A couple of late threes and clutch free throw shooting enabled South O’Brien to come away with a 59-56 victory over George-Little Rock January 23 at Paullina.
The Mustangs took a 48-47 lead with three minutes remaining in the game and hit a three-point basket a minute later to increase the adavantage to 51-47. Derek Paulsen responded with a three of his own to cut the lead to one. With just under a minute left David Bottjen nailed a three to give the Wolverines the lead at 53-51.
Bottjen added a pair of free throws for a four-point lead but George-Little Rock answered with a basket. Ben Woodall was fouled and he also sank both free throws to push the lead back to four. The Mustangs fired in a trey to climb within one with seven seconds remaining. Bottjen went back to the line and again hit both foul shots. George-Little Rock had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer but the three-point attempt was off the mark.
South O’Brien made all nine of its free throw attempts. The Mustangs, who were 10-of-19 at the line, had several misses in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines were 8-of-26 from three-point range and George-Little Rock 4-of-18. Overall South O’Brien went 21-for-60 from the field (35 percent) while the Mustangs were 21-of-53 (40 percent).
Despite the late heroics from others, it was actually Willie Conley who led the Wolverines in scoring with 19 points. Bottjen added 15 points, Paulsen 11 and Woodall 10. Justice Frerk and Jaden Kreber each tallied two points. The assists leader was Woodall with five, followed by Bottjen with four and Paulsen and Frerk with three apiece.
Conley grabbed nine rebounds and Bottjen six. Steals leaders were Paulsen with three and Conley with two and each also blocked a shot. The Mustangs committed 18 turnovers and South O’Brien 15.
G-LR
12 19 8 17 – 56
S. O’Brien
17 13 11 18 – 59