Men's Basketball Drops Heartbreaker After 21-Point Rally

CRETE, Neb. (AP) — Conner Aldridge scored 26 points and Waldorf held off a furious second-half rally from Doane to escape with an 83-82 victory Saturday afternoon in Great Plains Athletic Conference play.

Doane (9-8, 4-6) trailed by as many as 21 early in the second half before charging all the way back behind Trevon Beckman, who poured in 28 points on 11-of-14 shooting and added five rebounds and five assists. The Tigers outscored Waldorf 52-41 after halftime, fueled by a steady diet of paint touches and second-chance opportunities, but couldn't complete the comeback in the closing seconds.

Waldorf (5-12, 1-8) controlled the opening 20 minutes with efficient shooting and active hands, building a 42-30 halftime lead. The Warriors shot 53.7% for the game (29 of 54) and went 11 of 24 from 3-point range, while forcing 19 Doane turnovers and turning them into 28 points.

Doane flipped the game with its best stretch of the afternoon after intermission, winning the glass 36-22 overall and collecting 16 offensive rebounds. The Tigers scored 46 points in the paint and posted 28 second-chance points, repeatedly extending possessions until the deficit began to shrink.

Beckman sparked the surge with 20 points in the second half, including three 3-pointers, as Doane chipped away possession by possession. Casen Chaney finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, while Justus Gardiner added 12 points, five rebounds and three steals. Jonan Claussen posted 10 points and nine boards, and Jack Wilson chipped in 10 points with five assists and two blocks.

Waldorf had three players in double figures, led by Aldridge. Nick Graves added 16 points on four 3-pointers, Krys Watley had 13 points, five rebounds and five assists, and Cornelius Porter Jr. contributed nine points, nine assists and four steals.

Doane took its first lead since the early minutes when Chaney knocked down two free throws with 4.1 seconds left to make it 82-81. Waldorf answered immediately: Watley was fouled with 0.3 seconds left on a 3-point shot attempt and made two free throws to seal it, sending the Tigers home with a one-point heartbreak after a near-perfect second-half push.

Next up for Doane will be a trip to Fremont, Nebraska, to take on Midland on January 14 at 7:45 PM.

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