Thresher men's basketball's KCAC tournament run; claim an at-large bid for the NAIA National tournament
The Threshers beat Ottawa in the quarterfinals, upset Oklahoma Wesleyan in the semis, and fell to Saint Mary in the final, and still got an at-large bid for the national tournament as an 11 seed.
To start the KCAC men's basketball tournament, Bethel (#4) took on the fifth-ranked Ottawa Braves. In a thrilling double-overtime game, the Threshers gave the Stone Zone a dramatic win with a final score of 88-84. They moved on as underdogs, traveling to Bartlesville, Okla. to take on the KCAC one-seeded Eagles. Bethel wasn't intimidated by the ranking as they went back to Newton after a score of 67-64. Unfortunately for the Threshers, though, after a long drive to Leavenworth, they came up just short in the KCAC final versus Saint Mary. However, this loss didn't let their season end, as the NAIA National Tournament committee selected Bethel, to make their fourth appearance in the last five years as a number 11 seed.
The Threshers season is far from over, and one game to thank for that is the KCAC tournament opener. The Threshers took on Ottawa, and it went down as one of the most intense games in Bethel history. The Threshers started slower than expected in the first, and second half, but never gave up when they were down.
“I told the guys, this is a game you won't forget when you have to give it everything you've got, tough plays, big blocks, and huge threes” Head coach Jayson Artaz said.
Although the Threshers were facing an uphill battle, Artaz knew that giving up wasn't an option.
“At halftime, we challenged our toughness, not shying away from contact, blocking shots, and overall attacking more,” Artaz said. “Winners make plays, and that's what these guys are. Winners.”
Ottawa carried a 35-26 lead into halftime, and even as Bethel found its rhythm in the second half, the Braves never relinquished their lead. But Bethel stayed within striking distance, thanks in large part to a standout performance from freshman Dominick Harris, who tallied 10 rebounds to go with seven points and four assists off the bench.
Harris, a true freshman from Flower Mound, Tex. reflected on his part:
“It's just really fun being able to win with my teammates, we're trying to get hot and we find a way to win when it matters most. I'm excited to get back to practice now and go on the road for another win.”
With under 11 seconds left in the first overtime, Eli Wiseman drained a cold-blooded three-pointer to tie the game at 82-82, keeping Bethel alive.
“I saw the clock on 11, and saw myself open for a three. The second that the ball left my hands, I knew it was in. I'm glad that we took the dub in overtime and can't wait to keep moving.” Added Wiseman, a senior from Belle Plaine, post-game. When asked what he's looking forward to next, he kept his response short:
“Win. There is nothing else in my mind right now except to win.”
In double overtime, Bethel finally took its first lead of the game when Nick Bonner converted a go-ahead layup with 1:28 left, giving the Threshers an 86-84 advantage. With the defense holding firm, Yakubu iced the game at the free-throw line with two clutch makes with two seconds remaining, sealing the win.
After the thrilling opener, the Threshers traveled to Oklahoma Wesleyan, for a redemption game, as the Eagles previously won against Bethel in Thresher Gym at the start of the season.
Bethel came out with confidence, keeping pace with the Eagles early before gaining momentum behind a huge first half from Ekene Duru, a senior from Allen, Tex. who provided an unexpected offensive spark. Duru tallied seven first-half points, including a clutch three-pointer to help Bethel take a 32-24 lead into halftime.
The Threshers' defense set the tone, holding OKWU to just 30% shooting in the first half and forcing tough contested shots. Harris was a steady presence throughout the game, making key plays on both ends to help Bethel maintain control.
In the second half, the Eagles made their push, cutting the lead to single digits and applying full-court pressure to disrupt Bethel's offense. However, unlike their first meeting with OKWU — where turnovers plagued the Threshers — Bethel committed just two turnovers against the press, a massive improvement that allowed them to maintain their advantage.
As Oklahoma Wesleyan continued to rally, Harper Jonas delivered one of the biggest shots of the game, hitting a tough baseline jumper to extend Bethel's lead to 60-53 with under four minutes to play. OKWU had a chance to tie, but their shot rimmed out.
With these two wins, taking them to the KCAC final, versus Saint Mary, a devastating loss on the road would end their streak and make them the KCAC runner-up.
The Threshers will bounce back though, as they were selected to play for it all, in the NAIA national tournament. Bethel was selected as an at-large bid, and placed as the #11 seed in the Liston division. They will open up the tournament in Baldwin City, taking on the #6 seed Concordia. The Threshers face the Bulldogs in an attempt to dance through the NAIA tournament, on Friday, March 14th, at 5:00 p.m.