NEWBERG, Ore. -- The George Fox Bruins Senior Night saw a heart-stopping showdown against the Lewis and Clark Pioneers, with the game coming down to the final seconds of overtime. Despite valiant efforts from their senior leaders, Fox fell just short, dropping the game, 85-83.

How It Happened
Before the game began, the Bruins honored their six graduating players — Momo Stokes, Samuel Stewart IV, Chris Nickleberry, Jon Mayben, Nick Greenwood and Jett Briceno.

The game was a tight contest from the opening possession, but it was the Pioneers who broke away first, taking a 20-11 lead through the first ten minutes after several big runs. Fox responded with a seven point run of their own, however, when a three-pointer from Momo Stokes was immediately followed by two quick buckets from Jake Bishop and Vanndon Heard. 

The Bruins took their first lead of the game with three minutes left in the half when The Pios Lewis and Clark responded with a triple, but Stewart IV and Price went back-to-back yet again to keep Fox in the lead, before Corey Schramm closed out the period with a jumper to give Fox a slim lead headed into halftime, 34-31.

The second half started similarly to the first, with the Pioneers coming out hot to regain the lead after two straight triples. Standout seniors Stewart IV and Stokes kept Fox in the fight, hitting free throws and jumpers, before fellow senior Nick Greenwood got hot with the ball in hand, knocking down a jumper and a free throw to put Fox back ahead by three, 47-44.

From here, the game continued to swing massively, as the Pioneers outscored the Bruins 20-9 over the next eight minutes, leaving the Bruins eight points down with four minutes left to play. 

The Bruins weren't going down on senior day without a fight. Aiden Price drilled a layup to spark the offense, and just like that, the momentum was all Fox. A Jake Bishop triple was followed by a layup from Stokes to put the Bruins just three back. Stewart IV capitalized on several Pioneer fouls, knocking down four straight free throws to help Fox regain the lead, 67-64. 

With a minute and a half to go, Lewis and Clark made a layup to pull within one, and the tension was palpable. Corey Schramm nailed a big time jumper with 59 seconds left to give Fox a three shot buffer, but any breathing room was immediately erased when the Pioneers stole the inbounds, knocked down a layup of their own — with the Bruins being tagged with an intentional foul to boot. 

Suddenly, Lewis and Clark knocked down three straight free throws to take the lead, 69-67. With just 25 seconds on the clock,  the Bruins went back to their experienced playmakers, and Momo Stokes delivered, drawing a foul with 11 seconds left. The gym held its breath as the senior knocked down both free throws, sending the game into overtime, 71-71.

The two teams traded free throws to open the five minutes of overtime, before the Pioneers made a layup to take the first lead. Corey Schramm continued to come up clutch, though, getting the crowd on their feet with an electric dunk to tie the game back up. 

The Pios got the next three shots on the board after several Bruin misses, before Stokes nailed another bucket from beyond the arc to keep Fox within three. However, costly fouls by Fox allowed the Pioneers to go to the line, where they capitalized on four straight free throws to extend their lead to 84-77 with just 30 seconds left. Despite the deficit, George Fox wasn't backing down. Greenwood nailed a big three-pointer to cut the lead to 84-80, and then Noah Marte hit a wild triple from NBA range to pull the Bruins to within two at 85-83.

Lewis & Clark missed both free throws, and miraculously, the Bruins had a chance to win. Needing a three pointer buzzer beater to clinch the victory, Stewart IV took and open triples the gym held its breath, but it wouldn't find the net, barely rimming out. Despite the incredible show of heart from the entire team, Fox dropped the thriller, 83-85. 

Top Performances
Senior Samuel Stewart IV was once again outstanding for Fox, finishing with 22 points after going 14-16 from the free throw line, while also recording 10 rebounds, five assists and three steals. Momo Stokes was also impressive, finishing with 18 points and three steals. Aiden Price was the final double digit performer, ending the night with 12 points on 6-11 shooting from the floor. 

Nick Greenwood came up clutch for Fox in big moments, going 2-3 from beyond the arc while also leading the team with four steals.

What It Means
Fox falls to 11-13 (7-8 NWC) on the season, while the Pioneers improve to 13-11 (8-6 NWC). The loss eliminates the Bruins from postseason contention

What It Means
The Bruins will head on the road for their final game of the season, facing the Puget Sound Loggers (12-11, 8-7 NWC). The game is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. in Tacoma, Wash.