REBEL BOYS BASKETBALL VS SWC

EAGLES 69 - MCC 58

Rebel Boy’s dropped a tough home game vs. the Southwest Minnesota Christian Eagles Tuesday night in a Red Rock Conference clash. SWC came into the game with a 14-8 record, sporting a very tough non-conference schedule, as the Rebels brought in a 14-9 mark.

The two teams battled early and often going back and forth in the early parts of the game. The Rebel got on the board first with a nifty pass from the active Hudson Schryvers to Aidan Swenson in the paint. Schyrvers read the help defense and dished quickly to Swenson for the easy two. SWC answered back with a wide open corner three to take their first lead of the game on their second possession of the night.

MCC did not score on their next possession and SWC earned a trip to the foul line on theirs, making both, to go up 3. Dylan Kluis attacked and finished with the left hand to cut the lead back to one shortly after. 5-4, SWC just about two minutes into the game.

SWC would score again, with a nice high low look from the middle of the lane to the right block to go back up 3, but Max Miller drilled a left wing three to tie the game.

The Rebels forced a turnover on their next defensive possession before Schryvers found a cutting Gavin Gillette for the floater and the 2 point lead. 9-7 Rebels, with 15 minutes to play in the first half. The Eagles were hot to start the game as they drilled back to back three’s to take their biggest lead of the game. Rebels were a step behind the crisp ball movement of the Eagles which led to catch and shoot, late contested threes. MCC did force two turnovers on their next two defensive possessions and Aidan Swenson scored back to back buckets to tie the ball game back up just a minute later. Fast and fun start to the game for both squads. 13-13 with 13 minutes to play.

Poor transition defense by the Rebels led to four quick points for the Eagles and a scoring drought by the Rebels led to another bucket by SWC to go up 19-13 before Max Miller drilled a right wing three to cut the lead in half with 10:41 to play in the half.

Neither team scored on the next couple possessions before the Eagles went on another run, leading 24-16. MCC had some unforced turnovers in the stretch leading to Eagle buckets. SWC extended their lead to 11, which was the biggest of the half. The two teams went back and forth again, with MCC cutting the lead down to single digits and the Eagles answering back all the way to the final second, when Max Miller drilled a buzzer beating three from the deep right wing, absorbing contact, getting the crowd into a frenzy. Unfortunately, no foul was called, but it gave the Rebels great momentum into the break. 36-28 at the break.

The second half started about the opposite of the first half. Scoring was tough to come by and the game was waiting for someone to take control of it. Just over two minutes in and 8 combined possessions later, the Eagles hit a three, taking an 11 point lead.

MCC answered back with four points in a row, before SWC got to the basket and finished a tough finger roll off of some nice footwork. 41-32, Eagles with 14:21 to go in the game.

The two teams started the back and forth scoring again at this point until SWC went up 12. A missed attack from MCC turned into an easy run out bucket for the Eagles. Not getting back and stopping the ball was an issue all night for MCC. The awareness to sprint back compared to jogging and stopping the ball closer to the volleyball line or at the very least, the three point line, was not there. These points added up and seemed to come at critical points of the ball game.

The Rebels continued to battle They were able to get the score to single digits on multiple occasions over the next 5 minutes of play. SWC repeatedly answered back and pushed it to double digits, as the teams were competing at a high level. With 8 minutes to go, the Rebels were down 57-45. The score remained that way for a minute before the two teams traded three point makes. The Eagles hit the first and Gavin Gillette answered back for the second. 60-48 with 6:42 to play.

MCC’s defense got out of position on their next possession as the top two defenders in the zone were both above the three point line, leaving the high post unguarded. This would lead to an easy kickout to the right wing as the entire zone collapsed to the open high post player. The Eagles converted the three to grab their biggest lead of the night. MCC did not score on their next possession but the Eagles went up 17 with 5:30 to play.The Rebels were not done yet. Gavin Gillette drilled a right corner three to cut the lead to 14 with just over 5 minutes to play. MCC got a couple of stops and score again, cutting the lead back to 12.

The two teams traded free throws and go back and forth between a 14 and 12 point lead for the next few possessions, but it was a little too late, as the Rebels cut the lead to 11. That would be how the final deficit would sit. Eagles 69, Rebels 58.

Leading Scorers: Aidan Swenson, 17. Hudson Schryvers, 12. Max Miller, 9. Gavin Gillette, 8. Leading Rebounders: Dylan Kluis, Max Miller, Hudson Schryvers all had 5. Leading Steals: Gavin Gillette, 6. Aidan Swenson, Hudson Schryvers 2 each. Leading Assists: Hudson Schryvers, 6. Gavin Gillette, 4. Dylan Kluis, 3.