Ribordy’s buzzer-beater lifts Wildcats past Baldwin

Louisburg’s Sam Guetterman (left) celebrates with Dalton Ribordy (middle) and Desmond Doles following Ribordy’s buzzer-beater Tuesday that gave the Wildcats a 60-58 win over Baldwin.

 

Less than two minutes into the game, Dalton Ribordy found himself on the bench with two fouls.

For the next 14 minutes of the first half, Ribordy had to sit as he watched his team dig themselves a double-digit hole against Baldwin on Tuesday. The Louisburg junior wanted to be out there to help in some way.

Ribordy got his chance later — and it was a big one.

After a couple missed shots, and with two seconds left in a tie game, Ribordy fought for an offensive rebound. He grabbed it and put up one last opportunity. That shot found the bottom of the net to give the Wildcats a 60-58 win at the buzzer at Louisburg High School.

“I didn’t know how much time we had left when I got the shot off,” Ribordy said.  “I just put it up and watched it rattle around a couple times. Then I heard the buzzer and saw it go in. I just felt — I don’t even know what I felt actually. Then I see the student section run onto the floor and it was just an amazing feeling.”

It was a feeling many didn’t think they were going to have, especially after the first half. Ribordy, Grant Harding and Desmond Doles all had to sit a majority of the half in foul trouble and the Wildcat offense struggled to get going.

Baldwin held Louisburg to seven points in the second quarter and took a 34-22 lead at halftime. Louisburg, which had beaten Baldwin three times earlier this season, found that a fourth time was going to be even tougher.

“The end was fantastic,” Louisburg coach Jason Nelson said. “The first 16 minutes were terrible for us. We were slow on defense. Offensively, we were settling for shots and we were playing right into their zone. To our credit, once halftime was over our defensive intensity was much better, we blocked out much better, but most importantly we asserted ourselves offensively.”

The Wildcats (7-10) also got good production from their bench as different players had to step up as Louisburg had to play without starter Jayce Geiman and they had to battle foul problems.

Senior Jake Hill came off the bench to finish in double figures with 11 points, including a couple big baskets in the fourth quarter to help Louisburg battle back. Hill was one of three Wildcats to score in double figures as Harding led Louisburg with 16 points and Ribordy added 10.

Senior Dalton Stone started for this first time this season and finished with nine points on three 3-pointers.

“Jake had a good game and he is our best player against a zone, especially at getting the zone to collapse,” Nelson said. “He did fantastic at that.

“This is probably our first attitude win of the year. This was our first win of the year where we basically weren’t going to be denied, which is refreshing to see.”

Louisburg found itself down eight points late in the third quarter, but Hill scored a basket to end the frame and then another to begin the fourth quarter to cut Baldwin’s lead to four. Louisburg eventually tied it up on four straight points from Harding with 3 minutes and 50 seconds left in the game.

The lead switched hands and was tied on two different occasions before Harding tied the game at 58-all late in the game. After a Baldwin missed shot, it gave the Wildcats one final possession.

Harding drove the lane but his shot rimmed out. He then got his own rebound, but missed a second shot before Ribordy got the offensive board and the game-winner.

“It feels pretty good,” Ribordy said. “We came in at halftime and talked about things that we needed to fix. I felt like when we came out at the beginning of the third quarter, that is exactly what we did. We fought all the way back to the very last second and pulled out the win.

“After a win like this, I think it shows that no matter what the deficit is, we know we can come back if we play together as a team.”

Louisburg will try for back-to-back wins Friday when it travels to Spring Hill. The Wildcats and Broncos could meet a couple weeks later as they are in the same substate tournament.

“Spring Hill is always good at home,” Nelson said. “This game is big for our confidence and this will be a good barometer to see where we are at for substate.”

 

LOU               15           7             19           19 – 60

BAL                17           17           13           11 – 58

LOUISBURG (7-10): Grant Harding 16, Jake Hill 11, Dalton Ribordy 10, Dalton Stone 9, T.J. Dover 8, Sam Guetterman 6. Totals: 22-53 13-18 60. 3-point field goals: 4, (Stone 3, Harding)