Bluejay men tumble against pesky Swedes
Senior leader Grant Brubacher scored a season-game-high 24 points, including a mid-court shot that just beat the final buzzer and three triples.
It wasn't enough, though, as the Bluejay (10-8, 7-3 KCAC) men dropped a 69-68 heartbreaker Saturday night to the hosting Bethany Swedes.
With the league-leading Southwestern Moundbuilders falling Wednesday night at Sterling, Tabor had the chance to move into a tie for first with a win.
But Bethany led 36-28 at halftime and pushed their lead as far as 47-31 to start the second half.
The Bluejays rallied furiously the second half behind Brubacher and 10 big points from Chris Metcalf to help knot the game up at 62 with under 2:00 left.
The huge rally took too much out of Tabor as it never could muster the steam to get over the hump.
Metcalf, and Brad Gattis, who pitched in nine points and a team-high five rebounds, fouled out late in the game to lessen the chances for Tabor offense.
The Swedes kept extending their lead, hitting an overall 16-for-25 at the free-throw line.
Bethany finished the game shooting 23-for-49 from the floor, led by Daniel Sherman's team-high 17 points and a game-high seven rebounds.
Other than Brubacher, who hit a scorching three-for-four from outside, the Bluejays were an ice-cold four-for-16, despite converting a season-high 84 percent at the free-throw line on 18-for-21.
Tabor ended the night shooting 23-of-53 for 43 percent.
The Bluejays face a rough week starting Thursday when they host the dangerous Sterling Warriors at 8 p.m.
Pending both a victory by Southwestern and Tabor, first place will be on the line Saturday at 7 p.m. when the Moundbuilders visit Hillsboro.
