Shorthanded Grizzlies Power Through to Region VI Semifinals

EL DORADO, Kan. – A little bit of adversity was no issue for the Grizzlies on Tuesday night.

Down a starter and key role player for a third straight game, the 4-seed Grizzlies (23-8) took down the 5-seed Cloud County T-Birds 77-69 at the Power Plant in the quarterfinals of the NJCAA Region VI tournament. Butler advances to the semifinal round where they will take on the 1-seed Barton Cougars on Friday afternoon at the Hutchinson Sports Arena with tipoff set for 3 p.m.

Butler ended the regular season with three straight losses including a loss at Cloud, but the Grizzlies would not be turned away once postseason began, suffocating the T-Birds with stout defense. The win marks the end of three-game suspensions for both Jamichael Stillwell and Christian Richardson, giving the Grizzlies a shot at the No. 1 team in the nation with a full roster for the first time in over weeks.

Defense was the name of the game for Grizzlies as they held Cloud to 36.4% shooting from the field (20-55).

Butler had to overcome an early deficit, trailing by as much as 11 in the first half. Cloud led 20-9 with 12 minutes to play in the first half before the Grizzlies rallied to outscore them 28-13 over the final eight minutes of the half, taking a 37-33 lead into the locker room.

Key triples from reserves Aidan Wing, Amare Haynie and Khalil Arnold saw momentum start to point back the Grizzlies way. Haynie's three at the 6:07 mark cut Cloud's lead to 27-26 and a Wing layup followed by Charles McClennahan Jr. converting two free throws saw Butler take a 30-29 lead, their first since they led 2-0. Cloud battled right back to tie the game at 33-33 following an and-1 from Wing but layups from McClennahan Jr. and Jaquez Thornton in the final minute helped the Grizzlies to the four-point halftime lead.

Butler did not trail in the second half. Cloud cut it to as close as one point multiple times but the Grizzlies always had an answer.

With Cloud threatening, having trimmed Butler's lead to 51-48 at the 9:50 mark, Arnold drilled a three as the shot clock expired that ignited the Power Plant and helped the Grizzlies out of a short lull. Cloud cut the Butler lead to four at 69-65 as Cheikh Sow made two free throws with 1:15 to play. Thornton answered with a dagger three off an assist from Deuce Drake that essentially put the game away.

Thornton led Butler with 22 points, converting 11-12 free throws. McClennahan Jr. had 17 points and eight rebounds and was also impressive from the charity stripe, shooting 11-13. Drake led Butler with six assists and played impressive defense. Wing and Arnold had eight points apiece off the bench.

Sow led Cloud with 18 points. Kyle McElroy pulled down nine rebounds and Ja'Ron Briggs had 14 points and six rebounds.

Neither team struggled with turnovers with Butler coughing it up 15 times to Cloud's 10. The Grizzlies shot 27-32 (84.4%) from the free throw line to Cloud's 74.1% (20-27). Butler outscored the T-Birds 32-22 in the paint.

The Grizzlies finish the 2023-24 season with a 13-4 record at the Power Plant. They advance to the Region VI semifinals for a third consecutive season and fourth time in Kyle Fisher's five seasons at the helm.