The new year brought new opportunities for the Bushnell-Prairie City and South Fulton boys basketball teams Friday night at Astoria High School.
Combining for just five wins entering 2026 both teams aimed to take a step in the right direction in this Prairieland Conference South Division contest.
It came down to the game’s final possession where a missed 3-pointer by the Spartans allowed the Rebels to escape with a 51-49 victory.
B-PC slipped to 2-11 overall, 0-2 in Prairieland play, while South Fulton improved to 4-10 overall, 1-2 in league contests.
It was the first game for the Spartans since Dec. 29 when they lost to Monmouth- Roseville 65-30 in consolation play at the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament.
B-PC also lost to Brown County 57-21 in the opening round.
“Obviously that wasn’t what we wanted to look like and play,” said B-PC coach Shane Curry of his team’s results in the holiday tournament. “The focus was on chaos defense, the things that we were going to do from the start (of the season).”
“They played very aggressive,” he added of his squad. “We all saw the game. (South Fulton) got bounces and we did not.”
The two teams were tied at 20-20 at the half before the Rebels edged their way out to a 36-32 lead heading into the final eight minutes.
South Fulton opened the fourth quarter with a 10-5 spurt and when Morgan Foglesong scored on a layup with 4:57 remaining, the Rebels held their biggest lead of the night at 46-37.
But B-PC countered with an 11-2 run over the next three and a half minutes.
Connor Palm started the run with a pair of layups and a free throw.
Braylon Griffitts also had a basket before De’Arion Ruffin-Thomas added a pair of layups that brought the Spartans even at 48-48 with 1:28 to go.
Riley Foglesong’s free throw 17 seconds later gave South Fulton the lead at 49-48.
The Spartans missed two shots on their next possession before the Rebels came up with a loose ball that turned into a Jackson Miller layup, putting the home team up three with 41 seconds left.
Ruffin-Thomas was then fouled with 35.5 seconds remaining. He made one of his two free throws, narrowing the gap to 51-49.
Two missed free throws by South Fulton’s Brayden Carithers gave B-PC one final chance. But a last-second attempt by Ruffin-Thomas was no good, allowing the Rebels to hang on for the hard-fought victory.
“That last three, that’s a great look for De,” said Curry. “That’s a kid who you want the ball in his hands. Senior, leader, captain. It just didn’t fall.”
“That’s what you play the game for, to put yourself in the position to have a chance to win the game,” he added.
Griffitts and Dylan King topped B-PC with 10 points each. Palm and Griffitts added nine points apiece.
John Malda added a pair of 3-pointers off the bench in the third period for six points, while Christian Graybill had five.
King finished with a double- double, also recording 13 rebounds, along with five steals, while Thomas recorded five rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Griffitts tallied six rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Graybill and Palm each had four rebounds with Palm also adding two steals.
“Our defense looked great,” said Curry. “There was a time out there where we had two freshmen, two sophomores and a senior.”
“You’re not supposed to be in the game and we were,” he added. “We were right there. They played big minutes and they played great.”
Riley Foglesong topped South Fulton with 17 points, while Morgan Foglesong added 10 for the Rebels.
Miller scored eight points, followed by Jasper Lyttaker and Kylor Clemens with six points apiece.
Carithers rounded out the Rebel scoring with four points.
“When we run offense, we actually get good shots,” said South Fulton coach Mike Simpson. “We just don’t like running it all time. And as long as things are flowing, I just let it go.”
“I’m happy with their effort,” he added of his squad. “We’ve changed our defensive scheme up a little bit and it seems to be working.”
South Fulton won the contest despite shooting just 9-of-28 from the free throw line.
The JV contest saw South Fulton squander a 10-point fourth quarter lead before escaping with a 48-43 win.
South Fulton held the upper hand most of the contest, leading 11-6 after the opening quarter and 21-17 at halftime.
The Rebels led 33-30 entering the final period before going on a 9-2 run. A Kalvin Gorusch basket capped with 5:13 remaining gave the Rebels a 42-32 advantage.
But B-PC responded with an 11-1 run. Landon Ferguson’s 3-pointer with 2:16 left knotted the contest at 43-43.
South Fulton’s Morgan Foglesong would score the game’s final five points, starting with a free throw at the 1:57 mark.
He added a pair of baskets including a layup with 51 seconds to go that set the final score.
Ferguson topped B-PC with 12 points including nine in the final period.
Mason Paul was next with seven points, followed by Alex Kohler, Reese Klinedinst and King ith six points apiece.
Thomas Anderson scored four points and John Malda two for the Spartans.
Morgan Foglesong topped South Fulton with 20 points, while Gorsuch added 12 for the Rebels.
Westin Chenoweth chipped in eight points for the hosts, followed by Aidan Taylor with six and Bobby Welch with two.
The Rebels were victorious despite shooting just 8-of-23 from the free throw line.
The Spartans return to action Tuesday, playing at Farmington.
“They showed the effort and their heart. There’s time to turn this back around,” said Curry. “We just have to get back to work. That’s just what it boils down to.”
“We’ll remember this one,” he added. “This one stings. We can’t let it leave out brains while we’re working.”
“They’re just such a great group of kids. I want nothing but good things for them,” said Curry. “For this being my first year, I could not ask for a better group. I know the record is not what we want it to be, but they’re such good kids, Good things are going to happen for them.”
