Jacob Bartscher’s game-winning shot helps Hanson overcome Corsica/Stickney

Jacob Bartscher had Hanson’s only two offensive rebounds Thursday night.

One set up his first-ever game-winning shot.

Bartscher tipped in a basket with 1.8 seconds remaining to lift the Beavers past Corsica/Stickney 35-31 in a boys’ high school basketball game at the Corn Palace.

“It was good to finally get an offensive board, and we got it at the right time,” said Bartscher, a senior who’s signed to play football with Augustana this fall. “I knew I had to go up and get it.”

After Bartscher’s tip-in, Corsica/Stickney drew up a play in attempt to tie the game. But a full-court pass landed out of bounds, and Bartscher got one final bucket as the horn sounded.

He finished with a game-high 18 points and added five rebounds.

“That’s huge for Jake,” Hanson coach Josh Oltmanns said. “He’s struggled the last couple of weeks, but we’ve talked as a team and we know that he’s going to carry us.”

Reid Smith had 10 points for the Beavers, who led 14-5 after the first quarter and 21-14 at halftime.

Corsica/Stickney’s Aaron Groeneweg had nine points and 12 rebounds. His 3-pointer in the third quarter at the 6:07 mark got the Jaguars within 23-20. Baskets from Matthew Teel and Dustin Bultje put Corsica/Stickney on top 24-23.

Bartscher’s first offensive rebound came with 1 minute to play in the third. He had a put-back and knocked down two free throws about 50 seconds later, giving the Beavers a 29-27 lead heading into the fourth.

Only four field goals were scored in the final eight minutes. Teel hit a runner 59 seconds into the fourth, counting for two of the Jaguars’ three fourth-quarter points. After Groeneweg hit 1 of 2 free throws, the Jaguars led 31-29.

But Bartscher scored four points in the final two seconds, moving Hanson’s record to 14-5 and keeping the Beavers atop the District 11B standings. Corsica/Stickney, the defending Class B state champion, is 11-7 and in third place in District 10B.

“We lack experience and being able to score in key situations,” said Corsica/Stickney coach Mike Tuschen, whose team graduated 10 seniors from last year’s state-title squad. “We need a go-to guy right now.”

Hanson finishes its regular season with a game at Scotland on Monday. Corsica/Stickney hosts Dakota Christian Tuesday in Corsica.

H 14 21 29 35

CS 5 14 27 31

Tags: sports, updates, basketball, corsica, stickney, hanson