Bulldogs Rally to Nip Jaguars in Overtime For D1 Title

Jacob Sjuts scored nine of his game-high 24 points in overtime to lead Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family to a 52-47 comeback victory over Howells-Dodge in the D1 state championship game. 

The 6-foot-5 junior forward also pulled down 20 rebounds as the Bulldogs won their second boys basketball state title in three seasons today at Pinnacle Bank Arena. 

Blake Sindelar, who came in averaging 30.5 points per game in the tournament, led the Jaguars with 18 points.  After the Jaguars had seen a 32-19 third quarter lead evaporate, the junior guard scored a layup off a steal late in regulation to break a 40-all tie. 

But, H/LHF sophomore Sage Frauendorfer scored on a reverse layup in the closing seconds to tie the game at 42.  His steal near midcourt with 1.1 seconds left set up an alley-oop pass to Sjuts close to the basket, but his shot before the buzzer went off the rim sending the game into overtime. 

Sjuts scored nine of the Bulldogs’ ten points in the extra period, going 8-of-9 from the free throw line.  Sindelar scored all five points for Howells-Dodge in OT, but the Jaguars’ bid for a second state crown in their fourth tourney trip – and first since 2013 – came up short. 

The Bulldogs were making their third appearance in Lincoln, all coming in the past three years, with state titles book-ending those efforts. 

The Bulldogs finished 23-5 and went 2-1 this season against the East Husker Conference rival Jaguars, who wound up 20-9.