Men's Basketball Closes 2025 with Home Win

CRETE, Neb. — Doane shot a blistering 58.5-percent from the field and placed five players in double figures as the Tigers closed out 2025 with an 88–76 non-conference win over Manhattan Christian on Wednesday afternoon inside the Haddix Center.

Doane improved to 8–6 on the season behind a balanced offensive effort and an active defensive performance that turned 18 Thunder turnovers into 26 points. The Tigers never trailed after the 18:38 mark of the opening half and built a 20-point first-half lead on the way to a 43–33 advantage at the break.

Jonan Claussen paced Doane with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three, while adding four rebounds and a steal in 31 minutes. Trevon Beckman posted 18 points (6-for-9 FG, 3-for-4 3FG) to go with three assists, three rebounds, and a block. Casen Chaney filled the stat sheet on both ends with 17 points, six steals, and two assists, converting 6-of-12 from the floor and 4-of-4 at the line.

Jack Wilson added 11 points, three assists, three rebounds and a pair of blocks, scoring six in the opening half as Doane seized control early. Justus Gardiner chipped in 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals while Aadam Coulibaly and Aziz Hantous combined for 10 points off the bench to help the Tigers outscore Manhattan Christian 46–34 in the paint.

Doane's defense set the tone in the first half, forcing 11 Thunder turnovers and scoring 16 points off giveaways in the opening 20 minutes. Claussen scored the Tigers' first eight points, knocking down back-to-back threes to spark a 12–0 run. Layups from Chaney and Beckman in transition, followed by a Gardiner dish to Wilson, pushed the lead to 31–13 with 6:17 left. Beckman's layup at the 6:09 mark gave Doane its largest first-half margin at 35–15 before Manhattan Christian closed the gap to 10 at halftime.

The Thunder surged out of the locker room with a 7–0 spurt and eventually pulled within 43–40, but the Tigers answered with poise. Claussen buried a right-wing three to stop the run, and Beckman followed with a triple of his own to extend the lead back to 49–43. Manhattan Christian trimmed the deficit to two possessions on multiple occasions, yet every push was met with a Doane response.

A three-pointer by Beckman with 6:55 to play and two free throws from Chaney on the next possession capped an 11–2 Tigers stretch that rebuilt the lead to 73–59. Wilson and Gardiner converted at the line in the closing minutes, and Claussen sealed the victory with two free throws in the final 12 seconds.

Doane finished 31-for-53 from the field (58.5%) and 8-for-16 from beyond the arc while going 18-of-22 at the stripe. The Tigers tallied 11 steals and committed just 11 turnovers. Manhattan Christian (9–5) was led by Fred Criqui's 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Hunter Hill and James Braddy each added 12.

The Tigers return to action this weekend as conference play resumes in Crete to open 2026. The Tigers will host Briar Cliff at 3:45 PM.

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