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Sense of urgency arrives just in time for BGHS

Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Angelo Winkel of Bishop Garrigan reacts after recording a block to help preserve the Golden Bears’ Class 1A state quarterfinal win over Springville on Monday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

DES MOINES — Any thoughts of an easy pass into the Class 1A state semifinals were quickly wiped away from the minds of Bishop Garrigan here Monday.

The Golden Bears watched as fellow Top of Iowa Conference co-champion Lake Mills was left stunned, falling as the top seed to Wapsie Valley just moments before Garrigan walked out on the Wells Fargo Arena court to take on Springville.

“You want teams in your conference to win, and seeing them lose in the first round was tough,” said Angelo Winkel, who scored 22 points and made the game-ending block in a 55-52 victory for Bishop Garrigan. “It made us focus and realize you can lose to anybody.”

Winkel, a junior who battled foul trouble and was limited to 19 minutes, shined during that time. He made 10 of his 14 shots, collected 14 rebounds and blocked five shots all while playing the entire fourth quarter knowing one more offensive foul or being a little too aggressive on defense would take him off out of the game.

When he was on the floor, Winkel was a force. He scored nine of Bishop Garrigan’s 17 in the final eight minutes and grabbed just as many rebounds. Three of those five blocks also came during that time, but he was quick to note the missed free throw that allowed Springville one final chance to tie it.

“The block was great and it got me fired up, but that was just make-up for those missed free throws,” he admitted. “I missed that one down the stretch and that can’t happen.”

Winkel scored four quick points in the first as the Golden Bears led early before two fouls forced him to the bench. The Orioles took control, gaining the lead after one before Cameron Baade and John Joyce carried BGHS to a halftime advantage with the Winkel on the bench.

In the third, Winkel accounted for nine of Garrigan’s 13 points, but he was again just a spectator as Springville used a 19-4 run to go up 44-38 heading into the fourth.

That’s when Golden Bear head coach Mark Meister made the decision to trust Winkel and insert him back into the lineup.

“The whole game changed down the stretch with him out there,” Meister said. “The whole tide changed.”

Winkel, who is fielding several Div. I offers, now has 1,229 career points, 636 rebounds and 151 blocks.

Garrigan will face fellow Top of Iowa Conference champion West Fork, which topped Remsen St. Mary’s 55-53, in the semifinals Wednesday at 3:45 p.m. The two, who are in opposite divisions, did not play during the regular season.

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