BETHANY — After a slow start, Bethany used a second quarter run to rout Tecumseh, 76-49, Thursday in the Class 4A regional opener for both teams.

The Bronchos fell behind, 16-11, after one quarter as the Savages were hitting tough shots and Bethany was slumping.

Bethany coach Brett Cannon had a message for his team.

“We challenged them at at the end of the quarter, just reminding them that they have three more quarters in this gym ever.” Cannon said. “They responded to it.”

The Bronchos pulled within two points (21-19) on a bucket from senior Aiden Todd with 4:41 left in the the second quarter.

That score started a 20-0 run for Bethany. Junior Denton Jaggers tied the game at 21-21 with a putback of a missed dunk.

Todd, fellow seniors Jackie Payne and Lukas Wooldridge all hit 3-pointers during the onslaught.

“Guys adjusted after they were challenged,” Cannon said.

Cannon emphasized the high point total as a goal.

“We took we got great shots all night.We turned defense into offense and scored 76 points,” Cannon said. That’s really good and we should like we should be shooting for that.”

Todd finished with a game-high 16 points, including three 3-pointers. Fellow senior Wyatt Geissler added 13 points with three treys.

Wooldridge scored 11 points and Garrett Johnson followed with nine points.

Payne scored eight points, including two 3-pointers. Jaggers also scored eight points, all in the first half.

Because Bethany hosted the first round of the regional, the Bronchos got a bonus senior night which wasn’t lost on Cannon.

“For them to play this last game here was really special. Just to see all of them go out and make stuff happen.”

With the game decided, Cannon was able to substitute for his seniors, earning cheers from the home crowd.

Joining Wooldridge, Todd, Payne, Geissler and Johnson in the senior class are Braxton Mullins, Landon Hess, William Walstad and Eric Butler.

“I’m just thankful to have been able to coach those guys for the last three years,” Cannon said. “It won’t be the same around here without them. Love those guys. They play extremely hard. They play for each other. 
They’re a selfless group.”

UP NEXT

The Bronchos face third-ranked Crossings Christian (23-3) in the regional final Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on Knights’ home floor.

Crossings routed Skiatook Thursday, 89-44.

The Knights are riding a 12-game winning streak. Their last loss was to 4A second-ranked Douglass Jan. 21. Both of Crossings’ other two losses came to 3A top-ranked Millwood.

The Knights have eight wins over Class 6A and 5A schools.

Bethany and Crossings played twice a couple of seasons ago when each senior group were sophomores.

“They’re really, really good. I think we match up similar to them,” Cannon said. “Our guys are familiar with them. They’re familiar with us.”

Cannon highlighted Knight senior guard Cal Furnish and predicts he’ll play Division I college basketball.

“They got a lot of players surrounding him that play extremely hard,” Cannon said.

	1	2	3	4	F
Tecumseh (11-16)	16	8	15	10	49
Bethany (16-7)	11	26	24	17	76