LaSalle wins on late tip

For my FOX19 post-game story, click here: http://www.fox19.com/Global/story.asp?S=14324891

Days like today are why I love being an intern at Fox 19. I sat three feet away from the court on press row at Ohio State’s Schottenstein Center, and got to watch one hell of a basketball game.

With one minute left LaSalle, the co-GCL South champs, led Toledo Central Catholic by a point, 44-43. With 20 seconds left and the score tied at 46, LaSalle looked to senior Brandon Neel, who had half of their points at that time.

Neel drove down the right side of the lane but slipped, and tossed the ball toward the hoop with less than five seconds to go. Out of nowhere Matt Woeste leapt through the air, grabbed the ball of the glass and tipped it in.

LaSalle won 48-46 in a thriller.

I watched it from one of the best seats in the house. Does it get any better than this? Rarely.

“We gave the ball to Brandon, he had the hot hand,” Woeste said after the game. “No one boxed me out, so I jumped up there and just tipped it in.”

Neel was pleased after the game. His performance put LaSalle in their second ever state title game in basketball. “Everyone was hugging Woeste [in the locker room],” he said. “It was fun, it was really fun.”

But it might not have been as joyous for the players if their head coach wasn’t sitting on the bench. A few weeks ago head man Dan Fleming had a heart attack. He was finally cleared to sit on the bench this evening.

“The best medicine for a heart attack is a close game and get that W,” he joked after the game. “Our kids really work their tails off. They really deserve it. They really worked hard for a long time. Playing in the state final four is special, but if we can win it that would make it even more special.”

His son Ryan scored 11 points.

“It was a little weird,” the younger Fleming said. “[LaSalle’s interim head coach] Pat [Goedde] was standing up instead of my dad, and that never happens because my dad never sits down. But to finally come over at timeouts and see him sitting in the chair was just like the last three years have been.”

Goedde, a LaSalle alum and former player, was able to relish this victory.

“I know I’m the interim head coach, and me and Flem, we’ve been through this as a player, when I was playing and now as a coach. It’s a credit to Flem and the entire LaSalle community. It’s special,” he said.

The Lancers know they have some unfinished business though. They’ve got one game to play, and every player that talked to us mentioned the same thing: we want to win for us, for our fans and for the community.

“It’s everyone’s goal in high school basketball, to go to state, and we got here so we’re going to try our best,” said Woeste.

LaSalle plays Northland tomorrow at 8:30 for the title.