But the Bulldogs weren’t about to go away. Griffin Sehy knocked down a shot from behind the arc to start an 8-2 run. Kyle Stewart added a three and Max Koening turned a T-Town turnover into a bucket, trimming the margin to 43-40 at the 3:08 mark. It was the final points SAHS scored.

St. Anthony got the ball back with a chance to tie and got a good look for Sehy. His three-point attempt from the corner was off-target, however, and THS took control. Brendan Niebrugge followed with a three-point dagger, and following a St. Anthony turnover, Max Niebrugge was fouled and made both free throws to make it a 48-40 bulge with 59 seconds showing.

Brendan Nieburgge then made three foul shots in the final 23 seconds to seal the victory.

“I feel like we’re so close to consistently winning these types of games,” said St. Anthony coach Cody Rincker. “To win these big games, you have to be darn near perfect. You can’t have guys failing to get open on plays or making excuses. I see the potential with this group and the opportunities we have. But you have to be able to make plays to capitalize on those opportunities.”

After the opening eight minutes of the game, the T-Town faithful had to be concerned. The Shoes missed their first five shots and turned the ball over three times. They made just one of their first 10 shot attempts, that being a three-pointer by Pruemer.

Stewart had three baskets in the first quarter and the Bulldogs built a 12-6 lead.

“Sometimes, our shooting struggles are hard to explain,” Reeder noted. “They were playing zone to start the game. We just passed the ball around the perimeter and stood around. We weren’t aggressive at all. Still, we got some good shots. They just didn’t ball. Like I said. It’s hard to explain.”

When Mitch Althoff scored on consecutive possessions to start the second period, the proverbial “lid” seemed to come off the basket. All of a sudden, the Shoes were moving on offense and started connecting on their shots.

The Bulldogs stilled owned a 16-12 advantage when Brendan Niebrugge’s three ignited a 10-4 run to close out the first half. Joey Ruholl added a three, Max Niebrugge converted a turnover into a bucket and James Niebrugge added a short jumper to send the Shoes to the locker room with a slim 22-20 lead at intermission.

Reeder was visibly unhappy with his team’s first-half performance.

“The biggest thing was our rebounding,” he explained. “That was our focal point at halftime. We gave up five offensive rebounds, which is very frustrating. We just weren’t doing things right. Plus, we had nine turnovers. Both teams had some silly turnovers that first half, which just results in wasted possessions. We weren’t making good decisions with the ball and were trying to go too fast.”

After Stewart hit a pair of free throws to open the second half and tie the game, James Niebrugge responded with a three that put the Shoes on top to stay. Another bucket by Stewart trimmed to the lead to one, 25-24, but Caleb Siemer and Max Niebrugge scored to expand the gap to five points. It was a four-point spread, 33-29, heading into the final quarter.

While the Shoes only turned the ball over three times in the second half, the Bulldogs turned it over eight and finished with 18 in the game.

“I thought that was the difference,” Rincker admitted. “We really battled on the boards, which was a point of emphasis for us after the NTC Tournament. But we have to find a way to take better care of the basketball. We continually lose the turnover battle, and in this type of a game, that will get you.”

So will T-Town’s defense.

“I was concerned by how we were shooting the ball in that first quarter,” Reeder said. “But to this group’s credit, they don’t let that affect their defensive effort. They keep making things difficult for other teams. That’s what kept us within striking distance tonight.”

Stewart led all scorers with 16 points, while Craig Croy added 10. The Bulldogs shot 46 percent overall, making 17-of-37 attempts. They were 4-for-13 from three-point range and 2-for-2 from the foul line. St. Anthony had a 21-16 edge on the boards.

“I love these kids,” Rincker said. “They work hard for me. They battle and compete every night. If Griff makes that shot, who knows what happens? Give Brendan credit. He made the most of his opportunity. And once T-Town gets the lead down the stretch, they are a tough team to beat.”

Brendan Niebrugge led the Shoes with 14 points, while Pruemer also cracked double figures with 10. The Shoes were also 17-for-37 from the floor, a 46 percent clip. After that cold first quarter, they made 16-of-27 shots, a 59 percent effort. They finished 7-for-16 from behind the arc and 10-for-13 at the line

“We only had those three turnovers and only gave up one offensive rebound in the second half,” Reeder noted. “That gave us more possessions. When you take care of the ball, rebound and defend, you’re going to have success and win games.”

The Bulldogs are now 14-12 on the season. They will return to action Tuesday with a National Trail Conference game at South Central.

The Shoes improved to 18-7 with the win. They will be back in action at home today (Saturday) against Robinson.