Bantams are back! Narrow victory against Night Hawks
Dec. 29—BELFIELD, N.D. — In the Belfield High School gymnasium on Thursday evening, a fervent crowd witnessed a thrilling home opener between the Bantams and the Hettinger-Scranton Night Hawks boys' basketball teams.
The game, marked by intense moments and late-game suspense, culminated in Belfield's narrow victory, securing their first region match-up with a 55-53 scoreline.
"The boys and I collectively grabbed a knee, bowed our heads and thanked the Lord for the victory," Belfield head coach Tammy Grosulak said. "We are trying to focus on some good and right now, this win was a good and we are thankful for that."
The youthful Belfield team, led by strong performances from their junior players, displayed remarkable endurance and high-tempo play throughout the contest. Even junior varsity players made crucial contributions in the game's dying moments, fortifying the Bantams' defense against the Night Hawks.
Despite the absence of the Night Hawks' all-region senior Maddox Pierce, recovering from a leg injury, the team showcased resilience, rallying in the third and fourth quarters after a lackluster second quarter.
The game's pace started slow, with Belfield trailing 13-8 at the end of the first quarter. However, an impressive 25-point second quarter propelled them to a double-figure lead by halftime, fueled by superb 3-point shooting. The Bantams recorded eight three-pointers, evenly distributed among juniors Mason Kessel, Luke Obrigewitsch, and Kaden Zacher, as well as eighth-grader Sutton Johnson.
Kessel and Zacher played pivotal roles in the early stages, contributing four of the team's six threes in the second quarter. Kessel led the team with 18 points, while Obrigewitsch followed with 17, showcasing clutch performances in critical moments.
Eighth-grader Sutton Johnson's proficiency from beyond the arc highlighted the team's youthful potential, a sentiment echoed by eighth-grade center Eli Bock, who saw late-game action.
"We were worried about rebounding and guarding Larson and the two twins too. We were told to front them and basically deny them the ball and have a strong helpside. Thats how the 2-3 helps in that situation," Obrigewitsch said. "I feel like we went down hill when we started fouling out and giving up multiple fouls, but the people who came off the bench helped us out a lot. Helped us keep it going in the second half and also knocked down shots when we needed to."
Hettinger-Scranton capitalized on their height advantage in the second half, outscoring the Bantams 21-11 in the third quarter. Although they closed the gap to a one-score game in the fourth quarter, the Bantams managed to secure the win. Junior forward Blake Larson fouled out in the last five minutes, relieving some pressure for Belfield, who also had their center Kooper Dye foul out.
"Hettinger-Scranton, the water over there produces some big boys and they are gritty and they battle and they are just class acts, Grosulak said. "Sometimes you learn more from a loss even though it stings. I believe they are going to continue to learn and keep pressing forward."
Junior Caden Anderson led the Night Hawks with 10 points and two 3-pointers, joined by Malachi Dilse, who also contributed 10 points, with six in the final quarter. Forrest Forthun and Freddie Forthun played crucial roles in Hettinger-Scranton's third-quarter rally. Particularly from the post and their offensive rebounding. They dominated the paint and collected multiple points off second chances.
The Bantams look to maintain their momentum as they host the Trenton Tigers on Saturday, Dec. 30. Hettinger-Scranton will resume play in the new year, facing Bowman County on Jan. 5 in Scranton.
"I am so happy to win," Obrigewitsch said. "My whole family have been Bantams their whole lives, so it feels awesome to come out here and give them a good game and pull through with a W."
