This year, because of the pandemic, most schools are trying to get Senior Night done before the traditional last game of the season, just in case that last game is cancelled. Corvallis’ Senior Night for the boys was last Thursday night. The six seniors on the team have played together since grade school and so it was an emotional night. Add in the fact that their opponent was their arch rival and the emotions are even higher.
It may have been the emotions of the night that affected the Blue Devils but for whatever reason, Corvallis only scored two points in the first quarter. Those points were a couple of free throws by Bryce Mayn. Hamilton, in the mean time, put up 10 points including two treys and a regular field goal by Austin Drake.
Corvallis got back into the game in the second quarter behind Tanner Jessop’s nine points. Corvallis still trailed by six points but they were gaining momentum.
“It was a great game,” said Hamilton coach Travis Blome. “It’s a rivalry game. Both teams played extremely hard.”
Corvallis’ Cole Trexler came out strong in the third quarter and scored three baskets right away in the third quarter and got the Blue Devils back in the game. A few minutes later, he scored another lay up to tie the game at 22 all. Corvallis kept its momentum and by the end of the third quarter, had a four point lead over Hamilton, thanks in part to Tanner Jessop’s three point shot in the last minute.
In the fourth quarter, Hamilton’s Tanner Hanson sank a trey with just under a minute remaining in the game. To pull the Broncs to within field goal range. Corvallis’ Trexler fouled out which left Hamilton’s big guy, Tyler Burrows open just a bit. He sank an inside shot to tie the game at 36 all.
“We battled through adversity,” said Blome. “Down six points and not falling apart.”
Blome went on to say that Burrows was doing a great job. “Burrows hit the big one and it was huge. He anchors our defensive and right now, we’re trying to go through him offensively. We expect a lot out of him and he did a great job.”
The shot by Burrows tied the game at 36-all as the buzzer sounded. That sent the game into overtime. Both teams were playing hard but couldn’t get the ball to drop. With 56 seconds remaining in the OT period, Corvallis’ Mitch Spinetta hit a bucket but Corvallis coach Zane Warnken had called a timeout just as the shot sank and so it didn’t count. The overtime period ended with each team only scoring one point and the game was still tied.
In the second overtime, Drake got hot again and sank a field goal and then a three pointer to give the Broncs a push. Hamilton went on to win, 48-37.
“We did a lot of little things in that overtime,” according to Blome. “We took care of the basketball and Austin (Drake) hit a couple of key shots. Corvallis is a good team, with a lot of talent. We knew it was going to come down to the wire.
Hamilton 48, Corvallis 37
Corvallis – Tanner Jessop 15, Jacob Loran 2, Donovan Potter 3, Bryce Mayn 3, Cole Trexler 9, Mitchell Spinetta 5.
Hamilton – Colter Kirkland 4, Tanner Hanson 8, Austin Drake 18, Liam O’Connell 3, Eli Taylor 5, Tyler Burrows 10.
Hamilton defeated Columbia Falls on Saturday, 60-34.
Corvallis fell to Dillon, 76-43, on Saturday. Donovan Potter had 8 points to lead Corvallis. Luke Wolsky had seven points. Bryce Mayn, Trexler and Spinetta each had six points. Jessop and Loran finished with four points each and Landon Conner had 2.
Stevensville fell to Butte Central, 70-32. Gus Turner had nine points to lead the Yellowjackets. The ‘Jackets also fell to Polson, 78-26. Turner led Stevi with 14 points.