HAYS – A Dylan Werth offensive rebound and put-back as time expired in double-overtime lifted the TMP boys back to the 3A state semifinals with a 68-67 win over Galina Wednesday night at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
Galena opened the game with a 5-2 lead but after a 6-6 tie TMP’s Luke Rome knocked in a pair of free throws putting the Monarchs up 8-6. It was a lead that held up until the end of the third quarter.
The Monarchs (20-4) got back-to-back Kenton Ginther 3-pointers that gave TMP a five-point lead two different times in the closing minutes of the first quarter.
Galena (22-2) was able to close the deficit to two at 18-16 at the end of the first quarter.
The Monarchs outscored the Bulldogs 8-3 to open the second quarter to take a 26-19 lead on back-to-back Kade Harris field goals.
Galena closed within two before TMP closed the first-half and opened the second on an 8-0 run taking their largest lead of the game at 37-27.
Trailing by 10 Galena outscored the Monarchs 16-2 to end the third quarter and open the fourth quarter to take a 43-39 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs led by six twice down the stretch in the fourth quarter but with TMP down 49-43 Ginther hit back-to-back contested 3-pointers tying the game at 49-49.
TMP, down two got a pair of Dylan Werth free throws with under a minute left to tie the game at 51 and force overtime.
In the first overtime TMP briefly trailed and even took the lead late before a Galena 3-pointer tied the game at 59-59 sending the game into a second overtime.
The two teams traded the lead back and forth in the second overtime but Werth scored seven of his team-high 17 points in the extra frame.
In the closing seconds Galena took a one-point lead but the Monarchs Werth collected a missed shot and banked it home as time expired lifting TMP to a 68-67 double-overtime victory.
TMP improved to 3-0 in overtime this season.
Werth finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Jace Wentling added 14 points and Gavin Unrein and Kenton Ginther finished with 12 points each.
Brett Sarwinski led all scorers with 32 for Galena.
TMP will take on Hesston in Friday’s state semifinals. It’s a rematch of last year’s semifinals game won by Hesston.