The Bushnell-Prairie City High School boys basketball team saw its season ended Monday evening.
Heading to Cuba for a rematch against North Fulton, the Spartans fell behind early and never caught up in dropping a 48-15 decision to the Wildcats in an Illinois High School Association Class 1A Regional opening-round contest.
B-PC was the No. 13 sub-sectional seed, while North Fulton was seeded fourth.
The two teams had just faced each other on Feb. 16 with North Fulton winning 51-16.
The second time proved to be no better for B-PC.
De’Arion Ruffin-Thomas scored four points, while Logan Ash and Dylan King also added baskets in the opening eight minutes as B-PC trailed 14-8.
The Spartan offense struggled thereafter, managing only a Connor Palm 3-pointer in the second period.
But North Fulton was held to seven points, leaving the Spartans trailing 21-11 at halftime.
“We played tough in the first half trying to slow them down,” said B-PC coach Shane Curry. “We knew we could not get in a track meet with them.”
The Spartan offense went ice-cold in the final 16 minutes, managing just one free throw from Palm in the third quarter and three free throws from Ruffin-Thomas in the final period.
“We just could not get shots to fall in the second half,” said Curry.
North Fulton led 35-12 after three quarters.
Ruffin-Thomas topped B-PC with seven points. Palm was next with four points, while Ash and King chipped in two points apiece.
Brady Thum topped North Fulton with 12 points. Connor Munson and Bo Hoops added seven points apiece for the Wildcats.
B-PC saw its season ended with a final record of 3-24.
Other opening-round scores included the following: Deer Creek-Mackinaw 75, Hartsburg-Emden 31 Havana 45, Rushville-Industry 44 Mendon Unity 55, Lewistown 46 Wednesday’s semifinals at Rushville saw Deer Creek-Mackinaw defeat Havana 62-43 before Mendon Unity beat North Fulton 56-43.
Havana finished its season with a 12-15 record, while North Fulton concluded with a record 23-8.
Top-seeded Deer Creek-Mackinaw (24-6) will face No. 5 seed Mendon Unity (15-14) in Friday’s championship game at Rushville.
Read more local sports coverage on page 19-24
