ROAD WIN … Bryan’s Tucker Miller goes to pass the ball in the Golden Bears’ win at Evergreen.
PHOTOS BY RENEA KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
FASTBREAK … Evergreen’s George Allendorf attacks the rim with a Bryan defender in toe.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
METAMORA (January 30, 2026) – Sometimes teams just play the best game possible and go win a tough game. Then there are times when a team goes out and loses one.
Seven first quarter turnovers coupled with 15% shooting-and 25% from the field for the game, led to the first time the Vikings have lost to Bryan since 2017, 51-38.
Evergreen took their only lead at 7-5 with 3:37 left in the first on Quinn Eisel’s three-point play. The Vikings didn’t score again in the quarter.
Tucker Watson scored from in close to knot the game, then freshman Jake Arnold nailed seven straight points including a buzzer-beating heave from long range that made it 14-7.
Four straight free throws from Bryce Bolger and Wil Ruetz, then a Ruetz layup got the Vikings as close as 14-13 with 5:37 to go in the half.
However, Evergreen misfired on their last nine attempts of the half and Bryan scored the last eight points of the quarter.
Watson scored from in tight again, and then Arnold found the Bears’ senior post player for a layup along with getting to the rim on his own to boost Bryan ahead 22-13 at half.
Arnold feeds to Rhett McGill, then Watson along with an Arnold triple pumped the margin to 29-15 at the 5:46 mark of the third. To that point Evergreen was 4-27 from the floor.
The Vikings made a run with Eisel leading the way with a three-point play, a triple and another stick back to get Evergreen within 32-26.
Chris Shrader’s dish to Ruetz off a turnover made it 32-28 but again after an ill-advised Vikings shot with 12 seconds left on the clock, the Bears had enough time to get the ball down the floor where Watson scored to put Bryan ahead 36-30 going into the fourth.
Shrader opened the fourth with a deep triple to get the Vikings (9-7, 1-3 NWOAL) back to 36-33, but that would be as close as they would get as Evergreen hit just two of their last 13 shots.
Watson and McGill each scored six points for the Bears in the quarter to extend the margin. Bryan turned the ball over 22 times but didn’t suffer for it because of Evergreen’s cold shooting and 16 turnovers.
The Golden Bears (5-11, 2-2 NWOAL) were led by Watson who had 21 points, Arnold added 15 along with six assists, and McGill hit double figures with 10.
Eisel had 15 for Evergreen and Ruetz chipped in with 12.
BRYAN (51) – Welling 3; Miller 2; McGill 10; Arnold 15; H. Watson 0; Kerr 0; Sito 0; T. Watson 21; Vollmer 0; Totals: 19-3-4 – 51
EVERGREEN (38) – Ruetz 12; Farley 0; Q. Eisel 15; Allendorf 3; Bolger 3; Fisher 0; Mossing 0; Gillen 0; Shrader 5; Totals: 8-5-7 – 38
BHS 14 8 14 15 – 51
EHS 7 6 17 8 – 38