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Thunderbirds fall in championship game

A late comeback effort fell just short for the Iola-Scandinavia boys’ basketball team in the championship game of the Stratford Invitational.

Austin Shelley’s buzzer-beater lifted the host Tigers to a 41-40 win over the Thunderbirds Thursday, Dec. 30. The T-Birds advanced to the title game with a 60-50 win the previous day over Owen-Withee.

Stratford 41, I-S 40

The T-Birds overcame a 10-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter, took the lead late in the game and lost it on Shelley’s basket.

Stratford led 13-5 after the first quarter, 24-15 at halftime and 33-23 after three quarters before I-S outscored the Tigers 17-8 over the final eight minutes.

Lucas Albers led the T-Birds with 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Bradly Hardel added 13 points. Derek Austin led Stratford with 15 points.

I-S 60, Owen-Withee 50

Hardel and Albers teamed up to score nearly half of the T-Birds points with 16 and 13, respectively.

I-S led 18-8 after the first quarter, 32-25 at halftime and 41-39 after three quarters before pulling away with a 19-11 advantage in the fourth quarter.

Dan Tap added nine points for the T-Birds, while Jordan Beyersdorf pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.

The T-Birds will return to Central Wisconsin 8 Conference action at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 7, at Bonduel.

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