Brandywine repeatedly got to the basket, but the Bobcats had trouble finishing Monday in a 53-50 overtime boys basketball loss to visiting New Buffalo.

“We were trying to throw the ball in the ocean and the ocean dried up on us,” Brandywine coach Nathan Knapp said after watching his team miss nearly two dozen shots of five feet or closer in falling to the Bison. “I couldn’t figure it out. We missed a lot of layups. It cost us the game missing bunnies.”

For the night, the Bobcats (10-2) made 21-of-68 attempts from the floor and New Buffalo (6-5) converted on 18-of-54.

“We had a lot of chances early,” Bison coach Randy Mast said. “I don’t think it should have went to overtime.

“At least the guys stuck with it and made some clutch shots.”

A steal and layup by Marquise Davis put Brandywine ahead 46-44 with 3:22 to go in the four-minute overtime period. Moments later, a 3-pointer by Marques Artz put New Buffalo up 47-46 and the Bison never trailed the rest of the way.

A three-point play by Vinny Peel brought the Bobcats within 51-50, but a pair of free throws by Artz gave the visitors the final margin of victory.

Art and Jarek Hotwagner scored 16 points each and Travis Maddux 13 to pace the Bison. Artz, Hotwagner and Maddux had 10, nine and eight points respectively in the second half.

Peel (19 points), Hunter Slaughter (12) and Austin Knapp (11) paced Brandywine. Ten of Knapp’s points came after halftime while Peel tallied all of his points in the second quarter and Slaughter canned five points each in the first and fourth quarters.

It was a steal and layup by Knapp with 16.5 second to go in the fourth quarter that tied the game at 44-all and helped send it to overtime when a long shot by Artz missed the mark at the regulation buzzer.

Brandywine jumps back into action Tuesday, Feb. 2, at River Valley. New Buffalo entertains Bronson Friday, Feb. 5.

 

NEW BUFFALO 53, BRANDYWINE 50 (OT)

At Brandywine

NEW BUFFALO 53

Travis Maddux 13, Jarek Hotwagner 16, Creo Brewster 3, Marques Artz 16, Isaiah Ripley 0, Clayton Artz 2, Rylee Fournier 0, Gaige Rice 3, Sotiri Margaritis 0, Cody Looney 0. TOTALS: 18 10-13 53.

BRANDYWINE 50

Austin Knapp 11, Vinny Peel 19, Cole Searles 0, Marquise Davis 8, Hunter Slaughter 12, Brady Duval 0, Chandler Plew 0, Scott Miller 0. TOTALS:  21 5-6 50.

 

New Buffalo        16          23   36      44    53

Brandywine        14          23     36      44    50

3-point baskets: New Buffalo 7 (M. Artz 4, Maddux, Brewster, Rice), Brandywine 3 (Slaughter 2, A, Knapp). Total fouls (fouled out): New Buffalo 14 (none), Brandywine 13 (Peel 13.7, OT). Shooting: New Buffalo 18-of-54 for 33 percent, Brandywine 21-of-68 for 31 percent, Rebounds: New Buffalo 31 (Hotwagner 10, Maddox 7), Brandywine 47 (Searles 15, Peel 12, Davis 7). Turnovers: New Buffalo 21, Brandywine 18. Varsity records: New Buffalo 6-5, Brandywine 10-2. JV: New Buffalo 48, Brandywine 43. Freshmen: Buchanan 58, Brandywine 39.