DES MOINES, IOWA – The Grand View men's basketball team delivered a thrilling performance in their final home game of the 2024 season, honoring their seniors with a hard-fought 82-75 overtime victory against Missouri Valley. The Vikings battled through 45 minutes of gritty play to secure the win, improving their record to 14-12 overall and 12-10 in conference action. Grand View clinched a spot in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament with the triumph.
Grand View completed a full-circle moment with a thrilling overtime victory over Missouri Valley, clinching their place in the Heart of America Conference Tournament and avenging last season's heartbreaking home finale loss.
Missouri Valley jumped out to a 10-point first-half lead before Grand View responded with back-to-back jumpers from senior
Ayden Foster, trimming the halftime deficit to 34-28. After the break, a
Jackson Green steal set up a quick
Jaxson Young bucket, cutting the gap to 36-35.
The Vikings seized momentum with a 12-0 run, powered by two three-pointers from senior
Connor Robertson for their largest lead of the night. Missouri Valley fought back, capitalizing on a five-second violation to briefly reclaim the lead with a corner three. Young answered with a clutch jumper, and Foster sank four key free throws to force overtime.
In the extra period,
Joe Knutson's jumper and a Green three-pointer, assisted by Foster, kept Grand View in front. Foster added a jumper off a Knutson assist, extending the lead to 75-71. Defensive stops from Knutson and Young preserved the advantage before free throws from
Patrick Worrell and Foster pushed the lead to 78-71.
Missouri Valley trimmed the deficit, but Robertson's pair of free throws made it 80-73. A late Missouri Valley layup closed the gap, but Foster's final free throw and Young's steal sealed the 82-75 win.
The Vikings' resilient performance delivered a hard-fought Senior Night victory and a well-earned spot in the Heart of America Conference Tournament.
The Viking men's basketball team put on an exciting performance, with several players stepping up to secure a big win.
Ayden Foster led the charge, scoring 24 points and grabbing seven rebounds while dishing out three assists and swiping two steals in 38 minutes of play.
Jaxson Young was right behind him with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists, logging all 40 minutes on the court. Off the bench,
Connor Robertson made his mark with 11 points, including a perfect 3-of-4 from three-point range.
Jackson Green also contributed 16 points, hitting two 3-pointers, and
Joe Knutson added 7 points and 7 rebounds. The team's unselfish play was evident, finishing with 35 rebounds and a strong 82-point total.
GAME NOTES
- Inside play was a strength for Grand View, scoring 34 points in the paint compared to Missouri Valley's 30.
- Grand View tied the game 6 times, while Missouri Valley failed to match that.
- The bench played a huge role, as Grand View outscored Missouri Valley 26-11, particularly in the second half.
- As a team, Grand View shot 100% from the field in overtime (3-for-3) and 58.3% from the free-throw line (7-for-12), scoring a total of 14 points in the extra period.
- Over the course of 5 minutes in overtime, Ayden Foster was perfect from the field, scoring 6 points, grabbing 1 rebound, and adding 1 assist.
- Grand View took a moment to celebrate the achievements of their exceptional seniors: Tagen Douma, Ayden Foster, Jonah Leifker, and Connor Robertson, recognizing their dedication and contributions to the team.
UP NEXT
Grand View hits the road for their final two regular season games, beginning with a Wednesday evening matchup at William Penn University. The Vikings will face off against the Statesmen in Oskaloosa at 7:30 PM.
