On Feb. 5, the Blue Devils’ boys varsity basketball team lost against Port Huron Northern 51-53. Both teams displayed similar levels of talent on the court, dragging the game into triple overtime.
The blue devils came out strong, winning the tipoff and taking a quick lead. As the other team had possession, three-pointers were continuously scored, putting the Blue Devils down five after the first quarter. Since they had seen this team before, Coach Steve Benard educated the team on a game plan to handle the opponents, which included not letting them shoot beyond the three-point line.
“We want a team like that to score two points, not three, and that was our challenge in the first half.” Benard said. “But I am proud of all my kids, they competed, they had a great game hitting a ton of big shots,”
At the end of the thirty-two minute game and heading into overtime, the teams tied 46-46. Overtime began, and Port Huron Northern managed to hold a three point lead until guard Quinn Steinhebel ’27 made a three with ten seconds on the clock, prompting another round of overtime.
“Going into overtime, the team was devoted to finishing the game and taking another win,” Forward Sam Rouleau ’27 said.
With ten seconds left on the clock in double overtime, the Blue Devils were down two and didn’t have possession. But miraculously, guard Kooper Richards ’27 stole the ball to assist Steinhebel for another game saving shot to bring yet another round of overtime. The four-quarter game had now turned into a marathon.
“The most valuable trait the team holds is our mental and physical toughness,” Rouleau said.
Ultimately, South ended up falling short two points after the third and final overtime, losing 51-53 and bringing their record to 9-9. Richards sees their split record as a poor reflection of the effort and teamwork he and his team put in each game. Richards believes the players’ motivation to win is each other and that team chemistry can defeat any level of raw talent.
“Everything I put into the game I do for my teammates,” Richards said.
