10-years later: Willard-Upper district title game legend grows

When Jimmy Langhurst thinks of March 11, 2006, one immediate thought comes to mind."Just exhausted … there was nothing left after that night," Langhurst said.Langhurst, a 2006 Willard graduate and the area's all-time career points leader in boys basketball, will forever be tied to that night. Not only is the 2006 Willard vs. Upper Sandusky Division II district championship game one of the greatest games ever played by an area team — it can be argued and bantered it was one of the greatest district tournament games in Northwest Ohio history in any division.When the dust settled on the two then-Northern Ohio League rivals' third meeting that season— played at Ashland University — it was the Crimson Flashes winning a 101-98 game in 32 minutes of regulation.Adding to the entertainment, as co-Northwest District Players of the Year, both Langhurst and former Ohio State star and Associated Press Mr. Basketball winner Jon Diebler each scored 55 points for their team."It's a remarkable game," Langhurst said. "The lead up to it, Upper was the defending state champs. It was the third meeting, and it's hard to beat that team three times, you had Jon and I as Players of the Year … it had everything going for it."I still remember riding down on the bus and taking that left turn onto College Ave. and the line of people was already wrapped around the sidewalk," he added. "You get the chills a little bit as a player when you see that. All those people were there to support their two small towns. I think they got their money's worth."__________As Greg Nossaman drove to school Wednesday at Olentangy Liberty in Powell, a suburb of Columbus, he looked over at his youngest son, a sophomore in high school."I think of that game all the time, and he was just six years old as a ball boy," said Nossaman, who spent 10 years coaching Willard to a great deal of success. "I've told my players since I've been down here about the game."How many games are there where two guys have 55 points? That's the amazing thing to grasp," he added. "There's been guys on one team, but to have the leading scorer on each team both drop 55 and the one has the 3-pointer at the buzzer to tie it with over 3,000 people for two small towns going crazy."The game was so back and forth, Nossaman admitted there wasn't a lot of actual coaching strategy."Back in January, I sat here and watched it again," he said. "It was more subbing and keeping guys fresh. You didn't know what they were going to do. Jon would literally dribble down the court, shoot it from the volleyball line with two guys on him — and make it."__________Willard had beaten Upper by 23 and 17 in the regular season, but it was clear early with a trip to the regional semifinals on the line that was not going to be the case in Round 3.Willard led 24-21 after one quarter, and 45-42 at halftime. Diebler — Ohio's all-time career points leader — hit a deep 3 to end the third quarter and pull the Rams within 67-66 entering the final eight minutes.Still, with Langhurst going wild and Diebler playing through a hyperextended elbow, the Flashes appeared in control with a 96-86 lead with 1:22 left."But here we go again," Langhurst said. "With a player like Jon leading a team, you know it can happen."A pair of free throws by Diebler followed by a basket and a 3-pointer by two more Rams around two Willard turnovers suddenly cut the deficit to 96-93 with 51.4 seconds left. The teams continued to trade baskets in a wild final 30 seconds, but Diebler made a layup to cut the deficit to 99-98 with just 11.4 seconds to go.Langhurst, who scored just under 1,000 points at Div. I Robert Morris University, capped his night with two free throws to put his team up 101-98. With no timeouts, Diebler then got the ball with the chance to tie. He pulled up from the left wing, but his shot rimmed out at the buzzer.The win improved Willard to 23-0, and a week later, the Flashes survived a last-second shot from Wapakoneta in an overtime win (75-65) before falling 65-63 on another last-second shot in the regional title game against Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary to finish 24-1."It was just a great game for the community," Nossaman said. "Winning another district title, staying undefeated. That was one of the better teams we had at Willard."__________Today, Langhurst is an assistant coach at Div. II Le Moyne College in Syracuse, N.Y. After being drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers after scoring more than 1,500 points at Ohio State, Diebler is playing professionally overseas in Turkey."Jon and I exchanged texts last week, he wished me happy birthday, and sure enough the game came up," Langhurst said. "We're forever tied to that game. We were both at Ohio State last summer and even people there were telling the story. People still talk to Jon about that game, too, and he played in two state title games in high school."Langhurst said the game carries special meaning to him for personal reasons as well."My grandparents were there at the game, right in the front row," he said. "They are both gone now, but there is a picture we have together afterwards … just a real touching moment for me that gets me choked up a little … I'm glad that they got to see that.""But it's neat to hear people telling stories," Langhurst added. "It's 10 years later, and I got people on Facebook tagging me in photos of the box score, like it's a treasured baseball card. Looking back, it's nice to know we were able to do something that meant a lot to so many people."Willard's Jimmy Langhurst puts up a shot in front of Jon Diebler during a Division II district championship game against Upper Sandusky on March 11, 2006, at Ashland University's Kates Gymnasium. Langhurst and Diebler each scored 55 points in Willard's 101-98 win.