HS boys basketball: After poor start, Brandywine stuns Buchanan with final 7 points

BUCHANAN — It was a game that Brandywine probably shouldn't have won.

The Bobcats shot just 40% from the floor, missed 13 of 16 free throw opportunities and were outrebounded 32-27.

But in the final two minutes, Nathan Knapp's team found a way to win.

Scoring the game's final seven points, Brandywine stunned Buchanan 48-47 in a BCS Red Division boys basketball thriller.

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Ryan Young, who finished with 28 points, hit one of two free throws with 1:59 remaining to put the Bucks up 47-41. But it went all downhill from there for the home team.

Nate Orr scored inside and, after a Buchanan turnover, Carson Knapp hit a 3 from the corner to bring the Bobcats within one at 47-46. After another Buchanan turnover, Orr scored in the lane with 26.8 seconds left to give Brandywine the lead.

Buchanan turned the ball over three more times in the closing seconds and was unable to even get a potential game-winning shot off.

"It was one of those nights," Brandywine coach Nathan Knapp said. "We usually do a lot better against a zone and shoot a lot better. It was just one of those nights and was an uphill battle. All game long I was in their ears. They were getting frustrated with each other and frustrated with everything. We couldn't get stops. When I called a timeout in the final two minutes, I told the kids it was do or die. I said that if we bury ourselves in an 0-2 hole in the conference, we'd have to rely on other teams to win it. It was now or never. But we played until the final buzzer. We found a way to stick around and threw everything we had at them at the end."

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Brandywine, now 1-1 in the BCS Red Division and 4-3 overall, forced 22 Buchanan turnovers, including eight in the fourth quarter. For Buchanan it was a microcosm of the season. The Bucks, who fell to 0-2 in the BCS Red Division and 1-5 overall, were in a position to win four of the five games it lost in the final two minutes.

"We have to figure out a way to finish," Buck coach Reid McBeth said. "We have a very thin margin of error and we always seem to step on the wrong side. I'm disappointed for the kids. They played their butts off and gave everything they have, but just came up a little short. I wrote on the board before the game about keeping our poise. Brandywine tries to create chaos and tries to aggravate you. I thought we did a good job of keeping our composure all night long until the last two minutes. Sometime we're going to figure this out a little more and turn the page."

Brandywine got 10 points apiece from Knapp, Michael Palmer and Jeramiah Palmer. But the catalyst to the win was Nate Orr. Orr, the leading Bobcat scorer at 16.3 points per game, played just 15 minutes because of foul trouble. But after re-entering the game with 4:54 left, Orr scored six of his eight points, including the game-winner.

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Not even another super game from Ryan Young could save Buchanan. Young poured in 28 points, hitting 11 of 18 shots, and grabbed 12 rebounds. He's now averaging 21.5 points per game.

"We count on Ryan for a lot," McBeth said. "He can do a lot of things. He rebounds. He scores. Our kids know where we need to get the ball. The next thing is when he's not in the game or when the ball is not in his hands, somebody else has to step up and take that leadership role. I have guys who can do it. They just have to have confidence in themselves to do it. I believe in these guys. Now some of them have to believe they're able to do it. We still have a lot of basketball left."

"Young is a helluva player," Knapp said. "I didn't think he was that tough until seeing him tonight. I told the kids that districts are at Buchanan. And I wouldn't be surprised if Buchanan is able to get to the championship game. They work hard, they hustle and they're physical."

BRANDYWINE (48): Carson Knapp 4 0-1 10, Michael Palmer 5 0-5 10, Jamier Palmer 2 1-4 6, Jeramiah Palmer 5 0-3 10, Nate Orr 4 0-0 8, Connor Dye 1 2-3 4, Byron Linley 0 0-0 0, Owen Hulett 0 0-0 0, Carter Sobecki 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 3-16 48.

BUCHANAN (47): Ryan Young 11 4-6 28, Thomas VanOverberghe 2 0-0 4, Dillon Oatsvall 2 0-0 4, Brady Thompson 2 1-3 5, Connor Legault 2 0-0 6, Paul VanOverberghe 0 0-0 0, Ryder Andersen 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 5-9 47.

Brandywine | 9 | 19 | 27 | 48

Buchanan | 12 | 20 | 34 | 47

3-point baskets: Brandywine 3 (Knapp 2, Jamier Palmer 1), Buchanan 4 (Young 2, Legault 2). Total fouls: Brandywine 13, Buchanan 10. Field goal shooting: Brandywine 21 for 52 (40%), Buchanan 19 for 40 (48%). Rebounding: Buchanan 32 (Young 12), Brandywine 27 (M. Palmer 5, Jeramiah Palmer 5). Turnovers: Brandywine 9, Buchanan 22. Records: Brandywine 4-3 (1-1 BCS Red Division), Buchanan 1-5 (0-2 BCS Red Division).

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Michigan high school boys basketball: Brandywine stuns Buchanan in win