5A boys: Kapaun claws its way into championship game

When the stakes are a berth in the state championship game, emotions tend to be heightened.

So it’s believable when Kapaun Mount Carmel junior Chris Meitzner says he experienced the worst and best feeling of his life on a basketball court Friday night at the Kansas Expocentre.

The worst came when Meitzner was whistled for a technical foul late in a close game with Highland Park in the Class 5A semifinals.

The best came when he made three straight free throws after being fouled on a potential game-tying, three-point attempt with 7.6 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime. Kapaun prevailed 71-69.

“I felt like I let down my teammates,” Meitzner said. “I felt horrible. I knew I had to pick up my teammates after that. I knew I had to hit those.”

All is forgiven after Meitzner’s clutch free-throw shooting rescued Kapaun from a dire situation and extended the game long enough for Brock Monty to take over. The senior scored eight of his 26 points in the extra period.

Kapaun (16-8) will play Mill Valley at 6:15 p.m. in Saturday’s final. The Crusaders won the 2012 title, in coach John Cherne’s first season, with nine losses.

Once again, an explanation for how it keeps finding ways to win escaped the team. The pure adrenaline of the moment, of the chest-bumps and hollers at half-court, of the rush into the student section was still coursing through their veins.

“I can’t honestly tell you how we do it,” Monty said. “I kind of need to calm down and reflect on it.”

Then it came to him.

“I think Coach Cherne does a great job of conditioning us and getting us ready to play in these types of game, in overtime and in crunch time,” Monty continued. “I think we really take on the role of our coach. We just roll our sleeves up. That’s how he is and that’s how we got it done.”

That’s as good of explanation as any for how Kapaun was able to triumph over Highland Park and its star in Malik Keith, who scored 26 points and seemingly scored at will down the stretch.

After a Keith free throw extended Highland Park’s lead to 53-49 with 1:33 left, Meitzner, less than 90 seconds after his technical, elevated and swished a three-pointer to put Kapaun within striking distance.

After each team traded free throws, Kapaun had a final possession, down by three with 23 seconds left, to find a way.

And it did, as Meitzner took a dribble hand-off and elevated one more time. But this time the defender was out of position and nudged Meitzner just enough to warrant a foul. Meitzner scored eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

“I like to call him the sleeping bear,” Cherne said. “You don’t want to poke the bear because when you poke him, he finds a way somehow. He’s just a heck of a competitor.”

When Keith’s final attempt rolled off the rim, the momentum shifted to the Kapaun sideline that had just gave itself four more minutes at a shot for the title.

Monty scored Kapaun’s first five points in overtime, then broke a 61-all tie with a basket in the lane. Two more free throws pushed the Kapaun lead to 67-62 with 48 seconds left.

Highland Park had one more chance at a tie, but missed and Mitchell Woodward put the game out of reach with two free throws for a five-point lead with 12 seconds left.

“We don’t take off until zeroes are on the scoreboard,” Monty said. “We had to do that twice tonight.”

It was the latest chapter in what Kapaun hopes is another storybook season under Cherne.

And it wouldn’t be possible if Meitzner didn’t turn possibly his worst night into his best.

“It’s just unbelievable,” Meitzner said. “This is the most fun I’ve had. By far... by far.”

This story was originally published March 11, 2016 at 11:24 PM with the headline "5A boys: Kapaun claws its way into championship game."