The Bison Boys’ basketball team fell to the Brainerd Warriors 67-69 in a double overtime battle on Tuesday night. This was the first Section game and the winner would go on to play the winner between Moorehead and STMA, and the loser would end its season.
The Bison were seeded first in the section so they played the number eight seed Brainerd, but the section was so evenly balanced the whole bracket almost got flipped. Three of the four games that took place in the first round turned out upsets. Number One Buffalo lost to #8 Brainerd, #3 Elk River lost to #6 Bemedji, and #4 STMA lost to #5 Moorehead. This was the first season since the 2006-07 season that the Bison held the top spot in the section, but this year that spot was just a number, not a trip back to the State Tournament.
The game started in the favor of the Bison. Junior Peter Cassady wins the tip and Senior Dom Gilmer got an early bucket. With about 9 minutes remaining the Bison were leading 12-8. Junior Ethan Freer’s shooting was starting to get hot. After he hit three 3-pointers, the Bison kept the three point lead with 5:20 remaining in the half. After a time out called by the Warriors, Brainerd started fireing back. They hit a few long range shots and took the lead at the half 30-29. Freer had 15 points and Schepp and Gilmer both had 7 points each in the first half.
The Bison started with the ball in the second half the Warriors scored first. Freer, the leading scorer , committed his third foul with in a few minutes of the half and was replaced by Senior Caleb Ruter. Buffalo was down 35-41 with 11 minutes remaining and Freer came back into the game. Things started going right for the Bison starting with Cassady’s back to back and one’s, both assisted by Freer, which cut Brainerd’s lead to only 2. Brainerd at that point had 10 fouls in the half so for every other foul, the Bison were shooting double bonus. Freer hits another shot and a free throw to put the bison up with six minutes left for the first time since the first half. They kept the lead for a solid three minutes when Brainerd hit some key jumpers. Both teams were at that point shooting double bonus for each foul with the score tied 55-55 with 25 seconds remaining in the game. The clock ticked to 3 seconds and Schepp shot a 3-pointer that bounced out. Cassady got the rebound but ball spun out and didnt fall in. They were headed into overtime.
Overtimes are four minutes long and start with another tip off. Cassady wins the tip but Brainerd was quick to score first. With the clock at 1:38, Freer hits his fourth 3-pointer of the night to cut Brainerd’s lead to 3. The Bison make another free throw and Junior Jason Senger drives in the lane to tie the game 63-63 with 24 seconds. Brainerd has the last shot but was unable to finish so they head into double overtime.
Again, Brainerd comes out strong and takes the lead right away. Both Senger and Freer commit their 5th fouls back to back and are subbed out. The Bison were down one with the ball with 31 seconds remaining, but a turnover and a techincal foul gives brainerd two free throws and the ball with 13.8 seconds remaining. Brainerd makes one of the free throws and keeps the ball away from the Bison. There were 4 clutch free throws missed by the bison in double overtime.
The final score was 67-69. Junior Ethan Freer had the game and his season high 28 points knocking down four 3-pointers. Senger and Cassady followed him with 11 and 10 points in the game. The loss ends the Bison’s season with a final record of 17-10.
