An entertaining and back-and-forth game ended with DC-G scoring six points in the final minute to score a 56-48 win over host Perry in a non-conference boys cage scrap Tuesday.
DC-G scored 12 of the final 14 points of the contest to turn a 46-44 deficit into the eight-point win. Perry scored with just over three minutes left on the clock to grab a final lead, at 48-46, but did not put the ball in the basket after that in falling to 0-2 on the young season.
Both teams used spurts at different times to keep the flow of the game in constant flux. Perry trailed, 13-11, after one frame and 31-30 at the half. A third quarter surge fueled by a pair of Drew Levan 3-pointers and several physical baskets under the iron from Janier Puente helped the hosts open a 37-33 lead with one period to play.
The Bluejays saw their lead slowly begin to evaporate at Justin Protzman fueled a Mustang run with a 3-pointer and a basket off a drive, setting the stage for a final four minutes in which the Perry offense simply went cold.
Puente had 21 points in the paint to lead all scorers and had numerous and-one opportunities, finishing 5-of-12 at the foul line. Nine points from Kyle Nevitt (on three 3-pointers) and nine from Rashon Ivory aided Perry’s cause, with Levan adding six points, Connor Nielsen two and Tanner Duffy one.
Trevor Grote splashed three triples to lead DC-G with 15 points, with Protzman adding 12 points and Steve Borneman 11 as the Mustangs improved to 4-0 overall.
Perry visits Carlisle Friday for a Raccoon River Conference battle, then will step back out of conference with a Tuesday trip to Norwalk. Both dates are girl/boy sets beginning at 6 p.m.
