(Glenwood, IA) — A legendary coaching career came to an end on Monday night as Glenwood beat Harlan 57-56 in a Class 3A first round substate playoff game. Mitch Osborn coached his final game for the Harlan Cyclones — he had announced earlier in the season that this would be his 41st and last season of coaching high school basketball.
Glenwood would storm out early thanks to Junior Jack Johnson who hit two threes and put in 10 points in the opening quarter and the Rams led 24-13 after one quarter. Harlan kept trying to eat into that lead in the second but the Rams always had an answer. Johnson had 15 points at the half and Cole Staudt hit three threes in the first half and had 12 points at the half to lead Glenwood to a 38-27 lead.
The Cyclones had an answer in the third quarter and it was Weston Reisz. The senior hit back to back threes and Jozef Reisz got a layup for an 8-0 Harlan run to cut the lead to 3 halfway through the third quarter. Glenwood came back with Drew Schroeder in the lane but Kobe Klaassen answered with a three and then got a layup to tie the game at 44. Johnson hit a tough jumper at the buzzer to give the Rams a 46-44 lead going to the fourth.
Harlan would finally take the lead in the 4th quarter when Ben Leinen missed a three in the corner but Jozef Reisz got the rebound and put it back in to give the Cyclones a 50-48 lead. After Johnson got 1-2 free throws for the Rams, Cole Staudt hit another big three with 3:52 left to retake the lead 52-50. Leinen would tie it with two free throws but Johnson got to the line again and hit 1-2 and after a Harlan miss, Johnson hit another jumper to make it 55-52 with 1:43 left.
The Cyclones pushed their possession down to 16 seconds on the shot clock when Weston Reisz saw a path to the basket, drove and was fouled — he hit both free throws despite only shooting four the entire season to bring Harlan within one 55-54. After an exchange of turnovers, Harlan had the ball with 30 seconds left and Dallas McDowell inbounded the ball to Klaassen on the baseline and Klaassen lobbed it back to him but McDowell was not there and the Rams stole it. It was the wrong time for a turnover and Johnson was fouled with 15 seconds left and hit both free throws to give the Rams a 57-54 lead.
Harlan was out of timeouts and drove the length of the floor and it went in the hands of Leinen who instead of finding a three point shooter, drove the lane and got a lay-up to cut the lead to one. But Harlan needed a three to force OT and could not stop the clock. Glenwood just threw the ball in bounds and time ran out. It was a tough way to end the game for Harlan as the Rams advanced to the Substate semifinals.
It ended the legendary coaching career of Osborn who leaves with 770 wins and the third all time winningest coach in Iowa boys high school history — Osborn coached 41 years combined with Elk Horn Kimballton, Pomeroy Palmer, and Harlan winning three career state titles, two with the Cyclones.
Harlan (9-13) was led by Kobe Klaassen with 16 points, Dallas McDowell had 12, Ben Leinen and Jozef Reisz each had 9 and Weston Reisz added 8.
Glenwood (19-4) was led by Jack Johnson with 23 points, Cole Staudt had 17, Ayden Gibson was held to 8.
Post Game Interview with Harlan Head Coach Mitch Osborn
