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Bryson boys flat in home finale

Wed, 02/17/2021 - 5:00 am

BRYSON – Missing a four-year senior starter for any reason can put you in the dumps real quick.

The game still needs to be played, however.

In their regular season finale, the Cowboys, who were without Landon Stephens due to illness, seemed like they wanted to be anywhere else but the Corral. That, and No.2-Graford being their opponent, led to a 76-13 setback.

For the game, Bryson took just 21 shots, including five in the final minute. Bryson had the last six points of the contest, including a pair of Justin Justus buckets with Ragen Register finishing the job with another basket.

Still, the Cowboys went nearly 13 minutes without a hoop in the middle stanzas. A three-pointer by Zander Tinney with seven seconds to go in the first half was the Cowboys’ first basket of the night. Ethan Smith had the first Bryson points, a pair of free throws to cut a 4-0 lead in half early. Graford would close the first quarter on a 17-0 string would then add 15 second quarter tallies before Tinney’s three ended the first half with the visitors holding a 36-5.

Graford was able to take that lead by forcing turnovers which led to easy layups. Graford then went on a 24-0 spurt in the third, six points each from Marc Matthews and Trent Lemley leading the charge. Levi Butler’s pair of three-pointers paced the fourth frame for the Jackrabbits.

Smith’s layin with 3:38 to go ended the string. Bryson Coach Slade Egan said that the loss of Stephens did hurt but took his hat off to Graford.

“That is a great, well coached team,” Egan commented. “We really missed Landon but no matter who it is on the floor we have to take better care of the ball.”

Bryson and Perrin need to break a second-place tie in district to determine seeding for the upcoming playoffs, which begin later this week. Egan said depending on how the tiebreaker goes, the first round opponent will either be Midway or Saint Jo.

Further information was determined after press time.

Smith and Justus each had four points to lead the Cowboys. Graford was led by three players with 14 points: Matthews, Lemley and Cody Lemley.