Bench helps stave off Bison upset bid

It was role reversal night Jan. 8 for the Custer High School boys basketball team, as Wildcats who are normally role players were the catalyst in a Custer win, sparking the team down the stretch with key steals, baskets and free throws in a closer-than-expected 49-47 win over the visiting Hot Springs Bison.

“We can’t seem to play well both offensively and defensively in the same game,”â��Custer head coach Larry Luitjens said.â��“We played much better defensively than we did offensively. Iâ��don’t quite understand why we can’t do both of them.”

The Wildcats seemed lethargic for much of the game, continually growing big leads only to see them whittled away by the pesky Bison, who slowed the game down and ran a deliberate offense that chewed up a lot of time on each possession.

Adam Baker, who came off the bench to score nine points in the game, scored two straight baskets inside late in the second quarter to send Custer up by eight into halftime, and the lead swelled to 11 after a Chase Glazier basket, foul and free throw and a Glazier pass to Jared Thomsen for a layup in the third quarter that prompted a Bison timeout.

The Bison roared back, however, starting with Jacob Terrell getting a steal, making a basket and getting fouled, followed by a Chad Janis three-pointer that cut Custer’s lead to two points early in the fourth quarter.

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