HAVILAND – The top of the GMC conference was at stake on Friday night as the great crowd at The Palace saw the visiting 12-2 Rams take on the 9-5 Raiders. Both squads were 3-0 on the Green Meadows Conference, the winner would have a leg up on the rest of the conference.

Tinora’s Adam Spychala wasted little time getting started as he would knock down two quick three pointers to tie the game at 6-6. On Tinora’s next possession, Josh Lieb dialed up a right corner three for a 9-6 Rams lead at 4:45 in the opening quarter. The Lieb three lead to a Wayne Trace timeout.

Out of the timeout, the Raiders responded with 8-2 run, taking a 14-11 lead after one quarter of play.

The Raiders continued their hot shooting as the second quarter began to unwind, Wayne Trace would jet out to a 19-11 advantage after a Tanner Laukhuf steal and score, leading to a Tinora timeout. The Rams responded to coach Kris Lymanstall, as they would go on a 13-0 run to end the second quarter, taking a 25-21 lead to the half.

Owen Ferrell’s left wing three would start the Tinora run. Alex Homier would follow with a three of his own, cutting the Raiders lead to 19-17 with 4:40 in the half. The Rams second quarter rally was capped by Adam Spychala’s three pointer at the buzzer.

The Raiders only bucket in the last five minutes of the half was a steal and score by Lance Maenle.

The third quarter would see Tinora stretch their lead to as many as 10, at 31-21 with just over five minutes in the third stanza. Connor Welling would start the Rams off with a steal and bucket. Owen Ferrell’s second three of the game, this one a left wing three pointer increased the Tinora lead to 31-21 with 4:55 in the third, leading to another Raiders timeout. That bucket by Ferrell capped a 22-2 run for Tinora.

Wayne trace immediately turned up the pressure on Tinora, cutting the Rams lead to 31-24 on a Laukhuf steal and score, and a free throw, 3:55 remained in the quarter. Zach Stoller put back cut the Rams lead to 36-30 with 40 seconds in the quarter. Carter Clemens cut more into the Tinora lead as his tip and score at the buzzer closed the gap to 36-32 as the third quarter ended.

Wayne Trace’s Zack Stoller’s bucket to start the final quarter cut the Tinora lead from 10 down to just tow, 36-34. Connor Welling would steal a Raiders pass and take it the distance for a 38-34 Tinora lead with 6:45 remaining.

The Raiders Kyle Stoller would tie the game at 38-38 on a put back and foul, 4:40 remained in the final quarter, he would miss his free throw that would gave given the Wayne Trace the lead.

Connor Welling would find Alex Homier all alone under the Tinora basket, the Rams would take a 40-38 with 4:25 remaining.

After a missed Wayne Trace runner in the lane, Tinora pushed the ball quickly ahead, leading to a Welling to Spychala basket for a Tinora 42-38 lead with 1:30 on thr clock.

Welling would again find the open man, this time it was Josh Lieb right under the basket, Lieb’s bucket put the Rams on top 44-38 with 56 seconds in the game.

Wayne Trace would hoist of a half dozen threes in the final 45 seconds, not connecting on any, the Tinora Rams would come away with a 44-38 win over the Raiders.

TINORA 11-14-11-8 = 44
WAYNE TRACE 14-5-13-6 = 38

Tinora scoring: Schaufele 0. Ferrell 6, Welling 7, Homier 10, Lieb 5, Hancock 2, Spychalla 14

Wayne Trace scoring: Laukhuf 11, Miller 2, Gerber 5, Stoller 8, Clemens 6, Maenle 4

Tinora improves to 13-2, 4-0 in the GMC. The Rams will travel to Hilltop and take on the Cadets Saturday.

Wayne Trace drops to 9-6, 3-1 in conference play. The Raiders will head to Miller City Saturday to take on the Wildcats.

The Higbea Embroidery Player of the Game went to the entire boys team, a fantastic TEAM win for the Rams.

The Tinora win was just their second since 2013. Max Grube’s buzzer beater in 2021 was the last Tinora win in the series.