Story by Kalon Fullerton
The Grizzlies avenge an early season loss to the T-Birds with their 67-60 overtime win in a defensive struggle.
The Butler Grizzlies bounced back from their heartbreaking loss on the road last Wednesday when they returned to friendly confines and defeated the Cloud County Thunderbirds at the Power Plant on Saturday.
The Grizzlies took a four-point lead into the locker room after a closely fought first half that featured four ties and six lead changes. The Grizzlies led by as many as six in the first half and trailed by as many as four before taking a 27-23 lead at the end of the half.
The second half was just as tightly contested as the Grizzlies held on to a 45-44 lead with 10 minutes remaining. Cloud then retook the lead for the first time at 46-45 with eight minutes remaining in the game. The game was deadlocked at 49 as the time ticked under a minute remaining. The Grizzlies stopped a last second attempt at the end of regulation and the game headed to overtime knotted at 51. A three pointer by Rob Brown proved to be pivotal in overtime as the Grizzlies took a five-point lead with two minutes left. Butler outscored the Thunderbirds 16-9 in the extra period to pull away.
Isaiah Williams led the Grizzlies with 18 points and was joined in double figures by Treylon Payne who came off the bench to score 15 points while Tahjae Hill scored 12.
The Grizzlies shot 39% as a team from the field and shot just 26% from outside, making four three pointers. Butler did great work at the charity stripe, hitting 17 of their 21 free throws and shooting 81% from the line. The Grizzlies also dominated inside, scoring 34 points in the paint while allowing just 14, and were also helped by 27 bench points, led by Payne's 15 and Rob Brown's nine.
Defensively, the Grizzlies held the Thunderbirds to 35% as a team and just 27% from deep. The Grizzlies forced 16 turnovers and nine steals, good for 11 Grizzly points off turnovers, and also rejected four Cloud shots. Hill, Williams, Isaac Ondekane and Charles McClennahan all had blocks. The Grizzlies won the rebounding battle, finishing with 38 boards led by Treylon Payne's team high 15, good for a double-double, and matching his season high. The Grizzlies allowed just four offensive rebounds and just five second chance points.
Butler improves to 20-6 on the year with a key win in the conference standings, improving to 14-6 in conference play. The Grizzlies also improve to 10-2 this season at the Power Plant with two regular season home games remaining. Butler will head to Great Bend to face the Barton Cougars in their next game on Wednesday before returning home to the Power Plant to face the Cowley Tigers next Saturday.
