Dakota County Technical College beats United Tribes on banked-in three at the buzzer

Dave Selvig, Bismarck Tribune

United Tribes Technical College's Charles Schrader drives to the basket as teammate Jordan Lebeau, background, looks on during Region XIII tournament action at James Henry Gymnasium in Bismarck. MIKE MCCLEARY, TRIBUNE
United Tribes Technical College's Charles Schrader drives to the basket as teammate Jordan Lebeau, background, looks on during Region XIII tournament action at James Henry Gymnasium in Bismarck. MIKE MCCLEARY, TRIBUNE

Team Stats

February 28, 2022

Dave Selvig, Bismarck Tribune

It was heartbreak at the horn for the United Tribes men's basketball team on Sunday.

With the Thunderbirds leading 93-91, following a furious rally in the last 30 seconds, Dakota County Technical College's Janeir Harris banked in a three-pointer from the top of the key at the buzzer, giving the Blue Knights a 94-93 win.

DCTC had to go the length of the court in 2 seconds. Harris got the ball near halfcourt, took two dribbles and hoisted what proved to be the game-winner and a season-extender.

"I'm in shock," said Harris, a 6-foot-5 sophomore from Burnsville, Minn. "No, I didn't think it was going in at all. I thought it was off. That's why I'm still in shock."

 With the win, the Blue Knights are just one win away from the NJCAA Division II national tournament.

The Thunderbirds were that close.

 "To lose on a banked three-pointer at the buzzer, you don't think that's going to happen," said United Tribes head coach Pete Conway. "It's tough. You feel bad for the guys, but just really proud of their effort and fight. It's been like that all season."
 
The Thunderbirds, whose season ended at 17-12, trailed by 10 in the second half (72-62) and by five (89-84) with 28 seconds left before a dizzying comeback had them up 94-92 with two ticks left.
 
Consecutive layups by Sylvester Union cut the DCTC lead to 91-90. After the Thunderbirds forced a second straight turnover, DK Middleton's acrobatic tip-in gave United Tribes the lead at 92-91 in front of a fired-up crowd, which included some of the top high school basketball players in town, notably Treysen Eaglestaff and George Gillette of Bismarck High and Legacy's Zander Albers.
 
"Our gym isn't big, but our fans get loud," Conway said. "I definitely think the energy they had helped us out in the comeback."

Century High product Jordan Lebeau, who earlier hit a key three-pointer in the comeback, came up with a big blocked shot in the paint on the Blue Knights' next possession. Tristin Davis got the rebound and was fouled. Davis made the first free throw, but the second was off. 

DCTC, which will host the North District Championship on Saturday in Rosemount, Minn., got the rebound and called timeout. Plan A did not work for Harris, who improvised.

 "I was supposed to take a two, but I didn't have time to get there, so I had to stop and shoot the three," said Harris, who poured in a game-high 28 points. "First (game-winning shot) ever. It was crazy. I think I'm kinda numb right now. Just glad we were able to pull this one out somehow."
 
It was a gutty effort by United Tribes, which has played the last few weeks without leading scorer Famous Lefthand, who suffered a season-ending knee injury earlier in the month. On Sunday, Middleton, the Thunderbirds' do-it-all-freshman standout from Lawrence, Kan., struggled with cramping, missing time late in the game, but he did recover to get the go-ahead tip-in late.
 
Middleton stuffed the stat sheet yet again with 21 points, 12 assists, six rebounds and four steals. Union led the Thunderbirds with 23 points, 18 coming in the second half. Davis (14), Jayce Archambault (12), Lebeau (11) and Tahj Two Bulls (10) all were in double figures.

"It's been that way all season, really, with a lot of guys making contributions," Conway said. "I thought it was a great team effort overall, the ball just didn't bounce our way on that last possession."

 Despite trailing for much of the second half, Conway was confident his team would make a run.

"This crew's been resilient all year. They don't lay down and die for anybody," the head coach said. "Those last 5 minutes, they just kept fighting and found a way to claw back into it."

Lefthand and Middleton, who were named to the All-Region XIII team, along with everybody else on the roster, could return next season. The Thunderbirds did not dress a sophomore on Sunday.

"These guys got a lot of basketball still in front of them," Conway said. "Hopefully they have a good offseason, then come back and do it against next season."