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Both teams came out playing fast and with urgency, with Mount St. Joseph Academy Green Wave striking first at the free-throw line, going 1-for-2 to open the scoring. MSJ quickly settled into its press, trapping Leland & Gray Rebels ball handlers all over the floor.

Early on, the Rebels handled the pressure enough to advance into the front court, but shots simply wouldn’t fall. MSJ capitalized, opening the game on an 11-0 run. Anyone who’s followed Rebel basketball this season knew they weren’t going to sit back and watch, and Leland & Gray responded with a 6-0 run of their own. Spencer Claussen sparked the push, slicing through traffic and finishing at the rim.

The Green Wave halted the momentum with a fast-break bucket, but a 14-footer from Collin Dunleavy-Mercier pulled the Rebels within 13-8. A late MSJ three pushed the lead to 16-8 heading into the second quarter.

The second frame opened with strong defensive stretches on both ends. MSJ eventually found its rhythm and used a sustained run to extend the lead to 31-10 at the break. The margin wasn’t due to a lack of effort from the Rebels, who continued to play with pride and urgency. MSJ did much of its damage by creating extra possessions, repeatedly corralling offensive rebounds and converting second-chance opportunities.

In the third quarter, Dakota Shippee began to find his rhythm, scoring four points across two early possessions. Matthew Thomas added two more with a smooth turnaround jumper as the horn sounded. Despite the uphill battle, the Rebels continued to compete, entering the fourth quarter trailing 56-17.

What stood out watching this game was that the hustle never stopped from start to finish. Even in the fourth quarter, leaders like Claussen and Ryder Butynski remained vocal, directing teammates and continuing to lead by example with their effort.

Leland & Gray carried that energy through the final eight minutes and found some footing offensively, outscoring MSJ 15-8 in the fourth. Shippee stayed hot, knocking down three triples in the period. The Rebels played through the final horn with the same fight they opened with, but ultimately fell to MSJ, 64-32.

Check out more coverage of the Leland & Gray Rebels this season.