Second half rally falls just short

A furious second half rally by the Custer High School boys basketball team fell just short last Thursday night at the Armory, as the boys had three last-second attempts to tie the game come up short in a 62-59 loss to the visiting Douglas Patriots.

Down by 17 at the half, Custer roared back into the game with defense and all-out effort, cutting the Patriot lead to one, two and three points on several occasions.

Custer looked poised to complete the comeback with 18 seconds left in the game, when Chase Glazier rebounded a Cody Martinz free throw miss and scored, cutting Douglas’ lead to one point. After a pair of Matt Vinson free throws for Douglas that extended the lead back to three, Martinz missed a three-pointer as the final seconds of the game began to tick away. Glazier corralled the rebound and found Erik Hiltunen, who had his three-point attempt blocked. Kenneth Myers grabbed the loose ball in the scramble, but his desperation heave found only back iron as time expired.

Custer head coach Larry Luitjens said he was proud of the way his team fought back, but was bewildered as to how the team could come out so flat coming off a pair of lopsided losses to Red Cloud and Pine Ridge.

“They came out (in the second half) and played with the intensity they should play with all the time,”â��he said “It drives me nuts.”