For the third straight year the B&B Falcon boys found themselves in the 1A-Division II sub-state championship game and with a chance to win the game at the end of regulation, but unlike the previous two years which the Falcons lost the games in overtime missing the last second shot, this time the shot fell sending B&B to Hays next week.

Senior, Dustin Rottinghaus with 0.6 seconds left got the ball on the left baseline and drained an 18-foot jumper to break the tie and give B&B the 40-38 victory over Axtell in the sub-state championship.

The game started with both teams trading blows early as Axtell led 11-7 after the first quarter, but the Falcons pushed back to take the 19-18 lead into halftime. Falcons then used a 13-5 third quarter to lead Axtell 32-23 after three quarters as Cameron Haug posted six of his 11 points in the third quarter for B&B. The Eagles didn’t go away quietly posting a 15-8 fourth quarter to push back into the game, using clutch buckets by Zach and Payton Heinen in the fourth to help bring the game to a tie at 38-38 with around 30 seconds to go.

Defending 1A-DII champ, Axtell Eagles with the loss wrapped up their season 14-10 and was led by Zach Heinen who scored 13 points, while Christian Buessing and Payton Heinen each added 10 points.

For B&B they improved to 17-7 on the year with the win and earn a spot at the 1A-DII State tourney in Hays next week. Haug led B&B with his 11 points, while Blake Deters off the bench posted nine points and Rottinghaus who hit the game winner scored eight points.

In their final year of existence as a high school the B&B Falcon boys will continue the great Falcon athletic year competing for a 1A-DII State basketball title with the girls also in Hays, too.