Big Bad Bruins face Tradition Rich Panthers

The undefeated and top ranked Brookings-Harbor Bruins (27-0) look for their first ever title against the third ranked Central Panthers (20-1), who are seeking their sixth state title in eight championship appearances.

The Bruins reached their first title game last year, but fell 50-47 to Marist. The Panthers are the next highest team in the tournament, and are making their first title game appearance since 2003. Central also had a run of three titles from 1988 thru 1990.

Central is shorter than Brookings-Harbor, and whether they can combine quickness at times with patience is the key. Because the Panthers' second unit would likely take the Bruins reserves. The real question is whether there is any way to survive that first unit, featuring the McDonalds' All-American Bansemeer twins, Chase and Kenton, and the third leg of the FarWest Tri-Player of the Year award, Fred Corpening, all of whom have signed to play next year for OIT.

The Panther's Grant Hedrick shut down Hidden Valley's Mike Suthan; whether he can be a defensive difference maker may key Central's chances. Panther nation will be out in force, out numbering the south coast contingent for sure. But can a lot of intangibles make the difference?

Panther tip, and a foul on Chase right away. Brandon Whiteman hits a jumper, and Central has the lead.

5 second turnover forced; but an over and back gives it back to the Bruins.

Kenton spins and draws a foul on Jesse Peters; both free throws fall to tie it. Michael Hamilton and Chase trade scores, and the battle is on.

Hamilton. the Valco Player of the Year, for three, and the Bruins lose their turn. Hamilton's ankle, turned in their semi win, not an issue.

Peters with the putback for a 9-4 lead; Corpening to the line on a Whiteman foul. 9-6 as a result.

Erik Omlid comes in, and rolls for two for Central. Chase for a three, puling within 9-11. Eric Phillips gets Central a rebound, but the Bruins get in on a tie up after the next shot. Chase ties it at the line.

Omlid flys for another; Central gets the ball, but then its overturned. Eric Phillips lays a Bruin low for the board, but misses at the rim on the other end.

Second foul on Hedrick with 2:44 to go. Kenton comes up short, Omlid on the boards.

Central's Grant Hedrick (4) gets past both Bansemer brothers, Chase (32) and Kenton (24), for a score.

Hedrick puts Central up 15-11; Corpening's shot is flat, and Eric Phillips glides over Kenton, and the Bruins need time out, down 17-11 with 1:53 in the quarter.

Corpening charging; Ty Phillips for two on the other end.

Charging on Jesse Pratt; Chase misses left, Omlid cleans up, and Pratt puts it in on the other end, 21-11 Panthers.

Kenton to the line with 1.9 seconds left, but only the second goes. 70 footer is wide right, and after one, its 21-12 Panthers.

2nd. qtr.

Kenton gets 2 + 1. Chase carries, gets fouled, no call on either point.

Misses both ways. Kenton connects to make it 21-17, and look for another break, but traveling. Omlid answers; Corpening the other way, scores, but misses the free throw. Kenton rebounds and scoers though, to make it 21-23. He misses, and Corpening gets a foul.

Action is hotter than it has been all week.

Corpening steals, travels. Hamilton is gone, but he misses; Chris Hodge doesn't for the Bruins. Tied at 23 at the mid way mark.

Bruins miss, Omlid boards, but loses it, Central loses it later, time out Bruins at 3:09.

Bruin turnover, Panther turnover. Cody Cozad with a putback for the first Bruin lead, and Chase ansswers.

Hamilton drives for 2, but no + 1.

Chase gives it up, Ty feeds Eric Phillips. Corpening's shot is too hard, Omlid on the boards. Hamilton puts Central back up 29-27, and Chase misses, but Central can't track it down, and Corpening scores with .9 on the clock, but can't make the free throw. A Phillips 80 footer only goes 75 feet, and its tied at 29 halfway thru.

Kenton leads with 10; Hamilton has nine. Central is shooting 54% to 36% for the Bruins, who are hanging in with 8 of 12 at the line, while the Panthers are 0-1. The Panthers must come closer in that aspect to pull off the upset.

The Bruins cheerleaders entertain at halftime.

3rd. qtr.

Travis Bay misses a Bruin three; Eric P boards. Corpening steals, and goes by Peters for 2, and finally one more.

Hedrick drives the lane, but misses; Bruin airball. Eric Phillips checks Corpening, and Whiteman drains a three to tie it at 32. Time out Bruins at 5:47!

Chase to Kenton for two; Hedrick answers.

Chase steps on the sideline right in front of us, Eric Phillips hits the end line.

Chase is missing moving shots by not squaring up. Kenton fouls, Ty Phillips glides but misses; Eszlinger misses a three way wide. Omlid is money for a 36-34 lead with 3:15 left.

This time Esxlinger is dead on for three, and Hodge with the steal. Foul Ty Phillips.

Bruin turnover; Kenton short; Hedrick misses, but fouled on the putback. And both go for a 38-387 lead under two to go.

Martin Robison off the Central bench gets a tie up, and Central the ball.

The next pileup tieup goes back to the Bruins.

Eszlinger for anothe three, and a Chase steal, Corpening for two with 2.8 left, and the Bruins go up 42-38 going to the fourth quarter.

4th. qtr.

Peters with a miss; Travis Bay with a putback for his only points. Corpening skys for the board; so does Peters the other way. Kenton standing on the sideline for a turnover; Omlid gets his 10th. point to pull within 40-44.

Bruins miss; Panthers miss a three; bullet Bruin pass sails out the corner hall.

In a play typical of the aggressive nature of the game, the Bruins' Chase Bansemer attacks the teeth of the Panther defense, provided here by Grant Hedrick and Martin Robison.

Chase gets a foul; Eric Phillips come up short twice, but gets a foul on Kenton. First free throw too hard, so is the second. Omlid gets the board, a three misses, but another Panther board. Hamilton for three! Time out Central, down 43-44 with 5:09 left.

Bruin miss, but off a Panther; steal Phillips, foul in the pileup at the goal line. Time out Bruins at 3:04, up 46-45.

Eszlinger misses, Central to the 4 corner, and as soon as the Bruin defense comes out, Hamilton slashes to the hoop and scores.

Hodge with a putback, 48-47 Bruins.

Central misses Omlid open underneath, and calls time with 1:19 left.

Crowd standing, Ty Phillips gets a controversial charge, and Bruins time out with 1:11 left.

And another time out Bruins. One left each, with 1:09 to go.

Connects on a 1 + 1 with 1:03 for a 50-47 lead.

Eric Phillips leaves it on the front rim, and the Bruins get the alternating possession, with 42.9 left.

Steal Eric, putback Ty, foul with 20.7 left, Chase to the line, first points this half on a 1 + 1 for a 52-49 lead. Last Panther time out with 17.8 left.

CROWD ROARING!

Hamilton short! Omlib rebound! Ty Phillips short! Bruins Win! 52-49!

"We didn't want 'that' feeling, we wanted this feeling," Bruins Coach Bryan Wood explained. "And what a great game for the fans! Hats off to Central, what a class act they are."

"Such a close, hard fought game, its just awesome to win like this," Kenton Bansemer said.

"I can't remember being down that much," Fred Corpening commented. "But we never got paranoid. We knew it would be tough, but we would need to out work them. Coaches did a good job of getting us ready. I think they were just what we thought, but we did need to tighten up our defense, and put more pressure on the passes, to stop some of the penetration, which is what got them the lead."

"Rebounding was key. We gotta get rebounds," Corpening commented. As it was, Central still out rebounded the taller Bruins by one. And that one got them a chance to force overtime, but the three wasn't really either team's friend. Each team connected three times, but the squads combined to launce 29, and the Bruins took one more, with 15.

The real story was, as it was in the first half, at the line. Central made just two of five, while Brookings-Harbor hit 13 of 17.

Chase Bansemer was named the Qwest player of the game, and had 11 points, while Kenton led the Bruins with 14, and Corpening had 13.

Michael Hamilton led Central with 14 points, and Erik Omlid added 10, while Eric Phillips' all around play and defense collected the Panthers' Qwest award.

"Their fire power was as advertised," Panther coach Bob McBeth observed. "They made the shots, and got in position to get the calls. It was just a great game. That's basketball. Congratulations to them, they deserve to be the state champions."

Corpening and Bansemer attributed the storybook run through the tournament, first exorcising the demons from last year's three point loss to Marist, and then finally the title to a combination of two things. "We had a bad taste from last year," Corpening said. "Because of that, we played 30 games as a team on top of the AAU ball, and against bigger teams," Bansemer added, "to get ready."

"It feels good to come out and get it done," Corpening concluded.