On paper, Kingsland (7-5) was probably the favorite versus M-C (5-6) in a boys basketball game. But with each team down a post player, with porous shooting, and with M-C’s top big guy near unstoppable, it took until overtime to seal the deal. A close regulation had eight ties, largest lead M-C 31-23. The teams went (nearly) back-and-forth late; Dylan Loppnow lay-up (43-39 M-C), Wyatt Pruter coast-to-coast lay-up (43-41), Brayden Gjere lay-up (45-41), Zach Hauser base-line reverse (45-43), Drew Wyffels free throws (47-43), Hauser corner-three (47-46), M-C turnover, Pruter long bank-in-three (49-47 King), Loppnow lay-up (49-49)! In the final 7.1 seconds, Kingsland didn’t get up a good shot. The contest went to overtime. There, Loppnow critically fouled out very early. M-C kept pace for two more ties and even led 55-54. Hauser scored Kingsland’s final six points. The Knights escaped 60-55 in OT. Pruter (25 pts, 4-14 threes, 9 rebs) led the way. Hauser (16 pts, 8 rebs) scored 12 in the final seven (overall) minutes. Reid Kruegel (14 pts, 14 rebs) added a double-double. Near unstoppable Loppnow, a 6’5” senior C, had a career-game (29 pts, 12-16 FGs, 14 rebs). Wyffels (13 pts, 8 rebs, 9 asts, 3 stls) was his best assistor. Kingsland went 8 of 42 threes (19%), 22 of 71 FGs (30%), and 8 of 16 FTs (50%). M-C went 2 of 18 (11%), 18 of 52 (35%), and 17 of 28 (61%). John Fenske’s group improved to 5-2 in the SEC. M-C is 2-3, 5-7.
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