The fourth-seeded Auburn Bulldogs edged the No. 8 Fort Calhoun boys basketball team in overtime Thursday, 48-46, during the Class C1 state tournament semifinals.
The teams were tied 37-all after four quarters at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, but the Bulldogs (25-3 overall) outscored the Pioneers (21-6) 11-9 during the extra period. While its opponent advanced to its fourth-straight state title game, coach TJ O'Connor's FCHS squad will play 11 a.m. Friday at Lincoln East for third place.
“I'm just grateful for the opportunity to coach them and to coach with the guys that are our assistants,” O'Connor said after the close defeat. “It's a team effort. It's been a lot of fun coaching them.”
Auburn and the Pioneers traded leads during the fourth period with Calhoun achieving the largest, 31-27, when Zane Schwarz hit a free-throw line jumper to start the quarter.
Carsen Schwarz, meanwhile, gave FCHS a 35-34 advantage with less than a minute remaining before the Bulldogs' Maverick Binder scored and was fouled. He made the subsequent free throw, giving his squad a two-point advantage until Carsen Schwarz hit a pair of clutch free throws with 1.6 seconds remaining to force overtime.
Auburn, however, scored the first bucket of the extra 4 minutes and led from there. Down three, 48-45, Zane Schwarz purposefully went 1-for-2 at the line with 3 seconds remaining, but the Bulldogs' Bret Baltensperger was able to nab the game-clinching rebound.
Carsen Schwarz scored a game-high 27 points for the Pioneers, while Grayson Bouwman added 11 despite fouling out of the game with 5:02 remaining in the fourth period. Binder led Auburn with 24 points, too.
For the full story from the C1 semifinals and third-place game, check out next Tuesday's edition of the Washington County Pilot-Tribune. Additional day-to-day coverage will appear online at enterprisepub.com/sports through the end of the tournament.
