But the Bulldogs got one of those stops Rincker was referring to. Kaden Fearday then hit a jumper that started a 10-2 run to close out the period. Jaccob Dust, who got into foul trouble the first half, scored five points and Fearday knocked down a 3-pointer with nine seconds to go.

Heading into the final eight minutes, St. Anthony owned a 34-23 advantage.

“That was a key stretch right there,” Rincker added. “We came up with a big steal and were able to convert at the other end. It really gave us some momentum.”

St. Anthony forced Casey-Westfield into another turnover to open the fourth quarter. That resulted in Dust getting free inside for a dunk that brought the Bulldogs crowd to its feet and gave them their largest lead of the game, 36-23.

But the next five minutes belonged to the Warriors.

Jackson Hills and Will Hosselton both scored four points, helping Casey-Westfield go on a 14-5 scoring surge. When Dawson Dallape drilled a three, it trimmed the margin to just four points, 41-37, at the 1:38 mark.

St. Anthony’s free throw shooting helped the Warriors make their run. The Bulldogs missed five straight foul shots during one stretch and were just 1-of-6 when Casey-Westfield got within four.

But in the final minute, that all changed. Jack Hoene made 3-of-4 and Aaron Webb made both of his free throws, helping the Bulldogs secure the victory.

“Our rule is we can’t make free throws until there is less than two minutes to play,” Rincker said with a laugh. “Seriously, free throw shooting has plagued us all year long. We have good form, but we’re not as consistent as we should be. But when it really, really matters, the kids have come through at the line. They just need to step up and shoot them with confidence.”

The Bulldogs never trailed in the game, but the game was tied three times in the first half.

A shot from behind the arc by Logan Antrim gave St. Anthony a 13-9 lead at the 1:37 mark of the opening quarter, but Dust was whistled for his second foul just 10 seconds later. He didn’t return the rest of the first half.

It was 13-10 at the end of the quarter, and even with the team’s leading scorer on the bench for a 9½- minute stretch, the Bulldogs were able to extend their lead.

A 3-pointer by Casey-Westfield’s Colin Branson knotted the contest at 13-13, but the Bulldogs then went on a 7-1 run to close out the half and took a 20-14 edge to the locker room at halftime.

“I didn’t get nervous and we didn’t panic,” Rincker noted. “It’s not what we wanted, but we’ve played without Jaccob before at times this year. Jack Elder came in and gave us some great minutes. We don’t lose anything defensively when Jack is in the game, which speaks to our depth.

“Jack, Connor (Walk) and Kennan (Walsh) were great for us tonight off the bench,” Rincker added. “We not only stayed even with Casey, we expanded our lead. That was like icing on the cake.”

When Dust did return in the second half, he made his presence felt, scoring 14 of his game-high 17 points in the final 16 minutes. The 6’7” senior center also pulled down 10 rebounds. Fearday cracked double figures, as well, finishing with 10.

St. Anthony made 42 percent of its shots overall, connecting of 18-of-43 attempts. The Bulldogs were 3-of-6 from long range, but just 9-for-19 from the foul line. And they were guilty of just three turnovers.

Casey-Westfield, which finished the season at 24-8, got 12 points from Noah Livingston.

This sets up a sectional final pairing that many basketball fans have been anticipating. It will be a rematch between two talented teams that have ranked high in the Class 1A poll much of the season. St. Anthony posted a narrow 50-49 win over the Raiders in mid-February at the Teutopolis Shootout.

A&M reached the sectional championship by winning the Macon Meridian Regional and then beating Altamont 71-56 in its sectional opener Tuesday night.

“Let’s do it,” Rincker said. “We know them and they know us. They have a great basketball team. We were fortunate to sneak away with a win earlier and I’m sure they haven’t forgotten that.

“Let’s throw the ball out and go play. I think everyone is looking forward to this game.”