.

“Man, it’s so hard to beat a team three times in a row and we knew coming in was were gonna shut their big guy down and try to hold (Jaden) Mccoo down as long as we can. Mccoo had a good game but we prevailed,” Stone said. “We stuck to the game plan and it worked.”

Winning a regional championship for the first time in his career was a sweet feeling for Highland senior guard Jake Ottensmeier.

Ottensmeier turned in a prime-time performance, erupting for a game-high 21 points.

“I’ve been here for four years now playing varsity and I haven’t won much, so it feels really good that I finally got something under my belt,” Ottensmeier said.

The teams traded baskets in the first two minutes of play before baskets from Ottensmeier and Stone keyed a 7-0 pushing Highland out to an 11-4 lead late in the first quarter.

Ottensmeier credited the team’s wire-to-wire energy and intensity with giving HHS the edge against Mascoutah. “We came out energetic and we knew they were not gonna get us a third time and we made of it and every practice we were thinking Mascoutah’s not gonna get us again.”

After trailing most of the first half, Mascoutah managed to get their first lead of the right on a Mccoo driving two going up 21-20 with 4:-02 left in the first half.

Mccoo led the Indians with 17 points.

A conventional 3-point play from Stone and a Carter Holthaus baseline bumper put Highland back ahead with a 27-24 edge at the break.

Stone dropped in a spinning layup to make it 45-40 with just over three minutes to go but a Tyler Gray bucket and a 3-point play from Mascoutah big man and Myles Ntekop pulled the Indians even at 45-45 with just 1:42 left.

Highland got the ball back and after taking two different timeouts, ran the clock down, got the ball to Stone, and Stone delivered in the paint with 2.2 seconds left.

“Coach had a great game plan and guys got me the ball where I needed the ball and I just did my thing, and the guards did their thing and the whole team just worked together great and it was a great game,” Stone said.

Stone finished with 12 points.

Mascoutah had one final shot to tie or win it but their three-pointer at the buzzer went off the iron, sending the Highland players and fans into pandemonium.

Highland coach Deryl Cunningham praised his team’s performance and defensive moxie against the always-tough Indians.

“The guys have been playing well and I think that that’s seven straight wins for us and guys believe in what we’re doing and they believe in each other,” Cunningham said. “I’ve said all during the second half of the season guys our strength of schedule has been extremely tough and I’m very proud of them and they’ve responded well the second half of the season.”

This story was originally published February 24, 2024 at 8:50 AM.