LAMONI, IOWA – The Grand View men's basketball team battled through regulation and into overtime on Thursday night, but ultimately fell to McPherson College 69-66 in a hard-fought contest.

The Vikings got off to a slow start, with McPherson scoring first and Grand View not getting on the board until the 16:20 mark when Jaxson Young knocked down a three-pointer assisted by Daviyon Gaston. Early turnovers and missed shots made it difficult for Grand View to gain momentum. Riley Edwards provided a spark off the bench with a triple of his own, keeping the Vikings within striking distance. Despite these efforts, McPherson's interior presence proved tough to contain in the first half, and Grand View trailed 29-20 at halftime.

The Vikings came out of the locker room with renewed energy, mounting an impressive second-half comeback. Gaston led the charge with aggressive drives to the basket, scoring back-to-back layups to cut the deficit to one. Young knocked down a crucial three-pointer assisted by Patrick Worrell, giving the Vikings their first lead at 39-35 with 12:26 remaining. Edwards caught fire from deep, hitting three quick three-pointers to push Grand View's advantage to 50-45.

The game turned into a thrilling back-and-forth battle down the stretch. Gaston drained a clutch three-pointer with 2:21 remaining to put the Vikings ahead 53-51, and Edwards tied it at 56-56 with another three. Lukas Helms sank two free throws with 23 seconds left to regain their two shot lead, but McPherson was able to force overtime at 58-58 on a pair of free throws at the end of the half.

In the extra period, both teams battled possession by possession. Gaston continued his relentless effort, keeping Grand View close, but McPherson hit their free throws down the stretch to maintain the advantage. Helms added a late layup to cut the deficit to 66-69, and the Vikings had one final chance when Rodell Davis Jr. launched a three-pointer at the buzzer that narrowly missed.

GAME NOTES:

• Daviyon Gaston led the Vikings with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 6 steals in 37 minutes.
• Riley Edwards added 15 points off the bench, hitting 5-of-8 three-pointers in just 18 minutes.
• Lukas Helms contributed 9 points and 7 rebounds, while Jaxson Young finished with 6 points.
• In the second half, Grand View shot 51.85% from the field and 53.85% from 3pt

WHATS NEXT?
Grand View will finish up the KCAC Challenge on Saturday, November 8th, where they face off with Avila University.