All good things come to an end...

Simply put, USA just ran into a better team tonight, losing 66-46 to Saginaw Nouvel in the Class C Regional Finals at Sandusky.
The Panthers jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead against the Patriots, then extended it to 17-8 by the end of the first. USA seemed pretty tight early on as they were unable to convert a number of shot opportunities that looked like they should have been easy points.
It didn't help that Taylor Cramer, who had been leading the team with a 15.75 ppg average in the post season was as cold as ice to start the game; he was just unable to get into any kind of shooting rhythm in the first half.
Things changed for USA (who trailed 30-14 at the half) in the third, as Cramer hit two triples as part of a 12-4 run to start the quarter. That cut Nouvel's lead to 34-26 with 5:10 to go in the third, but that was as close as things would get.
As Gainforth explained, the team used a lot of energy trying to mount that initial comeback that they were gassed as the game progressed, which allowed the Panthers to pull away as the fourth approached.
However, as tired as the Patriots were, they still kept it within 11 with a final shot to cut the lead to under double digits as the quarter wound down. But USA missed their shot and Nouvel's Mitch Mulcahy threw up a buzzer beater, which Gainforth admitted was a danger in the heart for the team.
Mulcahy, along with David Kazmierski, where the big guns for Saginaw Nouvel, while Tim Ryan (who scored 37 against New Haven in the semis) was held in check by USA's triangle-and-two defense.
Though the loss the was disappointing, Gainforth was just truly proud of his players and amazed by everything they accomplished. The Patriot's lose five seniors, including Isaiah Jackson, who Gainforth recognized as a real key to the team's playoff run. Other seniors include Kyle Farmer, Jordan Bolzman, Kelson VanBevern, and Brennan Pitcher.
As for Pitcher, I wish him well in his on-going battle with cancer. If there is one kid tough enough to win this fight, it is Brennan. Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
If there is one thing that I was truly looking forward to it was the possibility of Brennan stepping out on the court for a second or two to get a well-deserved ovation from the fans. I don't know if he would have been able to, but a fellow reporter and I discussed how Pitcher could have got his last shining moment in basketball with an appearance on the court for a second or two.
It didn't end up happening, but the mere thought of it gave me goosebumps, watching to see if Pitcher was going to take off his warm-ups (which would have indicated he was going in). Let's just say two tough guys were on the verge of tears just thinking about the chance of Pitcher coming in... had it happened I think we would have been having a cry session with Gainy in the locker room instead of a post-game interview.
I guess that just goes to show you, how much an impact Pitcher has made on all of our lives and how much we all want to see him get well.
Hopefully some day he will be healthy enough to play sports again at some level, some day. Now that would be one game I'd pay to see.