A last-second basket lifted Bonduel to a 49-47 win over Iola-Scandinavia Feb. 14 in a Central Wisconsin 8 Conference boys’ basketball matchup in Iola.
Jacob DeBauch’s tip-in in the final seconds turned out to be the difference in the Thunderbirds’ final regular season game.
The teams went into the second quarter tied at 10-10, but the T-Birds had a 24-22 lead at halftime. Bonduel outscored the home team 13-9 in the third quarter to take a 35-33 lead into the final period and both teams scored 14 points over the final eight minutes.
The T-Birds’ Braiden Garbe tied the game at 47-47 with 12 seconds remaining. Bonduel’s Logan Artis missed a shot from the top of the key, but DeBauch grabbed the loose ball and scored with 1 second on the clock.
Connor Lodewegen led the T-Birds with 16 points, while Artis led all scorers with 24.
Although the T-Birds came up in their final regular-season game, the team received a No. 4 seed in the state tournament and opened tournament play Feb. 19 at home against No. 5 Rosholt. The winner will play at top-seeded Amherst at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, in a Division 4 regional semifinal.