Jimmy Lafakis/MDN Glenburn junior guard Blaine Stevens celebrates after the Panthers' 53-52 victory over Bishop Ryan in Minot. Stevens scored seven points in Thursday's contest.

Matt Dufner needed to make a play, as the Glenburn Panthers trailed 52-51 in the final seconds of a thrilling Class B District 12 contest against Bishop Ryan.

After Glenburn junior guard Jalyn Derr laid the ball up near the basket, Dufner’s tip-in clinched a 53-52 overtime win for the Panthers.

Glenburn snapped the Lions’ six-game winning streak.

“We just knew that there was no one out there in our district that gave us a shot to win that game,” said Dufner, who finished with a game-high 27 points. “We just had to go out there and play with a chip on our shoulder. Full-blown, right away. And not take our foot off the gas.”

The Panthers (5-5, 2-1 District 12) kept the Lions (7-5, 2-1 District 12) on their heels early. At the end of the first frame, Glenburn held a decisive 13-4 lead.

Glenburn’s intense defensive pressure caused havoc. After employing a balanced offensive attack, the Panthers enjoyed a 31-17 lead at the intermission.

“I think they thought they were going to get on us,” Dufner said of the Lions. “They probably overlooked us. We came in here and we shocked them.”

In the second half, the action got scrappy. The Lions clawed their way back into the contest, but still trailed 37-29 after three quarters.

“We’ve got to learn how to finish games,” Glenburn head coach Larry Derr said. “We’ve struggled closing teams out. We’ve got to do a better job of that.”

In a display of defensive aptitude, Bishop Ryan junior guard Bryson Elm took four charges in the contest. Ryan dug in at the defensive end and turned the tables.

As regulation waned down, Ryan freshman forward Brady Feller found himself with a good look at the basket. His shot was on line, but glanced off the rim.

“We can’t play two and three quarters and expect to win games,” Ryan head coach Jeremy Feller said. “We talked about keeping them off the free throw line. They shot 11 free throws in the fourth quarter and overtime. Obviously not what we’re trying to do. We got out-executed there down the stretch and in the whole first half. We drew up plays and didn’t do what they were supposed to. They ran stuff better.”

The teams went tit for tat in the overtime period. When the Lions made their moves, the Panthers responded.

Glenburn attacked the teeth of Ryan’s defense during its final offensive sequence. Dufner’s game-winning shot created pandemonium in the Glenburn student section.

“Our game plan was to get him the ball on the block early,” Larry Derr said of Dufner. “We usually give him some confidence that way. Then, the outside shot was falling for him. When that happens as a coach, you just kind of sit back and watch. You let players play.”

Junior guard Trey Welstad contributed 13 points for Glenburn. Brady Feller led the Lions with 18 points, while freshman forward Conner Thompson (13 points) and junior guard Logan Merck (11 points) joined him in double figures.

“They flat-out earned that win, Glenburn did,” Jeremy Feller said. “They played harder than us and wanted it more. We’ve just got to find a way to compete better. I told them afterwards, ‘I don’t know what’s different between football and baseball where you show up and compete. In basketball, we can’t get you to do that.’ Hopefully, we can find a way to play harder.”

Both squads will hit the court at 7:15 p.m. next Tuesday. Glenburn will host Lewis & Clark-Berthold (8-3, 2-1 District 12), while Ryan will travel to South Prairie (6-5, 0-3 District 12).

“It’s such a good feeling,” Dufner said. “It’s kind of heartbreaking that it’s my senior year and all, but I wouldn’t want to do anything else but go out there and play basketball with my brothers.”

Jimmy Lafakis covers Minot High School sports and Class B high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @JJLII30.