JAMESTOWN – They kept believing that they were better than their record. Thursday, that belief paid off for Jamestown Blue Jay Boys Basketball.
Two free throws by Thomas Newman with 6.2 seconds left completed a comeback from 12 points down in the second half and Jamestown stunned Mandan 84-83 at Jerry Meyer Arena to break a 15-game losing streak that dated back to the 2024 postseason.
Earlier, Jamestown’s girls took their second straight loss, falling to WDA second-place team Mandan 71-30.
Boys: Jamestown 84, Mandan 83
Jamestown (1-13, 1-10 WDA) kept chipping away at Mandan’s lead, which stretched to 70-58 with 7:27 remaining. Jamestown was down 75-72 when Braxton Perkins, who scored a career-high 26 points, scored on a putback with 2:28 left and the Braves (10-4, 7-4) were up just 75-74.
After a Mandan turnover, Thomas Newman drove for a dunk with 2:13 left and Jamestown led for the first time since early in the first half, 76-75.
Hudsen Sheldon hit a layup with 1:41 left. After missing a free throw, Doug Sheldon dropped in a layup and Mandan led 79-76.
13 seconds later, Perkins nailed a three-pointer, for a 79-79 tie.
TJ Brownotter, who led Mandan with 23, including 20 in the second half, hit a driving layup with 59 seconds left and Mandan took an 81-79 advantage.
After a Jamestown miss, Brownotter hit another layup with 27 seconds left for an 83-79 lead for the Braves.
Jamestown committed a turnover, then fouled Brylee Bearstail with 12.1 seconds to play, but he missed the front end of a one-&-one free throw. Perkins took the rebound, raced to the top of the key and hit his fourth three-pointer of the game with 6.2 seconds left and Mandan led 83-82.
After a Jamestown time out and on the ensuing inbound play, Brownotter knocked over Jamestown’s Edison Walters before the ball could be put in bounds. Brownotter was given an intentional foul, meaning Jamestown was entitled to two free throws and the ball. Newman, who scored 19, hit both at the line. Hudsen Sheldon then stole the inbounds pass and raced down court. However, he missed what would have been a game-winning layup with 2.8 seconds to play and Madden Skunberg held on to the rebound, securing the shocking and satisfying win for Jamestown.
Perkins was 11-of-15 from the floor and four-of-five on three-pointers. Walters, in just his fourth varsity game for the Blue Jays, drilled three three-pointers and scored 13.
Brylee Bearstail scored 14 for Mandan. Hudsen Sheldon scored 12, 11 points under his season average.
Jamestown’s last previous win had been on February 20 of last year, ending the regular season with an 83-79 victory at Dickinson. The week after that, Jamestown lost two straight and was eliminated from the West Region tournament.
Girls: Mandan 71, Jamestown 30
Mandan’s pressure forced Jamestown into turnovers and rushed shots and into their second-lowest point total of the season. The lowest was in a 66-28 loss at Mandan on December 20.
McKenna Johnson led the Braves (12-2, 9-2 WDA) with 14 points. Sarah Helderop had 12 points and Ziah GreyBull notched 10.
Milan Martin and Adisyn Yunck scored seven points apiece for the Blue Jays (5-9, 3-8).
On Tuesday, both Blue Jay teams will host Bismarck St. Mary’s at Jerry Meyer Arena. Coverage will begin at around 5:30 PM on The Voice of the Blue Jays, Jamestown 107.1.