Boys Basketball: Caledonia and PEM Again Go Three OT’s

The last time they battled, Caledonia beat PEM 72-61 in three overtimes in the 2022 1AA title game. The teams hooked up in Plainview for their first meeting since. It again took three overtimes. PEM (#7 in AA) used Aeron Stevens (16 points) and Kaiden Peters (15 points) to lead most of the first half. The Bulldogs shot 13 of 21 from the field (62%) and 14 of 18 from the line (78%) for a 44-35 halftime lead. PEM (3-0, 5-3) led by as many as 14 in the second half. But Caledonia (3-0, 3-3) had an efficient spurt, scoring on 10 of 12 possessions. They had an 11-0 run. Lewis Doyle’s layup got Cal to down 59-58 with seven minutes left. But with 1:47 left, PEM’s lead was back to eight (68-60) following a Jaymeson Brinkman layup. The Bulldogs final three possessions all ended in turnover. After not making a three all second half, Caledonia hit two late. Doyle buried one and Garrett Konz, ye of two points at the time, hit a second to tie the game at 68-68 (0:30)! It was an 8-0 Warrior run. A PEM turnover then sent the contest to OT tied at 68! In the first session, two Mason King free throws made it 75-75 (0:38.8). ). The sophomore had all seven Warriors points in the session. Stevens, 11 of 13 at the line at the time, then missed the front-end (0:25). The Warriors had a chance for the win, but Doyle missed a tough shot. Things went to a second OT tied 75-75! Said session saw Doyle hit two lane jumpers in a row, that latter putting Cal up 83-82. PEM had the ball the final 0:23. Stevens missed a fallaway shot as time waned, but he was fouled. He missed the first but made the second free throw, sending the game to a third OT, tied 83-83! There, Caledonia was 1 of 5 from the field and 2 of 4 at the line. The 6’7” Stevens, a Southwest State commit, was 3 for 3. A clutch Doyle three kept Cal alive, down 90-88 (0:17.2). But Bulldog Brady Herber hit two free throws with 0:09 left to make it 92-88. PEM grabbed the win in triple OT, 93-88. Stevens finished with 41 points (15-20 FTs) and 11 rebounds. Peters (19 pts, 5 rebs, 7 asts, 4 stls), Liam Powers (11 pts, 3-8 threes), and Brinkman (11 pts, 5 rebs) helped. Peters had just four after the first half. Doyle (27 pts, 8-8 FTs, 3-4 threes, 7 asts) led the Warriors. King (19 pts, 5-5 FTs, 5 rebs) and Reid Klug (17 pts, 3-7 threes) also hit double figures. Klug had 13 in the first half. Ethan Stendel (8 pts, 7 rebs, 3 stls, 3 blks) and Konz (7 pts, 9 rebs) helped. PEM hit 29 of 45 free throws to Cal’s 19 of 26.