EUGENE, Ore.  – Lewis-Clark State overcame a second-half Bushnell rally on Saturday night, taking down the Beacons 73-63 in the regular-season finale for both schools.
 
Trailing by ten points at the intermission, Bushnell went on a 10-0 run to open the second half to tie things up. After a pair of five-point swings, the Beacons briefly grabbed the lead, 50-49 with 12 minutes to play. LC State, however, scored the next eight points and never looked back.
 
For the Beacons (12-15, 8-13), the loss ended a two-game winning streak but had no effect on their placement in the CCC tournament. Bushnell finished the regular season in eighth-place and as the No. 8 seed, will travel to Caldwell, Idaho on Tuesday at 7:00 pm to take on regular-season champion, The College of Idaho.
 
Bushnell was led by another strong performance by junior Cory Johnson who played all 40 minutes and scored 23 points along with eight rebounds and two steals. Roy Bunn also went the full 40 for the Beacons, scoring 12 points as he shot 3-for-4 from three-point range.
 
In his final home game after four years with the Beacons, senior Luke Smith added 14 points, playing 39 minutes off the bench, while Ashton Harvey posted nine points and a team-high nine rebounds.
 
For the Warriors (22-6, 17-5), who finish third in the CCC standings, Alton Hamilton had a big night with 25 points and 14 rebounds. MaCarhy Morris added 14 points and John Lustig scored 13.
 
"We were short-handed tonight, and I am so proud of how hard we played. Our guys gave all they could for our seniors. Alton Hamilton was a handful tonight and we did not have an answer for him. We did not get enough from our bench tonight and LC executed against us very well defensively. They kept us out of our transition game and were able to force us into too many isolation possessions."
 
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
 
Saturday was the final home game for seven Bushnell seniors.
 
Luke Smith
Luke has played four seasons with the Beacons, playing in 110 games. The second-generation men's basketball player ends his career holding Bushnell's career record for three-point attempts and he ranks second all-time with 160 three-pointers. Luke scored a career-high 21 points against Bethel College as a sophomore and he currently has 939 career points which sits just outside Bushnell's top-25 scorers of all time. Luke and his dad Burdy, who scored 1052 points during his career, are just 14 points away from becoming the second father-son duo in Bushnell history to score 2000 points.
 
Coach Alexander said, "Luke will be finishing his career leaving his mark on our record books, our program, and our university. I have had the distinct pleasure to work with Luke as our Team Chaplain Captain these past two seasons as we would meet every week to discuss challenges, opportunities, and pray for our team. He has been our "6th man" on the court his entire career and has embraced that role as a "non-starting" starter. Luke understands it's not about who starts, but who finishes the game...and he knows he's always finishing for us. His shooting abilities speak for themselves on the court, and so do his grades as a 4.0 student, but his development as a leader is something he should be most proud of. Voted as a team captain by his peers, Luke stepped out of his comfort zone to "speak up" when it wasn't always comfortable. His work ethic and attention to detail are admirable traits, but his discipline to do it for four years, every week, is something extremely special."
 
Christian Pitcher
Christian has played one season with the Beacons after transferring from Montana-Western. He has played in 23 games, making a pair of starts and registered season-highs with 18 points and 12 rebounds back in November against Portland Bible College.
 
Coach Alexander said, "It has been great to have Christian as part of our program, if only for a season. He has brought a quiet confidence and consistency to our rotation this year. He battled through a shoulder injury early in the season, only to lose the remainder of his season to an ankle injury. He is a tremendous student and a mature presence in practices and will truly be missed. His internal strength and belief in himself are something that will continue to benefit Christian as he leaves Bushnell at the end of this school year. It will be hard to replace his athleticism and his great smile in practice!"
 
Jaden Graham
Jaden has played one season with the Beacons after transferring from The Master's College in California. He has played in 15 games, making six starts, and scored a season-high 11 points back in November against Portland Bible College.
 
Coach Alexander said, "It has been such a blessing to work with Jaden and to be his coach this season. He is a tremendous student, teammate, husband, father, and leader. His internal drive to be his best in all things will serve him well in his future. An injury riddled season for Jaden is not what he or his coach would have hoped for, but it has shown his true character to his teammates and to those who know him. His continual leadership in practice from the sidelines is what makes Jaden special. His care and love for his teammates is something he lives in action on the court. He is an encourager and never shies away from holding his teammates accountable. For these reasons, Jaden has been a tremendous asset and one that will be truly missed."
 
Cole Tyner
Cole leaves the program after three seasons as he turns his academic focus towards a nursing degree at Bushnell. During his career, Cole has played in 12 games, and set career highs last season for scoring.
 
Coach Alexander said, "Cole has made his mark in our program over his three seasons as a Beacon through his tremendous effort every practice and his consistent availability. His academic load is tremendous and his ability to balance all areas of his life is admirable. I am so proud of the person CT has grown to be and am excited to see him move on in his schooling into Bushnell's School of Nursing this next year. He is a very intelligent person and demonstrates a calm presence through difficult times. His smile and fiery effort in every practice will be missed."
 
Kell Schwers
Kell has been with the Beacons for three seasons after transferring from Dawson Community College. He has played in 38 games for the Beacons, and scored a career-high 8 points against Linfield on November 10, 2023.
 
Coach Alexander said, "It has been great to get to know Kell and to work with him on and off the court. He is an individual who has fought through several injuries, which many would have hung up their competitive athletic careers over. He was voted a team captain by his peers and his leadership is shown through his attitude, commitment, and discipline. He is so respected as a competitor and a leader within our program, especially from our coaching staff. His impact as a Beacon will not be forgotten in the locker room or in practices as a man of high character and integrity."
 
Aaron von Bruck
Aaron has been with the Beacons for three seasons after transferring from North Idaho College. He has played in 40 games for the Beacons, and scored a career-high nine points against Portland Bible College on November 4, 2022.
 
Coach Alexander said, "To watch Aaron grow as a student and young man these past few years has been a personal blessing as his Coach. He has learned to be a great student, a tremendous teammate, and a man of integrity. He represents our program with pride and is a great example of the kind of men we want to produce in our program. I have witnessed Aaron grow from being his most difficult critic to becoming a young man who has embraced his talents and has worked to master them to the best of his ability."
 
Jackson Gielish
Jackson has been with the Beacons for four years, three as a player and this season as a student assistant. While his career was cut short due to injury, his commitment and character never waivered, displaying the qualities of a servant leader at his best.
 
Coach Alexander said, "We are so proud to have had Jackson as part of our program as a player and a Student Manager. His career was cut short with injury after his sophomore season, but his commitment to our coaching staff and his teammates was shown during his junior year while injured the entire season. The character he showed through his care for his teammates while dealing with his own injuries was an example of servant leadership at its best. I was so happy he came back this season as a Student Manager to finish his four-year career here at Bushnell. A young man of tremendous character and work ethic will leave his mark on our program for many years to come."