What began as a slow, uphill night for Leland & Gray turned into a frantic, emotional chase — one that ended in heartbreak in the final second, but revealed something worth holding onto.

Both teams came out of the gate slowly in the opening quarter, with Green Mountain striking first before Logan Plimpton answered for the Rebels. The Grizzlies did much of their early damage by controlling the offensive glass, creating extra possessions and close-range looks on their way to a 13–7 lead after one.

Leland & Gray was able to generate quality opportunities by getting behind Green Mountain’s zone and working the ball inside, but shots were slow to fall. Spencer Claussen helped steady things early, grabbing a long defensive rebound and pushing the ball coast to coast for a tough finish through contact, converting at the free-throw line to keep the game within reach.

The second quarter followed a similar script. Plimpton again opened the scoring, but Green Mountain answered with an 11–0 run that was eventually halted by a pair of Ryder Butynski free throws. Offensively, little changed for either side, as the Grizzlies continued to clean up missed shots while the Rebels generated good looks without much reward. Green Mountain carried a 24–13 advantage into the halftime break.

The game didn’t flip all at once coming out of halftime — it tightened, possession by possession.

Leland & Gray opened the third quarter with renewed purpose, fueled by a renewed commitment to the glass, better spacing, and a refusal to let possessions end quietly. Butynski set the tone immediately, cleaning up missed shots for putback baskets on the Rebels’ first two possessions of the half. On the next trip, he showed his feel for the game, finding a cutting Collin Dunleavy-Mercier for an open layup.. Each possession felt heavier, and he leaned into it.

Claussen added to the surge by pushing the pace in transition, finishing another one-man fast break as belief began to build. The Rebels continued to chip away, finally tying the game at 30–30. Green Mountain steadied itself late in the quarter and carried a narrow 32–30 lead into the final frame, doing just enough to weather the rally.

But the energy Leland & Gray built didn’t fade.

Butynski wasted no time reasserting himself to open the fourth, cleaning up another offensive rebound for an easy putback. The teams traded baskets throughout the period, with the Grizzlies repeatedly answering just in time to keep the lead from swinging.

Midway through the quarter came the moment it truly felt like the game had turned in the Rebels’ favor. Claussen fought back through a broken press and swatted a Green Mountain attempt off the glass — the kind of play that leaves a subtle mark in the box score but shifted belief. Moments later, the student section found its voice, chanting “Let’s go Rebels,” as the gym came alive.

Leland & Gray continued to battle behind Butynski, while Dunleavy-Mercier delivered timely baskets to pull the Rebels within one possession on multiple occasions. In the final minute, Plimpton cleaned up a loose ball inside to tie the game at 46–46, setting the stage for a tense finish.

After what felt like an eternity without a basket — though it lasted less than a minute — Butynski attacked the paint late, was tied up, and was whistled for his fifth foul with under a second remaining. Green Mountain went 1-for-2 at the line, just enough to take the lead. The Rebels’ final, full-court attempt came up short.

The margin between a signature comeback and heartbreak came down to a single free throw.

Butynski led the Rebels with a dominant double-double of 22 points and 14 rebounds. Plimpton added eight points, Claussen finished with seven points and five assists, and Dunleavy-Mercier contributed six points and 12 rebounds in a performance that showed Leland & Gray found something in the second half — belief, resilience, and a willingness to fight on every possession.

Leland & Gray returns to action Monday, December 29, traveling to Mount St. Joseph Academy for a road matchup in Rutland.