Moving the games a day earlier due to weather, the Tri-Valley Mustang girls and boys basketball teams split a doubleheader in Beresford on Thursday, January 13th. Both games came down to the final shot. The girls lost by one point, 58-57. The boys ended their skid with a three-point win on a buzzer-beater, 50-47.
Beresford 58, Tri-Valley 57 – Girls
The Mustangs nearly completed a fourth quarter comeback in their game. Tri-Valley held a two-point lead after the first quarter, 16-14. The lead grew to five points, 19-14, with 7:40 to go in the first half. The Watchdogs then went on a big second quarter run. Beresford held Tri-Valley to six points the rest of the quarter and led 35-25 at halftime.
Beresford maintained their lead throughout the third quarter. The Watchdogs led 47-39 heading into the fourth quarter. The Mustangs went on an 11-3 run to tie the game 50-50 with 4:45 to play. Tri-Valley eventually took the lead 53-52 with 1:50 to play. The two teams traded baskets the remainder of the game. Stephanie Buchmann made a shot with :12 to go to put the Mustangs ahead 57-56. Beresford followed with a made basket seconds later to retake the lead. After a timeout, Tri-Valley drew up a play that gave Lauren Grinde a good look for a last second shot, but unfortunately, the shot fell of the back of the rim.
Grinde finished with 22 points, four rebounds, two steals, and two assists. Paige Jewett had 11 points and four rebounds. Buchmann added 10 points and four rebounds. Hillary Hastings had six points and five points.
Tri-Valley 50, Beresford 47 – Boys
The Tri-Valley boys completed their comeback for a 50-47 win over the Watchdogs. Beresford took advantage of a slow start by the Mustangs in the first quarter for a 13-5 win. Tri-Valley cut the lead down to one point, 21-20, by halftime.
The Mustangs still found themselves trailing after three quarters of play, 29-26. The Tri-Valley offense really took off in the fourth quarter, nearly doubling their score in the final quarter alone. With the game tied 47-47 with 2.9 seconds to go, Noah Haynes hit a three-pointer from the top of the key at the buzzer to give the Mustangs the win.
Three players finished in double figures for the Mustangs. Haynes finished with 16 points. Lance DeWitt had 12 points, and Connor Christensen had 10 points.