Buzzer Beater Win over Mansfield

The game against the Mansfield Lions began with the Bears getting the tip off but having trouble with a score. It became a back-to-back scoring between the Bears and the Lions. With 3:30 left, the Bears were down by three. The Lions’ height advantage from the Lions made the Bears work harder to score, and the quarter ended with 18-10, Lions.

The second quarter saw Gabe Colvin make an early three. Firing back again, Gannon McGinnis hits a three of his own. From there, however, both teams struggled to put up points. Thanks to a Lion turnover, the Bears recovered with a gap in the score and were down by 7 at the half, 29-22 Lions.

The third quarter gave the Bears trouble with turnover and low scoring. The Lions’ lead widened. With 3:30 to go, the Bears were down by 14. The Osborn brother were fighting for the basket, but to no avail. The team gained very little ground and were down by 10 headed in the fourth, 40-30.

In a word, the fourth quarter was intense. The Bears were bent on a comeback. Pep club got fired up when the Lady Bears returned from their own game. The commotion from the stand got the Bear fans and players firing on all cylinders.

With 6:30 left, Willow had chipped the loss away to only 6 and kept up the defense. Owen Duddridge and Gannon McGinnis with quick hands kept the Lions from scoring.

With two minutes left, the Bears were down by 1, and then tied the game with 1 minute on the clock.

A foul gave away a point to the Lions from the free throw line, and the Lions were ahead by one point with 59 seconds to play. 

After boiling back and forth, Owen Duddridge nabbed the rebound and brought the ball back into scoring position for the Bears. He set up the play, and Gannon McGinnis scored. The Bears took the lead by one.

The Lions had a possession in the last 3 seconds of the game, and an attempted half-court shot had everyone in Munford Gymnasium holding their breath. The shot was no good, and the buzzer rang out with on a Bear victory of one point, 44 to 43. 

The Bears on a winning streak and are 11-3 for the season. Scoring against Mansfield were Scottie Osborn with 14, Owen Duddridge with 12, Gannon McGinnis with 9, Gabe Colvin with 5, and Scooter Osborn with 4. Next week up is the Mountain Grove Tournament with play beginning on January 24 at 6:00 p.m.