With Christmas break on the horizon, the TMB Panthers visited Slayton for one last game Saturday morning. TMB came into the game 6-0, while the Rebels had a 3-2 mark. Nobody could have predicted how this instant classic would play out, but it took FOUR overtimes to determine a winner.
The first half started with the Panthers winning the tip. MCC forced two missed shots before finishing the first possession of the game on defense with a rebound. MCC got two cracks at it on their first offensive possession, as Aidan Swenson grabbed an offensive rebound and put back off his own miss for the first two points of the game.
MCC got another stop before Gavin Gillette finished with the nice reverse lay-up to get the Rebels up 4-0. The Rebels got what’s called a “kill” or three stops in a row on defense before the Panthers earned their first bucket off a turnover, which turned into a lay-up. MCC would give up another coast to coast lay-up on their next defensive possession, not stopping the ball in transition.
At 4-4 with 15 minutes to go in the half, the action was starting to heat up. Aidan Swenson gathered another offensive rebound to give the Rebels a 6-4 lead before Trevor Smith of the Panthers earned a trip to the foul line and went 2-2 and tied the game.
MCC trailed for the first time in the game at 8-6 after TMB earned another trip to the foul line, this time after an offensive rebound and put back attempt. Hudson Schyrvers would tied the game up quickly, after a baseline cut and a nice post entry pass by Dylan Kluis. Schryvers turned over his left shoulder and hit the baby hook for two.
The score remained at 9-9 until just under the 13 minute mark, as both teams earned trips to the foul line and went 1-2. The free throw game became a big factor in this game as TMB earned 36 attempts and made 24 while the Rebels finished 18-24 from the stripe.
The Panthers went up 11-9 before Gavin Gillette drilled his first of 5 three’s of the game. The two teams traded three point makes on the next two possessions. Carson Engelkes would attack and kick to an open
