MCC REBEL BOYS BASKETBALL VS TMB

MCC 48 - TMB 47

MCC and TMB provided another instant classic as the subsection quarterfinal matchup between the 3 seeded Panthers and the 6 seeded Rebels was decided on the last shot and the last second. This will be three games in a row with an unlimited amount of drama to end the contests going back to last year’s first round playoff game when another Aidan hit a game winner, then this season’s quadruple overtime victory for the Rebels, and now Super Saturday’s game winning shot by Aidan Swenson with no time remaining.

The Rebels scored the first points of the game, as a patient attack led to a post touch for Aidan Swenson and the soft baby hook from 8 feet. The two teams traded defensive stops before the Panthers scored off an errant pass and turnover by the Rebels. Two minutes in and the score was 2-2.

Again, the defense played tough, as neither team scored for the next minute until Max Miller drilled a right wing three. MCC then forced a turnover on the defensive side of the ball. 5-2 with 14:45 to play.

After some solid ball movement against the Panther defense Hudson Schryvers attacked and dished off to Swenson for the tough two on the block to push the lead to 5. TMB answered back quickly with a three point make. After a quick shot and miss by the Rebels, transition offense led to two more points and a tie game by the 13 minute mark. 7-7.

TMB took their first lead of the contest with just over 11 minutes to play, as neither team could earn a bucket for about two minutes. But Gavin Gillette answered back quickly with a three from the left wing to retake the lead for the Rebels. 10-9 with just under 11 minutes to go in the half.

MCC started to build a lead after this point and with roughly 2 minutes to go in the half after a back to back three’s by Gavin Gillette and Max Miller, the Rebels were up 12. But TMB called a timeout and enforced a little pressure on the Rebels with a press. MCC struggled to handle it and gave up half of the lead before half. But what turned out to be a huge factor in the game came with 1.5 seconds left. Andrew Holm snagged an offensive rebound, went back up to the basket and was fouled. He made the first, missed the second, but there was a lane violation that gave the senior another opportunity. He connected to give the Rebels a 6 point lead, 27-21. The Rebel defense did an excellent job holding down two 1,000 point scorers in the first half to a combined 11 points, but it was going to take two solid halves to earn a win against a quality team like the Panthers.

It took both teams about a minute and a half until the first points were scored in the second frame as TMB connected on a 15 foot jumper to cut the lead to 4. Dylan Kluis then attacked the Panther defense, earning a trip to the foul line. He connected on 1-2. The Rebels got a couple stops before Max Miller hit a corner three to put the Rebels up 8 with 15 minutes to play. TMB earned three points the old fashioned way with an and-1 before Max Miller would catch and shoot to bury another three from the right wing. It looked like he had barely caught the ball before he released it and hit nothing but net.

MCC went on a bit of a scoring drought as the Panthers defense stiffened up, forcing the Rebels into tough shots and turnovers, which turned into offense for the Panthers. The lead evaporated quickly and with 9:31 left to go, MCC was up 35-34. At the 8:30 mark, TMB took their first lead of the half after hitting a three at the top of the key. MCC answered back, tying the game at 37 when Hudson Schryvers found Dylan Kluis for the lay-in on the left block.

The two teams went back and forth for the next several minutes before TMB went on a 4-0 run of their own, going up 5 with under two minutes remaining! 44-39. This is when Hudson Schryvers made his mark. Schryvers drilled a three off an baseline inbound play with 6 seconds left on the shot clock to cut into the lead. After a Rebel stop on defense he did it again, assisted by Dylan Kluis. This time with 6 seconds left on the shot clock and under a minute to go in the game.

MCC was up 1, but the Panthers retook the lead on their next possession, knocking down a 18 foot jump shot with 36 seconds to play to go back up 1 point. 47-46.

The Rebels had three cracks at the hoop on the next possession, which would be the final one of the ball game. Max Miller got an offensive rebound on the first miss and TMB knocked the ball out of bounds on the second. This left 1.8 seconds to go in the game. The Rebels called a timeout and prepared their inbound play. The ball would be on the left side of the basket for the baseline inbounds.

Aidan Swenson lined up in front of the ball as Dylan Kluis was on the opposite block. Hudson Schryvers was the trigger man. Gavin Gillette and Max Miller pulled their defenders away from the free throw line, respecting their ability to shoot. As the ball was being handed to Schryvers, Swenson went across to the middle of the lane as Kluis cut in front of him, pulling his defender across the lane with him. Swenson sealed his man and stuck his right arm in the air giving Schryvers a target. Hudson made the pass to Swenson who caught the ball just outside the lane line and with no hesitation shot the jumper. The ball barely touched the left side of the rim and fell through the net. The clock said triple zeros and the Rebels earned the buzzer beating victory, upsetting the #3 seed TMB Panthers.

Leading Scorers: Max Miller, 15. Aidan Swenson, 11. Gavin Gillette, 8. Hudson Schryvers, 7. Rebounders: Hudson Schyrvers with 13. Aidan Swenson with 7. Max Miller with 6. Gavin Gillette and Dylan Kluis with 5 each. Assists: Hudson Schryvers with 8. Gavin Gillette and Dylan Kluis with 3 each. Steals: Gavin Gillette with 2.