Tigers advance in conference tourney

Shane Erickson and Zach Meyer
Staff Writers
Feb. 26, 2004, Page 8

The Tiger men’s basketball team held off Mount Marty in the final seconds of Tuesday night’s match up to advance to the semifinals of the Great Plains Athletic Conference tournament.
Senior Bryshonne Bryant put up a career high 25 points along with five assists and five steals.
Senior Brian Jakubowski was the second leading scorer with 17 points.
Sophomore Jarred Royal and freshman Brent Cole struggled against a big challenge on the other team. Mount Marty’s 6’8’ Justin Bonnichsen scored 36 points, pulled down seven rebounds and had three blocks in the losing effort for the Lancers.
The Tigers move on in the tournament to meet the No. 1 seeded Northwestern Red Raiders at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Orange City, Iowa.
The Red Raiders defeated Dakota Wesleyan 90-70 in first round action and were rated 12th in the latest NAIA men’s basketball polls.
Both Tiger basketball teams took on Dana at Fuhrer Field House Friday night as the seniors were recognized during their last regular season home games.
Senior Brenda Bruns got things going when she got an offensive rebound and put it back in for two points and the Tigers never looked back. At the end of the first half the Lady Tigers led 58-25 over Dana.
The Lady Tigers came out in the second half with the same amount of intensity that they had in the first half and put Dana away for good, 105-54. It was the first time all year that the Tigers scored in triple digits.
Andrea Swanson led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 32 points and Kate Reeson added 21points. Amanda Hanzlik and Nicky White were the team leaders in assists with 11 and seven respectively. The Tigers earned a seventh seed in the conference tournament to face Dakota Wesleyan.
The men’s team had a tough act to follow after the women’s performance.
In the first half, the scoring was back and forth. The Tigers were able to get the lead four minutes left in the first half but let it slip out of their hands as Dana went into the locker room at halftime with a 39-36 lead.
With five minutes left in the second half Dana seemed like they would start to pull away, leading 71-61. The Tigers fought back, though, and with two minutes left the Tigers found themselves within three points.
Dana came back and scored but the Tigers got the ball and made things happen with good looks on offense and setting themselves up for good shots. Senior Brian Jakubowski converted a four-point play to give the Tigers new life with 29 seconds left. Dana ended up on top 77-75, after hitting free throws in the closing seconds.
Senior Brian Jakubowski led in scoring with 28 points and senior Bryshonne Bryant contributed 10 assists.