The defending champions of the Division II Mansfield District will have an opportunity to maintain their crown as Norwalk advanced into the final by defeating Shelby 62-58.

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The 3rd-seeded Whippets (18-6) pushed the tempo offensively to start the game, spreading the scoring between seven different plays in the first quarter for an 18-15 lead. With four triples in the second, Shelby would stretch out the Truckers deficit to 39-33 by the half, outscoring them 21-18 in the frame. 

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A Whippets cold spell in the third allowed #4 Norwalk to chip away at their lead, entering the last eight minutes of action trailing 45-43. Both teams would trade punches in the fourth with Shelby's TJ Pugh cashing a pair of huge 3-pointers to match the Truckers output at the other end, but an incredible 22-24 shooting display from the foul line would ice a Norwalk victory.

 

Pugh ended the night with a game-high 21 points with Andre Hill adding 11 off the bench for the Whippets and Grant Gossom scoring 10.

 

Garrett Chapin was the top offensive threat for the Truckers with 18 pts & 15 rebs, who also got 13 pts & 9 asts from Will Gehrhausen, another baker's dozen from Ian Minor in the scoring column and 14 pts by Derek Obringer.

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Next up for Norwalk (18-7) is a showdown with #1 Upper Sandusky (23-1) for a spot in the D2 Regional Semifinals.

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