OLATHE, KANSAS – Grand View men's basketball traveled to Olathe, KS to compete in the Uphaus Classic hosted by MidAmerica Nazarene, the Vikings saw a thrilling overtime match to open the tournament against Missouri Baptist, where they emerged victorious by a score of 89-84.

Grand View's offense found its rhythm early, with Ayden Foster's jumper quickly erasing Missouri Baptist's opening points. Foster followed up with another basket and a three-pointer to give the Vikings an early 7-4 lead. Jaxson Young and Joe Knutson also contributed key scores, helping to extend the lead to 16-6, with Foster's free throws and Young's fastbreak jumper adding to the momentum. The Vikings' defensive hustle was evident as they shut down Missouri Baptist's drives and controlled the boards. Despite some brief scoring runs from the Spartans, Grand View responded with well-executed plays. A three-pointer from Connor Robertson and key baskets from Knutson and Young kept the Vikings within reach, as they entered halftime trailing just 44-38. 

In the second half, Grand View chipped away at Missouri Baptist's 12-point lead, cutting it in half by the 9-minute mark after a clutch three from James Ogrodink. With 3:33 left to play, a big three from Gavyn Stand brought the Vikings within two. Grand View took their first lead of the half when Jaxson Young sank a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left, but Missouri Baptist responded with a baseline three to force overtime after a resilient comeback from the Vikings.

In overtime, the two teams exchanged blows, with Missouri Baptist taking a brief lead on a jumper from Evan Palmquist. Grand View quickly answered with a tough basket from Ogrodink and a free throw from Foster to regain a one-point advantage. After several turnovers, Jaxson Young stole the ball and converted a fastbreak layup to extend the Vikings' lead to three. With the game still tight, Joe Knutson hit a crucial three-pointer, assisted by Foster, pushing the Vikings to an 86-82 lead with under a minute remaining. Missouri Baptist fought back with a jumper from Preston Fortner, but Foster sealed the victory with two more free throws, securing an 89-84 win for Grand View. The Vikings held strong defensively, with Foster grabbing a key rebound as time expired to wrap up the hard-fought victory.

Grand View's overall performance was marked by a strong effort across several key statistical categories in their 89-84 overtime victory. The Vikings outscored Missouri Baptist in bench points (32-12), with significant contributions from their reserves, particularly in the second and third quarters. They also capitalized on second-chance opportunities, finishing with 15 points in that category compared to the Spartans' 8. Grand View's defense was a factor in their 10 points off turnovers, while Missouri Baptist earned just 8 points from turnovers. The Vikings were also effective in the paint, edging out the Spartans 36-34, and showed resilience in tied situations, as they scored 6 times after the game was tied, compared to 3 for Missouri Baptist.


GAME NOTES

• Grand View's bench totaled 32 points, with James Ogrodink (12) and Matthew Boldt (8) leading the way.
• The Vikings shot 79.2% from the free-throw line, including a strong 91.7% in the second half.
• Grand View out-rebounded Missouri Baptist 50-44, with 16 offensive boards.
• The Vikings narrowly edged Missouri Baptist 36-34 in points in the paint.
• Despite shooting 42.5% from the field overall, Grand View hit 66.7% of their shots in overtime.
• Leading the way for Grand View, Jaxson Young finished with 17 points, shooting 42.9% from the field, while also contributing 4 rebounds and 6 assists in 34 minutes of play.
• With a perfect free-throw performance, Ayden Foster scored 16 points, making 5-5 from the line, adding 2 rebounds and 1 assist in 26 minutes.
• Joe Knutson's double-double effort included 15 points and 13 rebounds, with 7 of those being offensive boards, along with 2 assists in 32 minutes.
• Off the bench, James Ogrodink made an impact with 12 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist in just 16 minutes.
• Matthew Boldt stepped up with 8 points and 6 rebounds, providing strong minutes off the bench with 15 minutes of play.

 
UP NEXT
Grand View will have a quick turnaround as they face No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan this evening to close out the Uphaus Classic. Fellow Heart member, MidAmerica Nazarene faced IWU Friday evening and fell by a score of 78-74. The Vikings and Wildcats will tip-off at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday November 9th.