The Tabor mens? basketball team was unable to get its first home KCAC victory on Saturday night as the Bluejays fell to Bethany 72-66.
In a KCAC battle that saw six lead changes and five ties, Tabor?failed maintain a lead in the second half.
After tying the game at 41-41 with 13:17 left in the ball game, Tabor gave up a three, then fouled Bethany?s Jason Schneider on a made three point shot. The ensuing free throw completed a four-point play and gave Bethany a 48-42 advantage.
The Swedes would extend their lead to 50-43 before Tabor would make another run.
Scoring five unanswered points during a 9-1 outburst, Tabor would take a lead 52-51 lead with eight minutes left on a drive and lay up by Damon Dechant. After losing the lead than tying the game up again, Tabor fell behind 65-58 with 2:45 remaining.
The Bluejays?continued to battle, bringing the game to within four with 29 seconds left. Janzen connected on a three from the right wing to narrow the Swedes margin to 68-64.
Bethany hit two free throws on the other end to make the score 70-64. With 10 seconds left, Tabor cut Bethany?s lead to four again on a put back by Daniel Hamm.
Tabor?s hopes ended when Lawson Kingsley was whistled for a foul away from the ball on the ensuing inbounds. Schneider hit two foul shots to end the game with a six point margin.
Tabor coach Micah Ratzlaff said the Bluejays didn?t take away enough Bethany opportunities late in the game.
?They would shoot the ball and miss and then they?d get the ball back,? he said. ?We gave them too many chances to score down the stretch in the second half.?
Guard play was also a key factor, as Tabor?allowed Bethany?s Schneider to score a game high 22 points.
?We made some mental mistakes,? he said. ?Some we shouldn?t have made on guarding 33 (Schneider). That was the difference in the ball game right there.?
Schneider shot 6-for-12 from the field 5-for-11 from three. He also corralled eight rebounds. Guards Rodd Williams and C.J. Littlejohn finished the night in double digits. Williams scored 13 points and Littlejohn had 12.
Leading the way for Tabor was Dechant, with 19 points and six rebounds. Daniel Hamm scored 13 points on 5-for-8 shooting and also had six boards. Cody Arnold finished with 11 points.
Other scorers were Ryan Chppeaux (7 points 6 rebounds), Rob Moore (5), Lawson Kingsley (4 points 5 rebounds), Janzen (4), Kyle Kroeker (3). Kroeker left the game early due to injury.
Tabor falls to 6-9 on the season and 3-3 in KCAC play. Tabor is in a four-way tie for second in the KCAC with Bethany, Southwestern and Bethel.
Thursday Tabor travels to Winfield to face Southwestern (7-9 overall, 3-3 KCAC). The Jinx are on a four-game losing streak.
