Cats Nip Knights in Last Second Thriller!

Friday, January 7, 2022. Outside it was a blustery, cold, Wisconsin-kind of winter night. But inside the New Glarus gym it was (cue the music), “A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight”, as the Belleville - New Glarus rivalry unfolded on the basketball court. Neither cold nor COVID could keep fans away as each town packed the gym to near capacity, with people and with energy. Radio 93.7 FM was on hand to call the game for the fans at large. <i> Ya just gotta love the atmosphere of a rivalry game!</i>
It was the Wildcats of Belleville that would emerge the victor by the narrowest of margins, 67-65, on a last second driving field goal by Carson Syse.
The Knights of New Glarus controlled the opening tip with swingman A.C. Strok soon to follow with a 3-ball from the top of the key. Belleville’s Syse (the hero) was quick to match with his first of five 3’s in the evening, and at the 16:32 mark it was game on! (Syse would lead all scorers in the contest with 24 points). The Glarner Knights controlled most of the first half, at one time opening a lead of 9 points. But it was the tenacious, unrelenting ball pressuring defense, combined with good passing and team shooting that allowed the Cats to claw their way back into the fight. Score at the half was 35-34 Knights.
The lead would see saw back and forth in the second half until Belleville went on a run, sparked by the Bros. Syse (Carson and twin brother Trevor), on a break-away, giving them a lead 52-46 with 9:07 to play. Extremely physical play by both teams kept the lead 63-56 Cats with 3:01 to play.
New Glarus Coach Travis Sysko called a timeout, and with fire and much animation, let his team know it was now “do or die” time. His boys responded. At 2:25, A.C. Strok drilled a 3-ball. At 1:32, Dain Walter made a deuce (he would lead the Knights in scoring with 18). And at the 1:04 mark, it was Bryce Stampfli scoring to knot the score at 63 all, a 7-point run in just over a minute of play.
At 45.5 seconds to play it was Belleville’s leading scorer, Trevor Syse (the other one), fouled on a drive. He calmly splashed home two free throws, making it 65-63 Cats. (He would be held to 8 points on the night). Not to be denied it was again NG’s Bryce Stampfli coming to the rescue with a bold baseline drive for two, tying the score at 65 with 26.0 seconds to play.
Belleville inbounded the ball, and with 15.4 seconds to play, it was now the excitable, first year coach T.J. Zweifel who called timeout to set up the last play of the contest. With the ball in Carson Syse’s hands and the clock ticking, it was evident the called play would not work. Syse took it upon himself, somehow found a crease, and drove to the basket...the ball slipping through the net as time expired!
The Belleville crowd erupted, storming the floor with a celebration rarely seen this side of tournament play. Did I mention this was a rivalry game?
Mark the date, these two teams will meet again February 4th with a very good chance the Capitol South Conference title will be on the line.
<i>Sports and rivalry games in the dead of winter in the midst of a pandemic. Is there a better antidote????</i>