BROOKINGS – Tuesday’s Eastern South Dakota Conference matchup between the Kernels and Bobcats at Bob Jostad Gymansium turned into a tale of two halves.

Brookings took control in the first 16 minutes to lead 29-19 at the break, but the second half was all Mitchell as the Kernels rallied to lead 44-42 before the Bobcats scored late to send the game to overtime.

In OT, the ‘Cats scored first and kept the momentum to pull out a 51-46 win.

“We just had to stay mentally tough,” said Brookings senior Riley Schafer. “They came back after we had a 14-point lead – we just had to stay strong, believe in ourselves and hit our shots.”

The Kernels led 7-2 following Carter Cavanaugh’s 3-pointer with 3:28 to play in the first quarter before Brookings went on a 12-0 run to lead 14-7 at the first break.

Trevor Woodall started the run with a basket in the paint before Josh Sell knocked down a 3-pointer to tie the game at 7-7. Drew Cole scored back-to-back baskets – the second being a trey – before Sell put back an offensive rebound to beat the first-quarter buzzer.

The Bobcats built their lead to as many as 14 points, 26-12, in the second frame after a Riley Schafer 3-pointer and another hoop in the lane by Woodall, but Kiel Nelson’s late trey pulled Mitchell within 29-19 at halftime.

Another 3 by Cavanaugh to open the third quarter pulled the Kernels within single digits, and they crept within four points on two occasions – the second on Derek Factor’s basket in the lane with 2 seconds to play to make it 40-36 Brookings after three.

The ‘Cats managed just four points in the final frame as Cavanaugh tied the game at 42-42 with a pair of free throws before his basket in the paint gave the Kernels a 44-42 lead with 2:13 left.

Woodall drove to the hoop and scored in traffic to tie the game at 44-44 to force extra time.

Sell knocked down a 10-footer in the lane on the ‘Cats second possession of OT made it 46-44, and the senior then converted 1-of-2 free throws to push the margin to 47-44.

Derek Factor went the length of the court after a steal to pull the Kernels within a point at 47-46 with 2:11 on the clock, but Schafer scored on a drive into the lane to give Brookings a 49-46 advantage.

After a missed 3-point attempt, and later, the front end of a bonus free throw, Mitchell had to foul and Cole drained both free throws with 22 seconds left for the final margin.

“Offensively, we weren’t being very patient – we talked at halftime about being patient and we just didn’t do a very good job of that,” said Bobcat head coach Travis Engebretson. “I felt we didn’t do too bad of a job defensively on Cavanaugh, but it seemed like he got loose and got a few open looks, and when he did get the open looks, he made them.

“At the end of regulation, we didn’t panic – which is a good sign for us. In overtime, I think the kids felt like, ‘Hey, this is our game to win that we didn’t finish very well,’ and we regrouped and refocused and were able to get the win.”

Cole led a balanced Bobcat attack with 14 points as Sell finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. Woodall added 11 points and Schafer chipped in with 10 as Brookings improved to 2-2 overall and 2-2 in the ESD.

Cavanaugh’s 23 points led the Kernels, who dropped to 0-4 and 0-2 in the conference. Baley Miller pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds.

Mitchell plays host to Watertown on Thursday in the Corn Palace with a 7 p.m. tipoff, while Brookings entertains Brandon Valley on Friday, Jan. 5.

BROOKINGS 51, MITCHELL 46, OT

Mitchell (0-4, 0-2 ESD)

Kiel Nelson 2-8 0-0 5, Vincent Michael 2-8 0-0 5, Jordon Johnson 1-8 0-0 3, Carter Cavanaugh 8-20 5-6 23, Baley Miller 1-3 1-1 3, Kaden Soukup 0-1 0-0 0, Derek Factor 2-6 3-8 7, Tate Larson 0-1 0-1 0. Totals 16-55 9-16 46.

Brookings (2-2, 2-2 ESD)

Seth Swedlund 0-1 1-3 1, Drew Cole 5-13 3-3 14, Riley Schafer 4-9 1-2 10, Trevor Woodall 5-7 0-2 11, Josh Sell 5-11 2-5 13, Trent Broksieck 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Engen 1-2 0-0 2, Eric Sell 0-0 0-0 0, Ryan McMacken 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 20-43 7-15 51.

Mitchell   7  12  17  8  2  –  46

Brookings 14  15  11  4  7  –  51

3-point goals – M 5-28 (Nelson 1-4, Michael 1-2, Johnson 1-7, Cavanaugh 2-9, Miller 0-1, Soukup 0-1, Factor 0-4); B 4-13 (Cole 1-3, Schafer 1-4, Woodall 1-3, J. Sell 1-2, Engen 0-1). Rebounds – M 36 (Miller 12); B 37 (J. Sell 9, Woodall 8, Cole 7). Assists – M 6 (Nelson 2); B 5 (Schafer 2, J. Sell 2). Steals – M 7 (Cavanaugh 2, Factor 2); B 2 (Swedlund, Woodall). Blocks – M 2 (Miller 2); B 2 (Cole, Woodall). Turnovers – M 9; B 14. Total fouls – M 19; B 17. Fouled out – Johnson, J. Sell.