Newman Rallies for 85-77 OT Win over Tabor

WICHITA - Senior Keaton Schultz posted a season-high 23 points, including three late free throws as the Newman men's basketball team rallied for a 85-77 overtime win over Tabor Monday evening inside Fugate Gymnasium. The Jets trailed by as many as four in the final two minutes of regulation before out-scoring Tabor 10-2 in the overtime period.

Newman (5-4) got off to a quick start Monday evening. Keaton Schultz opened the Newman scoring with back-to-back free throws, then added three-pointers on each of Newman's next two possessions to give the Jets a 9-0 lead less than two minutes into the game. Tabor (6-3) countered with a 7-2 run, and pulled to within four, 11-7, after a Cody Arnold lay-up, but Newman used a 10-0 run capped by a Chip Steven trey to take a 14-point, 21-7 lead at the 13:36 mark. The Jets led by at least nine points through much of the remaining 13 minutes of the first half. After watching Tabor pull within seven, 33-26, with just under five minutes left on the first-half clock, Newman ended the half on a 13-8 streak to take a 47-34 lead into the halftime intermission.

The two teams exchanged buckets for the first four minutes of the second half. Justin Berry nailed a short-range jumper to give Newman a 12-point, 53-41 lead at the 16:43 mark, but the Bluejays forced two-straight turnovers, then took advantage of three-straight empty Newman possessions to string together an 8-0 run that pulled the gold-clad Bluejays to within four, 53-49, with 12:34 still to play. The Jets watched as Tabor continued to chip away at the lead, closing to within one, 64-63, after a Cody Arnold trey with 7:11 to play. Tabor's Ryan Chippeaux completed the Tabor comeback a minute later, draining a mid-range jumper to give Tabor its first lead of the night, a 65-64 advantage with 6:15 remaining on the clock.

Tabor took its largest lead of the day, 74-40 after a Lawson Kingsley trey with 1:41 to play, and looked to be poised for the upset, but Will Burdette rebounded a missed Tabor free throw, then launched the ball down the court to a wide-open Kyle Grant, who swung the momentum in Newman's favor with a two-handed flush that pulled the Jets to within two, 74-72, with 1:18 left to play. Arnold hit one of two free throws on Tabor's next possession to give the Bluejays a 75-72 edge as the one-minute mark neared, but Keaton Schultz was fouled in the act of shooting a trey on Newman's next possession, then hit three-straight free throws to tie the game at 75-75 with 31 seconds remaining. Tabor then missed back-to-back shots to end regulation and force overtime.

Both squads looked tired in the overtime period. Will Burdette's dunk with 3:17 to play broke a scoreless overtime period and gave the Jets a 77-75 lead. Eric Saunders' jumper on Newman's next possession gave the Jets a 79-75 lead with 2:08 to play. Tabor scored its only points of the extra frame when Kingsley drained a jumper with 1:31 to play, but Newman scored the final six points of the game to steal the 85-77 overtime win.

Keaton Schultz finished with a team-high 23 points thanks to a six-for-15 effort from the field, and an eight-for-10 performance from the free throw line. Schultz also added four rebounds, two blocks, and two steals. Justin Berry and Eric Saunders were Newman's other double-digit scorers. Berry finished with 14 points and five rebounds, while Saunders added 10 points and five rebounds of his own.

Cody Arnold led the Bluejays with 16 points, while Damon Dechant added a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double.

With the win, the Jets improve to 5-4 on the season. They will return to action Saturday, hosting Manhattan Christian in a 7 p.m. contest inside Newman's Fugate Gymnasium.

--www.newmanjets.com