Justin Martinez/MDN Minot High junior Tucker Olson (22) launches a corner triple over Legacy’s Paxton Miller (32) on Saturday during the Magicians’ 72-68 loss in a state qualifier game of the West Region tournament at the Bismarck Event Center.

BISMARCK — With their backs against the wall, the Magicians went down as a team.

The No. 5-seeded Minot High School boys basketball team’s season came to an end on Saturday at the hands of No. 6-seeded Bismarck Legacy in the state qualifier round of the WDA tournament at the Bismarck Event Center.

Despite falling behind by 13 points in the second half, the Magi clawed their way back into the game only to see the Sabers escape with a 72-68 victory.

“We missed out on opportunities, Legacy took advantage of it and they made the plays that they had to make to win,” MHS head coach Dean Winczewski said. “I’ll take the responsibility. It’s on me…We have some awesome kids, though. They worked their tails off today.”

The Magi kept pace in the first half thanks to a sizable boost from their supporting cast.

Easton Larson led the way, as he absorbed the contact down low at the 13-minute mark and still finished to give his team a 9-7 lead. Now trailing 30-28 with 2:30 to go, fellow junior Derry Lentz chimed in with a much-needed triple from the right shoulder that gave the Magi a 31-30 edge.

The slim advantage didn’t last long, though, as the Sabers ended the first half on a 7-0 run.

The exclamation point came with just three seconds left when Legacy’s Nick Kupfer worked his way into the paint and finished with a smooth floater that pushed the Sabers’ lead to 37-31 at the break.

Legacy carried that momentum into the second half and built a 46-35 advantage with 13:33 on the clock. That’s when Tucker Olson came off the bench and went into attack mode.

The junior splashed three straight triples to make it a 49-44 affair, but he wasn’t finished. Olson caught the ball in the corner on the next possession, released and drilled his fourth straight three-pointer despite being fouled.

Olson missed the free throw, but the 12-point scoring burst brought some newfound energy to the Magi as they tried to muster a comeback.

“I was just doing anything I could,” Olson said. “I knew that everybody had foul trouble… I did exactly what I should do.”

Undeterred, the Sabers shook off the run and reclaimed control by taking a 61-48 lead with seven minutes remaining.

That’s when Jaxon Gunville answered the call and made it a 10-point game by knocking down a triple from the top of the arc. After another two made three-pointers by Olson, Gunville capitalized on an open look from beyond the arc and drained the shot to trim Legacy’s lead to 61-60 with 5:30 left in regulation.

Now trailing 68-66 with 1:45 remaining, Deonte’ Martinez delivered the clutch bucket. The sophomore pulled up for a mid-range jumper and drilled it to send the Magi’s bench and their student section into a frenzy.

The score remained tied at 68 until Legacy’s Rhett Clements sank the go-ahead bucket from 15 feet out with 18.3 seconds on the clock.

Gunville got the ball on the right shoulder with five seconds left and launched a deep two-pointer, but the shot clanked off the back of the rim and bounced out. Kupfer snagged the defensive rebound, got fouled and calmly knocked down both free throws to secure the Sabers’ 72-68 win.

“It’s just a tough pill to swallow,” Olson said. “We really came back in the second half and played good D, but it just wasn’t enough in the end.”

Three Minot players finished with double-digit points on the day: Olson (21), Larson (18) and Gunville (16).

The loss marks the end of four seniors’ high school careers for the Magi: Alex Schimke, Hunter Danelson, Jacob Schiele and Will Richmond.

“It’s the best program in the state,” Schimke said. “It has the greatest coaches and the best players. These guys will forever be my brothers, and I’m just grateful for that.”

Justin Martinez covers Minot High School sports and Class B high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @JTheSportsDude.