MCC 76 - EDGERTON 72
The 10-5 Rebel boys basketball team traveled to Edgerton to take on the 7-7 Flying Dutchmen for their first Red Rock Conference matchup. Edgerton has played a tough schedule and been in most all of their games into the second half. This game would not be any different in that regard, but Edgerton was not just in this contest, they were in command of this ball game deep into the second half before the Rebels put together a gritty comeback. Down 22 points with 10:30 to play, this group of young men did not lose hope, and accomplished a rare feat.
The game did not get off to the start the Rebels were hoping for. MCC won the tip, but immediately gave the ball up with an over and back violation. The story of the first half would be a combination of not finishing possessions with defensive rebounds and fouls. MCC gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the first half. Two of these led to Aidan Swenson fouls. The junior center played less than two minutes before picking up his second foul, both occurring after Edgerton picked up an extra possession. Swenson would have the Rebels only two points up to this part of the game as well, before Hudson Schryvers earned a trip to the foul line, where he went 1-2. 4-3 Edgerton, two minutes into the game.
Without Swenson’s post presence on both ends of the floor, Edgerton continued to make MCC pay, scoring 18 points in the paint. And-1 opportunities, being fouled on shots in the paint and earning trips to the foul line consistently. The Flying Dutchmen shot 8 free throws in the first half alone, making 6. This energy and effort in the paint lead to great looks from the permeter for Edgerton as well. They would connect on three from beyond the arc and stole momentum early and never relinquished it in the first half. The lead grew and grew until it was up to 13, 37-24 with 10 seconds left in the half. Tristan Behrends drilled a right corner three after a Carter Hanson attack and kick to Hudson Schryvers, who made the extra pass to an open Behrends, who buried it. Down 10 going into the half, 37-27.
The Rebels settled for three point shots and didn’t attack the open gaps that were presented to them. MCC shot two free throws in the first half. The Rebels defense looked stagnant. On multiple occasions, Edgerton was able to make one pass from the slot to the wing and the defense was late to contest. Edgerton would knock down the three or simply attack the poor closeouts. The energy and effort was definitely not being displayed by the Rebels up to this point and it wasn’t going to get any better for a while!
Edgerton started with the ball and scored on a tough fade away jumper from about 10 feet, late in the shot clock to get the crowd excited early. Dylan Kluis answered back with a nice 8 foot runner off a strong attack from the left wing. Edgerton drilled a three on their next possession and the Rebels did not connect on their next offensive possession. Both teams turned the ball over on the next two possessions, before Edgerton hit another three. Just like that, the Rebels were down 16 with just under 16 minutes to go in the game. Timeout Rebels.
Max Miller hit a three out of the timeout, but Edgerton answered back and hit another three point shot. This game had that feel where it just wasn’t going to be MCC’s night. The Rebels switched into a box and one defense against Kade Moffitt, who hit the last three Edgerton three point shots. But the Rebels struggled to rebound out of it and Edgerton scored off an offensive rebound and put back on the first possession in the box.
Turnovers started to plague the Rebels in their next possessions and they gave the ball up 2 of three possessions, while Edgerton hit a three, attacked the basket and scored from the paint to push the lead 18, then 20 on an and-1 opportunity for the Flying Dutchmen. They connected on the free throw to go up 21 with 12 minutes left in the ball game.
The Rebels found some life on their next offensive possession as Hudson Schryvers followed up his missed three with an offensive rebound and earned the hoop and the harm on his putback attempt. He finished the and-1 with a soft touch from the foul line to bring the lead back under 20, to 18. But Edgerton went on a 4-0 run themselves. to go back up 22 with 11 minutes remaining at 62-40.
The Rebels turned the ball over on their next possession and the Flying Dutchmen missed a three on theirs before Carter Hanson was fouled shooting a three. He knocked down 2-3 to bring the lead back to 20 with 10:32 remaining in the game.
Dylan Kluis entered the game shortly after the free throws and the game started to turn in the favor of the Rebels. Within the next 30 seconds MCC had forced two turnovers. The second led to free throws for Senior Gavin Gillette, he made both to cut the lead to 18 with 10:03 to go. MCC got a stop and Gillette knocked down a 10 foot jumper on the next possession.
Edgerton called a timeout and scored on their next possession before Gillette earned another trip to the foul line. He delivered on both again. 9 minutes left and the lead was now 16. Edgerton answered after a nice pass under the basket from the Dutchmen. Hudson Schryvers earned a trip to the foul line on the Rebels next possession to answer back. He connected on both. Scoring with the clock stopped was exactly what the Rebels needed.
The spread was still 16 before Max Miller deflected a pass. Schryvers got the steal and pushed the ball in transition. The Rebels didn’t score, but the pace of the game had changed in favor of the Rebels. Edgerton took a quick shot on their next possession which led to Schryvers being fouled in transition. He madee 1-2 from the line to cut the lead to 15 with 7:44 to go.
MCC forced a turnover on Edgerton’s next possession, deflecting an inbound pass that would end up in Schryvers’ hands. He pushed the ball up the floor and found Max Miller in the corner for the big three. Lead was now down to 12 with 7:19 to go.
MCC forced a travel on the next Dutchmen possession, one aspect on the defensive end that changed, as the Rebels stopped allowing dribble penetration to the middle of the lane, making it more challenging for Edgerton to move the ball freely. Dylan Kluis earned a trip to the foul line on the Rebels next possession, connecting on 1-2 with 6:42 to play. MCC was down 11. Both teams would trade stops on defense before Edgerton connected on 1-2 free throws at the 5:36 mark to push the lead back to 12.
Gavin Gillette pushed the ball up the floor quickly after the make and found Hudson Schryvers in the middle of the zone defense. He passed the ball to Hudson, who quickly pivoted and found Max Miller on the left wing. His three went round and round the rim before dropping. MCC was back within single digits, down 9 with 5:30 to go. They scored again 5 seconds after the free throw make!
Dylan Kluis read the passer and jump the lane for a steal on the next defensive possession. He pushed the ball up to Schryvers who was fouled in transition and earn a trip to the line again. He connected on 1-2. He missed the second and Gavin Gillette secured the offensive rebound. He kicked it out and on the next pass, the ball was tipped and started bouncing all over the place, in and out of players grasp. At the end of the sequence Edgerton had the ball, but ended up stepping out of bounds on the sideline. Seconds later, a technical foul was assessed to Edgerton. Gavin Gillette stepped to the line and made both, cutting into the lead even more. A 6 point game with just over 4 minutes to play.
MCC got a stop on defense before Hudson Schryvers attacked and dished to Dylan Kluis on the short corner cut. He would go up and score, cutting the lead to 4 with just under four minutes to play. MCC used a timeout after the bucket.
Edgerton was forced into a turnover on their next possession just past half court in the “dead” corner. Aidan Swenson found the ball and took a couple dribbles towards the lane before passing to Gillette, who would hang and knock in two more. Two point game with 3:34 remaining. On the next inbound, Edgerton got the ball in and looked to pass back to the inbounder, who was not expecting the pass. The basketball sailed out of bounds and it was Rebels ball, with a chance to tie or take the lead.
Dylan Kluis delivered. The Senior was attacking all second half, this possession was no different. Kluis attacked down the right lane line and spun back to the left lane line, jumped, hung in the air, and finished with the left. Tie game! 3:23 to go.
The Rebels got another stop on defense as Aidan Swenson got a blocked shot. Then Swenson finished on the other end from the right block. MCC was up 69-67 with just under three minutes to go. Edgerton earned a trip to the foul line on their next possession and tie the game with just over two minutes to play. 69-69.
On the next two possessions, the Rebels and the Flying Dutchmen each went 1-2 from the foul line to keep the game tied at 70. Dylan Kluis pushed the ball in transition off the missed free throw and attacked the basket. He would miss, but Gavin Gillette gathered up the offensive rebound and put the ball in the bucket, to go up two with 1:34 to play.
MCC fouled on their next possession, sending Edgerton back to the foul line where they converted on both, to tie the game up at 72. The Rebels did not score on their next offensive possession, giving the ball back to the Flying Dutchmen with 50 seconds to go. They took a timeout with 20 seconds left on the shot clock. Out of the timeout, MCC put the pressure on Edgerton, trying to trap the inbound. Then, Gavin Gillette forced an extremely tough fadeaway shot from 18 feet away from the basket. The shot was short and Gillette attacked the ball and got there first. He would be fouled in the physical play and earn a trip to the free throw line. Gillette delivered again and made both, giving MCC the two point lead with 20 seconds to go.
Edgerton brought the ball up the floor and with about 7 seconds left, Gillette’s man to man defense again forced a long fadeaway jumper which went wide left. Max Miller secured the rebound with just under 5 seconds left. This would be important as Edgerton had no timeouts left. Miller went calmly to the foul line and made both to go up 4. Now, as long as MCC doesn’t foul, the game is over. The Rebels did not have to inbound the basketball off a made two or three. Edgerton did not make the shot. MCC gathered the rebound as time expired and the 22 point comeback was complete. The Rebels won 76-72. A gritty team performance indeed.
MCC leading scorers: Max Miller with 26. Gavin Gillette with 23. Dylan Kluis with 9. Hudson Schryvers with 8. Leading Rebounder: Aidan Swenson & Hudson Schryvers with 8. Gavin Gillette with 7. Leading Assists: Gavin Gillette with 6. Hudson Schryvers with 5. Leading Steals: Gavin Gillette, Hudson Schryvers, and Aidan Swenson all with 2. MCC shot 22-65 from the field at 34%. 10-28 from 3, at 36%. 22-28 from the foul line, 79%. Edgerton shot 26-72 from the field at 36%. 7-26 from 3, at 27%. 13–17 from the foul line, 76%.
