ON TO STATE!

Eight points are all that separated the Tigers from defeat over their last three games, but it was also just enough to propel the Tiger Boys Basketball team to a State tournament berth … just enough.

The Tigers took on the role of giant slayer as they dispatched the District 7 No. 1 seed WACO by one point, then the No. 2 seed Winfield-Mt. Union by six points, and finally the No. 1 seed in District 8 Marquette Catholic by one point in overtime in the substate game on Feb. 25.

The substate game, played at Solon HS, was a packed house. A sea of red and white on one side and black and gold on the other were loud and proud as they urged their teams to victory.

The game was a nail biter as neither team could get a comfortable advantage. The score was tied more than 20 times and the Tigers briefly had the biggest lead of the night at five.

The first quarter ended 16-14 Marquette. Halftime was 36-33 Marquette. The third and fourth quarters were tied 53 all and 62 all respectively. This game would be settled in a 4-minute overtime.

Kade Benjamin was a juggernaut in the paint as he kept the Tigers in the game in the first half, scoring 15 of his 27 points. Blaise Porter had a quiet first half scoring only four. In the 2nd half, he upped his game scoring 23 of his 27.

Rylan Martin helped the Tiger cause with two back-to-back 3s to keep the Tigers close, as Brendan Richey and Leo Gebauer played relentless defense. Freshman Brigham Porter had a layup and an assists in limited minutes.

As time ran down in the fourth, the Tigers had the last shot — or so it seemed. Calling for the isolation play with 10 seconds remaining, Porter took the ball to the rim, a shot he has made a thousand times, but it bounced off the iron. With 7.8 seconds left, the Mohawks would get a chance to win it. Marquette got off two shots, but neither fell — on to overtime.

The Tigers made the most of the overtime, with Benjamin controlling the paint and Porter getting to the foul line.

The Tigers led 70-67 with 10 seconds left when Marquette’s Isaac Brinkman made a lay-up to make it 70-69 Tigers. Time ran out, and the Tigers clinched their victory.

On an interesting side note, this victory came on the exact same day six years earlier that the Tigers clinched a state berth, the first time in school history. Serendipity!

Kade Benjamin had 27 points, nine rebounds, and four blocked shots. Blaise Porter had 27 points, 10 rebounds, and a steal.

Rylan Martin had eight points and a block. Leo Gebauer had six points, three rebounds, and three steals.

The Tigers are the 8th seed in Class 1A and will take on the No. 1 seed, Grand View Christian on Monday, March 6 at 10:30 a.m. at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines.