Chargers One Game From State Tourney

Chariton Leader, March 4, 2014

Dave Paxton, Publisher

Chargers One Game From State Tourney

Clutch Free Throws Topple Knoxville Boys

By half-time, with a 29-25 score and several lead changes, it didn't look like a 19-3 conference championship team against a 5-17 bottom of the rung team.  Knoxville entered the district championship game with just five wins, but those wins included victories over Albia (Class 2A state tournament qualifier), Centerville and Pella Christian.

A freshman guard, Trent Davis, put the Panthers on his back late in the game with 23 points.  Senior center Chase Higginbottom hit a shot with 1:45 left that tied the game 61-61.

In the end, however, it was the play of sophomore center TJ Hockenson who hit five free throws, senior Ben Morrett, who hit two and sophomore Daric Laing, who hit two that forged a 70-63 victory and placed the Chargers within one game of the state tournament.

Hockenson picked up his fourth foul with 2:04 left, but the 6'6' sophomore played aggressive defense down the stretch, with a couple of blocked shots and three huge rebounds.

The Chargers got their usual production from Hockenson (21 points), Laing (16) and Willie Felderman (15) but got a huge lift from senior Brett Braida who appeared for the first time in the third quarter and wound up with nine points, letting the Chargers take a 52-38 lead with a few seconds gone in the fourth quarter.

Hockenson, Morrett and Laing were perfect from the free throw line and helped move Chariton (20-3) to the sub-state final to be played March 3rd against Bondurant-Farrar (18-5) at Ankeny Centennial High School.  Ninth ranked Bondurant-Farrar beat sixth-ranked Dallas Center-Grimes 63-59 in their district championship game.

Hockenson led the team with 21 points and 14 rebounds.  Laing had 16 points, five rebounds, two steals and two assists.  Felderman added 15 points, six rebounds, three blocked shots, two steals and three assists.  Braida scored 12 points and had two steals.  Morrett added four points and two assists and Bengtson had two points, six assists and four steals.