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Savage Storm player Kyle Leslie moves down court during the last game of the season at Bloomer Sullivan Arena. Matt Swearengin | Durant Democrat
Over the majority of the conference season, the Southeastern Savage Storm were the hottest shooting team around while cruising to a share of the league regular season title and impressive 11game winning streak.
That all came to a screeching halt on Saturday, however, as Coach Kelly Green’s squad had its second worst shooting performance of the year and suffered an 86-72 season-ending loss to Southern Nazarene in the Great American Conference semifinals at Shawnee.
Southeastern hit just 37 percent from the field, including only 24 from threepoint territory after intermission as the Crimson Storm pulled away for the victory, sinking a sizzling 60 percent themselves after the break.
While points were hard to come by for the most part, the Savage Storm did put four players in double figures led by junior Brennan Burns’ 22-point, six-assist performance.
Jett Sternberger canned five treys on the way to 17 points as Kody Clouet chipped in 12 along with seven assists and Kyle Leslie pumped in a dozen as well. Robert Briley pitched in seven points while pulling down a dozen rebounds.
The Savage Storm had their normal solid shooting performance in a tournament opening round 94-86 win against Southern Arkansas, although the top seeded squad had to hold off a late charge from the Muleriders, who sizzled the nets for 55 points after the break.
Southeastern made a 14-point halftime bulge stand up as they were dynamite at the free throw line most of the contest while sinking 18 of 22, including a nine of 10 effort from Burns.
The Savage Storm offensive catalyst once again led the scoring charge with 24 points as he also dished out five assists. Clouet pumped in 21 points and six assists as well.
Sternberger was the third Southeastern player to tally 20 points, as he connected on five three pointers while also hitting five of six at the free throw line.
Kyle Leslie popped in 11 points and Briley narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points to go along with eight rebounds before fouling out in the second half.
The Savage Storm closed out the season with a 23-9 overall record, falling short of garnering a bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.