The MCC Rebel Boys Basketball teamed played their most important game of the year Friday night in Edgerton. The Rebels would face the Southwest Minnesota Christian Eagles for the second time this season. In game one, played in Slayton, the Rebels overcame a double-digit deficit in the final nine minutes of the game and pulled off the win. It was the Eagle’s only conference loss this season. With the Rebels also having just one loss in the conference, the winner of the game on Friday would be guaranteed at least a share of the conference title depending on the outcomes of Monday’s games. It would be another great game between the two teams.
The Eagles got the lead early in this game and they held it for most of the game. Jarrett Kuipers again dominated the Rebels. The senior big man scored 41 against the Rebels in game one and he would put up 37 on Friday. His combination of length and strength would cause the Rebels all sorts of problems. The Rebels countered with the duo of Bryce Hoekman and Tanner Graphenteen who scored 37 points between the two. The Eagles led at the half 31 to 27.
The Eagles led almost all of the first half and they would maintain the lead in the second half. The Rebels would make a run to get within a basket and the Eagles would stretch it back out to eight or nine points. The Rebels would then try and come back and it would yo-yo back and forth much of the second half. In the final minute, the Eagles led by four points when the Rebels set up a play for Tanner Graphenteen. He hit a three-point shot to get the game within one point. The Rebels then had to foul the Eagles to send them to the free-throw line. With just under 4 seconds to play, the Eagles made one of the two free throws to go ahead by 2 points. The Rebels inbounded the ball to Tanner Graphenteen, he rushed to the front court, but would dribble off his leg near midcourt, losing the basketball. The Eagles got the win 66-64.
The Red Rock Conference standings heading into the final games on Monday have the Eagles with 1 loss in the conference, MCC has two losses, and WWG has 3. The Rebels will play at Westbrook against the Chargers on Monday. The Eagles will take on the Wolverines of Mountain Lake Area Comfrey. The Eagles will win the Red Rock Conference with a win or a Rebels loss. MCC will win a share of the Red Rock Conference if they win and SWC loses. MCC take second place if they win and SWC also wins. WWG would tie the Rebels for second place with a win over the Rebels. The first round of the Subsection 3A South playoffs begins on Thursday.
