Waldorf Men's Basketball Squeaks Out Victory at Doane

CRETE, Nebraska. Waldorf men's basketball survived a furious second-half rally and edged Doane (Neb.) 83-82 on Saturday afternoon, winning it at the buzzer on two free throws by Krys Watley.

After leading by as many as 21 in the second half, the Warriors suddenly found themselves trailing in the final seconds. Doane's Casen Chaney calmly knocked down two free throws with four seconds remaining to give the Tigers an 82-81 advantage. Waldorf pushed the ball up the floor, and Watley drew a foul as time expired, stepping to the line with the game on the line. The junior guard sank both attempts at 0:00, sealing a dramatic road victory for Waldorf.

The finish capped a game that looked firmly in Waldorf's control for more than 30 minutes. The Warriors shot 53.7% from the field and 45.8% from 3-point range, using efficient offense and opportunistic defense to build a 42-26 halftime lead. Conner Aldridge closed the first half with two free throws in the final minute to give Waldorf its largest margin of the opening period.

Waldorf kept its momentum early in the second half. A 3-pointer by Nick Graves pushed the advantage to 56-35 as the Warriors extended the lead into the 20s. Doane, however, began to chip away behind hot shooting and a commanding 36-22 edge on the glass, including 16 offensive rebounds that fueled second-chance points. The Tigers outscored Waldorf 52-41 after the break to get back into the game.

The Warriors tried to stave off the surge late. With about three minutes left, Cohen Aldridge buried a 3-pointer to stretch the cushion to 79-71, giving Waldorf breathing room entering the closing stretch. But Doane answered, led by standout guard Trevon Beckman, who finished with a game-high 28 points on 11-for-14 shooting. Beckman drilled a late 3-pointer to cut the deficit and keep the Tigers within striking distance, and Doane eventually moved in front on Chaney's free throws in the final seconds.

Waldorf's backcourt carried the offense in the tight contest. Conner Aldridge led the Warriors with 26 points on 10-for-13 shooting and added five rebounds. Graves provided 16 points, hitting four 3-pointers to go with five assists in 38 minutes. Watley filled the stat sheet with 13 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals, highlighted by the game-winning free throws. Cornelius Porter Jr. added nine points and nine assists while collecting four steals as Waldorf turned 19 Doane turnovers into 28 points.

Despite being outrebounded and outscored 46-22 in the paint, Waldorf's balance on the perimeter and pressure defense proved decisive. The Warriors finished with 21 assists on 29 made field goals and recorded 14 steals, consistently turning defensive stops into transition opportunities. Waldorf moves to 5-12 overall and 1-8 in GPAC play.