Ramus scores 42, nails game-winning 3 in final seconds as Appleton North boys basketball stuns Kaukauna

AppletonSportsPage.com

APPLETON – Appleton North junior Nathan Ramus had a game for the ages.

The Lightning guard drained a school-record 10 3-pointers, including the game-winner with 11 seconds to go, and made a steal in the final seconds to seal it as North defeated Kaukauna 75-74 in a wild Fox Valley Association boys basketball game Friday night at Appleton North High School.

Despite four 3-pointers in the first half for Ramus, Kaukauna led 40-38 at the break and pushed the lead to 63-51 with seven minutes to go.

Ramus hit two step-back jumpers to cut Kaukauna’s lead to 63-55.

The Ghosts responded with Andrew Jensen dunking to make it 67-57 with 2:45 left before Ramus swished a 3-pointer and North called timeout.

North forced a turnover and Grant Hardy scored to make it 67-62. The teams exchanged free throws before a Lightning steal and another long ball from Ramus cut Kaukauna’s advantage to 68-67 with 2 minutes left.

Keegan Van Kauwenberg made two free throws for the Ghosts, and after a miss from North, Jensen scored, but missed a free throw and they led 72-67 with 1:32 to go. Jensen led Kaukauna with 26 points.

Ramus made two free throws before Kaukauna’s Jonah Roehrig was fouled and made one free throw to put the Ghosts up 73-69.

Will Sweeney had a steal for the Lightning and fed Ramus in transition for his ninth 3-pointer with 42 seconds remaining, bringing North to within one at 73-72.

North immediately fouled and Van Kauwenberg made one of two free throws, leaving the door open for the Lightning.

After Ramus was swatted at the rim, North gathered the offensive rebound and ran the clock down a bit before Ramus hit again from the left wing with 11 seconds to go, completing the comeback.

Kaukauna did not use one of its four timeouts remaining and Ramus stole the ball in the final seconds to ice the win.

Appleton North knocked Kaukauna out of a first-place tie with Fond du Lac, which defeated Kimberly on Friday and now stands in first alone at 6-1 in the FVA. North, Kaukauna and Neenah are all 5-2.

Appleton North will play at Appleton East on Tuesday and hosts Neenah next Friday, Jan. 17.

Lightning 75, Ghosts 74
Kaukauna   40   34   –   74
Appleton North   38   37   –   75
KAUKAUNA (74): Brody McMullin 3 0-1 8, Caden Graff 3 2-3 8, Kavanaugh Weyenberg 0 0-0 0, Andrew Jensen 11 2-4 26, Tyler Schwalbach 2 0-0 4, Jonah Roehrig 5 2-4 16, Keegan Van Kauwenberg 3 4-6 12. FG: 27. FT: 10-16. 3-pointers: 10 (Roehrig 4, Van Kauwenberg 2, McMullin 2, Jensen 2). Fouls: 13. Fouled out: Graff. Record: 7-3, 5-2 Fox Valley Association.
APPLETON NORTH (75): Will Sweeney 2 1-1 4, Matt Rosplochowski 0 0-0 0, Nathan Ramus 14 4-4 42, Grant Hardy 5 3-4 14, Isaac Berken 0 0-0 0, Abraham Tomori 2 0-0 6, Ben Zdzieblowski 3 0-2 8, Howie Guilbeault 0 0-0 0. FG: 26. FT: 8-11. 3-pointers: 15 (Ramus 10, Zdzieblowski 2, Tomori 2, Hardy 1). Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Hardy. Record: 8-3, 5-2 Fox Valley Association.