The Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Rebels Boy’s Basketball team only led for over seven minutes, but they made clutch free throws and big shots down the stretch to beat the #3 seed Plainview-Elgin-Millville Bulldogs 63-61 in the first round of the Minnesota State Class A Boys Basketball tournament at Williams Arena in Minneapolis.
FIRST HALF –
Plainview-Elgin-Millville (PEM) started the game by scoring the first four points of the game for a 4-0 lead 37 seconds into the game. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton’s Drew Sheeley responded in a big way with a three-pointer followed by a three-point play to give the Rebels a 6-4 lead four minutes into the game. PEM answered with four points before DGF’s Owen Leach made a free throw, followed by a basket by Sheeley, and a Karson Steichen free throw, and the Rebels retook the lead at 10-8. The teams continued the back-and-forth battle with two lead changes, and DGF led 13-12 with 7:32 remaining in the half, with PEM going on an 8-0 run. The run was sparked by an Aeron Stevens three-pointer before he stole the ball at the top of the key and went in for a big two-handed slam dunk. The Bulldogs added three more points for a 20-13 lead with 5:17 left in the half. DGF trailed 24-17 when Leach scored two, and after a PEM free throw, Grant Anderson added two points, and with five seconds left in the half, Leach drove the lane and kicked a pass out to a wide-open Cayson Bergee, who buried a three-pointer, and the Rebels trailed 25-24 going into halftime.
SECOND HALF –
PEM started the second half like they started the game, by starting on a 5-0 run for a 30-24 lead two minutes into the half. PEM led 35-28 when DGF’s Bergee made a three-pointer, and Leach followed with a basket to bring the Rebels within a 35-33 deficit. The teams exchanged baskets for several minutes, and PEM led 46-43 halfway through the half before Steichen made a three-pointer to tie the game at 46-46 with 8:23 remaining. PEM took a 51-47 lead after a Liam Powers three-pointer before DGF’s Leach answered with a basket before Brody Friend made a three-pointer to give the Rebels their first lead of the second half at 52-51 with 6:23 left in the game. PEM’s Kaiden Peters made four straight points over a three-minute span to give the Bulldogs a 56-52 lead with three minutes remaining. DGF’s Leach stopped the run with two free throws, and after PEM missed the front end of the bonus, the Rebel’s Grant Anderson made a basket with 2:16 remaining. PEM was called for a travel, and DGF’s Leach answered with a huge three-pointer at the top of the key for a 59-56 lead with 90 seconds left. PEM made two free throws 13 seconds later to get within a 59-58 deficit. DGF brought the ball into the front court and worked the ball around to take time off the clock, and turned the ball over. DGF committed a foul, but PEM missed two free throws with 37 seconds left. After a DGF timeout, the Rebels turned the ball over, and PEM’s Stevens went in for a layup for a 60-59 lead. DGF answered as Leach drove the lane and was fouled with 8.8 seconds left. Leach made both free throws for a 61-60 lead. PEM tried a full-court pass and didn’t catch the pass, and turned the ball over. DGF inbounded a pass the Sheeley, and he was fouled with 4.4 seconds remaining and made both free throws for a 63-60, their biggest lead of the game. DGF elected to foul with 3.4 seconds remaining, and PEM made one of two free throws while trying to miss the second shot. DGF was fouled and missed both free throws with 2.2 seconds remaining, and PEM tried a three-quarters court shot and missed, and the Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Rebels won the game 63-61.
DGF improves to 25-6 on the year and will play #2 seed Albany at 8:00 p.m. at Target Center in Minneapolis on Friday night. You can hear the game on KROX Radio.
Plainview-Elgin-Millville drops to 26-5 on the year and will play in the Consolation Semi-finals against Pequot Lakes at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday night at Concordia St. Paul.
|
|
1st
|
2nd
|
Final
|
|
DGF
|
24 |
39 |
63 |
|
PEM
|
25 |
36 |
61 |
|
For Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton
|
Points
|
Owen Leach |
28 |
Drew Sheeley |
10 |
Cayson Bergee |
6 |
Karson Steichen |
5 |
Grant Anderson |
5 |
Austin Anderson |
4 |
Brody Friend |
3 |
Peyton Aas |
2 |
|
For Plainview-Elgin-Millville
|
Points
|
Kaiden Peters |
16 |
Aeron Stevens |
14 |
Liam Powers |
9 |
Brady Herber |
8 |
Nicholas Wozney |
4 |
Jameson Brinkman |
4 |
Parker Matti |
4 |
Chases Fogelson |
2 |
