Indians Fall to Sussex Hamilton

Thanks to big-time college prospect J.P. Tokoto, the Menomonee Falls’ boys basketball team is used to playing in front of large crowds.

The junior was visiting the less snow-covered campus of the University of North Carolina Monday night, however, and the game crowd swelled with Hamilton Chargers fans, who packed the gym for a game against their biggest rival.

The Chargeres student section jumped up and down after sophomore Tony Gumina converted what turned out to be the deciding basket, with only 14.3 seconds left in the game, for a 54-52 win for Hamilton.

“The kids stepped up and played well,” Menomonee Falls coach Ben Siebert said. “I’m not going to say he (Tokoto) is the reason we lost or anything, because the kids that were here worked so hard and had a chance to win the game. It just didn’t happen.”

While Tokoto’s absence wasn’t the reason for the outcome, Falls (10-11 overall, 7-6 Greater Metro Conference) missed the their 6-foot-6 athletic forward’s abilities and it showed down the stretch.

The Chargers (8-13 overall, 5-8 GMC) figured out the Indian’s inside game was lacking and pounded it down low all second half.

Cue Gumina.

The 6-foot-1 forward scored 20 of his season-high 26 points in the second half, including the game winner.

“Tony was the difference in the game,” Hamilton coach Andy Cerroni said. “He had six (points) at half and he probably should’ve had 16. But he stayed with it and finished very well in the second half. 

“(Falls) didn’t have an answer for him and they didn’t really have anybody that could slow him down. Give our kids credit that they realized that and found him in pretty good situations.”

Gumina scored most of his points when they mattered most: in the fourth quarter.

After a barrage of 3-pointers, mainlined by Falls senior Jalen Ramey, the Indians were up 47-38 late in the third quarter.

From there on out it was all Hamilton. Freshman Brady Ellingson sandwiched a pair of mid-range jumpers with a free throw to start the Chargers comeback. Gumina finished it, scoring all but two of his team’s points in the final quarter.

“In the halftime adjustments, we talked about offensive schemes, and I do have a perimeter game, but my game is more down low,” Gumina said. “(Coach) said ‘Hey, just keep pounding the ball, use the glass and finish strong. These guys can’t handle you.’”

Falls Senior C.J. Malone led the Indians in scoring with 18, while Ramey poured in 16.

The loss is the second in three games for Falls, who learned their playoff seeding Monday afternoon. The Indians received a fifth seed and will travel to Waukesha South March 5 to take on the 13-8 Blackhawks.

The Indians must first take care of business in conference, as they have one regular season game left on their schedule, a home game against Brookfield Central on Thursday.

Box score:

Menomonee Falls: 16-9-22-5---52
Hamilton: 14-6-21-13---54

Menomonee Falls: Malafa 2 0-1 4, Malone 3 0-0 18, Oleszak 2 1-2 5, Brandon Ramey 0 0-0 6, Jalen Ramey 2 0-0 16, Scroggins 0 1-3 1, Weyenberg 1 0-0 2.

Hamilton: Ellingson 6 1-0 13, Goecks 1 0-0 2, Gumina 12 2-3 26, Hagenow 1 2-2 4, Knueppel 2 0-0 4, Patterson 1 0-0 5.

Three pointers: Menomonee Falls – Malone (4), Brandon Ramey (2), Jalen Ramey (4). Hamilton – Patterson.