Cashion escapes Stroud upset bid

The “perfect storm” nearly rained on Cashion’s parade.

The Wildcats on Saturday survived Stroud 55-50 at home in overtime to win a Class 2A district championship game. On paper, Cashion certainly should have won… but almost as certainly should not have been pushed to overtime.

Stroud entered the night winless on the season, but led Cashion by 11 at halftime and was up 47-46 with 55 seconds to play when Cash Wright put a corner 3-pointer off the backboard and into the net.

“That sort of summed up the night,” said Cashion coach John Hardaway.

“They hit everything all night and we really struggled to shoot the ball.”

Cashion was also without its starting point guard Kamden Miller, who was injured earlier in the week in the loss to No. 1 Dale. The Wildcats have been without Drake Woody for more than two weeks.

“It was truly the perfect storm,” Hardaway said. “It was game on.”

Nathan Nabavi made one of two free throws about 10 seconds after Wright’s trey, tying the game at 47-47.

Both teams had chances to score before the end of regulation, but couldn’t capitalize.

The Tigers again held a one-point lead in the extra period.

Nabavi was fouled on an inbound play and made two free throws to give the Wildcats a 51-50 lead with 1:01 remaining.

They didn’t trail again. Free throws were Cashion’s saving grace.The Wildcats made 23 of 33 while Stroud only attempted 11 of them.

It helped offset the fact the Wildcats shot just 27 percent (15 of 54) for the game. That included 2 of 18 (11 percent) from 3-point range.

Stroud shot 50 percent in the first half, including making 5 of 9 3-pointers, to build its lead.

The Tigers were just 32 percent in the second half.

For Cashion, Nabavi went 12 of 16 from the line to help secure his 23 points. Jackson Vandruff scored 19 points and had 10 rebounds.

The win snapped Cashion’s (12-12) own threegame losing streak.The Wildcats play Christian Heritage Academy at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in a regional winner’s bracket game at Stroud.

“We found a way to win,” Hardaway said of remaining in the winner’s bracket.

“That’s all that matters this time of year.”

Stroud Girls DO NOT Escape Cashion Upset Bid Cashion got its second win over a ranked team this season.

This one couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Lady Wildcats on Saturday upset No. 16 Stroud 63-45 using a lethal combination of outside shooting and inside dominance to win their Class 2A district championship.

The inside was provided by Megan Shafer, who scored a game-high 24 points.

She had 22 through three quarters as Cashion built up an 11-point lead.

Reese Williams helped bring it home in the fourth.

Cashion outscored its guests 23-16 behind four 3-pointers by Williams.

Madison Westerhoff also knocked down a trey in the final quarter.

For the game, Cashion made 10 shots from beyond the arc.

Williams had five of them - all in the second half - for all of her 15 points.

Lauren Jenkins made two of them and scored 11 for Cashion (11-13).

Westerhoff also made two of them.

Meanwhile, Shafer took care of business in the paint.

The sophomore scored at least six points in each of the first three quarters.

On top of her nine field goals, Shafer was 6 of 8 from the free throw line.

The win keeps Cashion in the winner’s bracket entering this week’s regional.

The Lady Wildcats open the regional against Christian Heritage Academy at 6 p.m. Thursday at Stroud.