REBEL BOYS BASKETBALL VS TMB

Cayden Veldhuisen in the corner for three. Then the two teams traded two’s in different ways on the next two possessions. As Andrew Holm secured an offensive rebound and was fouled on the put back attempt. He drilled both free throws for the 17-16 lead with 9:50 left in the half.

The Rebel defense forced multiple stops in a row, as Gavin Gillette and Max Miller hit three’s, extending the lead to 23-16. But the Panthers answered back with two three’s of their own! This is exactly how this game would play out until the final buzzer, four overtime’s later.

Rebels held the lead at 23-22 with 5:07 to play before Carter Hanson hit a three at the top of the key off a Tristan Behrends assist. Gavin Gillette followed this up with a right wing attack and finished at the rim.

The two teams would play evenly for the rest of the half before Cayden Veldhuisen drilled another three and the Rebels took a 35-30 lead into the half. Little did anyone know there was still an entire game left to be played!

The second half started with an Aidan Swenson 15 foot jump shot that rattled around, popped up and dropped in with the soft touch, to get the Rebels out to a 7 point lead, 8 seconds into the half.

A miscommunication on a switch defensively, gave TMB an and-1 opportunity, which they converted, answering back quickly, plus one.

Swenson followed with another offensive rebound off his own miss. His strength around the basket is outstanding, adding a soft touch, he will make opponents pay with second chance opportunities. TMB answered back quickly with a paint score of their own, before Swenson earned a trip to the foul line where he went 1-2 and gave the Rebels a 40-35 lead with just under 17 minutes remaining. Barely over a minute into the second half, and the teams had combined for 10 points!

Trading baskets seemed to be the theme of the game, teams answering back over and over again.

Hudson Schryvers entered the scene on the offensive end in a big way in the second half ,as he attacked from the left wing and made it all the way to the bucket for the lay-in. But per usual TMB answered right back with a tough Alex Munson lay-in of his own.

Schryvers found Swenson on the next possession with the quick post entry and bucket off the glass, before Munson finished a tough two with a reverse lay-up on the other end.

With 11:40 to go, MCC was up 47-43. The Rebels went cold for a bit and the defense gave up 4 unanswered points tying the game at 47-47, before Aidan Swenson found a back cutting Gavin Gillette for an easy two. Great play by the duo, taking advantage of defenders’ eyes being on the ball.

The Panthers transition offense got them the lead at 50-49 as the Rebels didn’t stop the ball early enough on the break when Trevor Smith went coast to coast for the lay-in and the lead. After a Rebels travel, Smith drilled a three, giving the Panthers a 4 point lead with 9:15 to play at 53-49.

Hudson Schryvers answered back the hard way with an and-1, bringing MCC back within a point. The Panthers earned trips to the foul line, extending their lead before a Dylan Kluis top of the key attack, downhill, with a great spin move to his left shoulder, hang, and finish for the smooth two. 5454 with 7:30 to play in regulation.

Kluis would score again on the next possession, this time on an and-1 opportunity. He finished a tough paint shot as he was hip checked and finished through contact. The free throw was no good and the Rebels didn’t get the ball back, but Andrew Holm’s effort on the offensive rebound attempt needs to be recognized as he laid out for the ball, giving up his body for a possession opportunity.

Holm was rewarded by his own craftiness on the next possession, as he finished a George Gervin “Ice Man” long finger roll with the left hand, after a nice spin move from about 10 feet from the bucket. MCC was up four, 58-54 with 6:30 to play.

MCC got a stop and followed it up with a pick and roll action between Dylan Kluis and Holm, which led to a back cut by Gavin Gillette. Kluis found Gillette for the finish at the rim, taking a six point lead into a timeout.

The two teams again traded free throws on their next possessions as TMB went 1-2 and MCC was 2-2 from Gillette. The Panthers drilled a corner three on their next possession, cutting into the lead at 62-58 with just under five minutes to play.

The two teams traded buckets before a crucial defensive possession for the Rebels led to TMB free throws. TMB would get three cracks at it, as the Rebels didn’t earn a defensive rebound and TMB went 2-2 from the foul line to cut the lead to two with just over three minutes left. MCC did not score on their next possession and Trevor Smith hit a three to take the lead by one at 65-64. Smith drilled another three on the Panthers next possession to take a 4 point lead with 2:20 to go.

MCC did not go away. Gillette found a rolling Swenson on the for a bucket on the next possession. This would be followed by a Munson attack and finish, but the Rebels would transition quickly and find Hudson Schryvers for the open wing three, which he would connect on. One point game with 1:30 to go.

The Panthers turned it over on their next possession and the Rebels’ Gavin Gillette took the lead on a sweet runner in the middle of the lane. The Rebels forced a stop and the Panthers fouled Gillette, who went 2-2. giving the Rebels a three point lead with 25.9 to go.

Unfortunately, for the Rebels, Trevor Smith got a clean look at a three and tied the game 10 seconds later! The two teams traded desperation shots, leading into OT!

Overtime play was much the same with the teams trading the lead or tying. Max Miller earned a trip to the foul line with 31 seconds left. He calmly drilled both! 80-80 going into OT number two.

The second OT, began with the teams trading 3’s. Neither team scored for the next couple minutes before Dylan Kluis connected on two big free throws with 1:30 to go. TMB went 1-2 at the line on their next possession and with 40 seconds left, the Rebels had a one point lead. The Rebels turned the ball over on their next possession and the Panthers earned another trip to the line, going 2-2 and taking the one point lead with 25 seconds to go. 86-85. MCC called a timeout.

Gillette came back, attacking the paint on the next possession, kicked it to Max Miller, who’s shot went half way down and rattled out, but Andrew Holm earned a huge offensive rebound and was fouled on the put back with .8 seconds remaining. He knocked down 1-2 sending the game into a third OT.

86-86. You could see the fatigue setting in, as the teams were digging deep to finish the game. Cayden Veldhusein scored the first two points of this period with just over two minutes left of the four minute period from the foul line. He made a great defensive play on the following possession, but couldn’t finish the full speed lay-in.

Gillette converted on another back door cut and bucket on the next possession giving the Rebels a 90-88 lead with a minute to go. Now there was 2.3 three seconds remaining after both teams couldn’t convert. TMB had the ball and called a timeout. The Panthers inbounded to Smith who put up a well contested three, the shot did not fall, but a foul was called. He converted on 2-3 and sent the game into the 4th OT. 90-90!

Gillette started the fourth OT with another smooth runner in the lane. This was followed by a Rebels stop and a huge Max Miller corner three. 95-90 with 3:25 to go. TMB hit a free throw on their next possession, but that would be the only point they would score in the period. Gavin Gillette connected on another finish around the bucket, putting MCC up 97-91. Cayden Velhuisen steal led to a nice pass to Gillette for another lay-up, putting the game away at 99-91, Rebels. A team win to say the least, with many unsung heroes and outstanding performances on both ends of the court during this enduring competition. MCC will be off until December 30th and 31st where they will play JV and Varsity against Lac Qui Parle Valley and Minneota, in Marshall. JV plays at the Marshall High School and Varsity plays at SMSU.

Leading Scorers: Gavin Gillette, 38. Aidan Swenson, 16, Hudson Schyrvers, 13. Dylan Kluis, Cayden Veldhuisen, and Max Miller, all with 8 Leading Rebounders: Gavin Gillette, 14. Aidan Swenson, 12. Hudson Schryvers, 8. Max Miller, 8. Cayden Veldhuisen, 6. Andrew Holm, 5.

Leading Assists: Gavin Gillette, 3. Hudson Schryvers, 3. Max Miller 2.

Leading Steals: Hudson Schryvers and Cayden Veldhuisen with 2 each.