But between the two players’ combined 68 points in the game, neither Jacobson or Firchau scored the game’s final points. That accomplishment came off the hands of Blackhawks senior Tate Becker.

After rebounding a missed 3 by Firchau late, Becker put it back up and in as time expired, lifting the Blackhawks to a 67-65 win in a Tomahawk-Valley Conference crossover boys basketball game.

Becker, who finished the game with 12 points and six rebounds, credited Madelia’s 6-7 big Caden McMullen for getting things started on the other end with a late block that gave Madelia the final possession of the game. After getting the ball into Firchau’s hands, Blackhawks head coach Jeff Van Hee declined a timeout as the final 20 seconds ticked down.

Firchau got the ball near the top of the key and hoisted up a contested 3, which was off the mark but grabbed by Becker, who quickly got the shot off under the hoop to finish the game with a win.

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop’s Cole Jacobson puts up a shot over Madelia’s Kaydon Firchau during a boys basketball game at GFW High School gym in Gibbon.

Becker said after seeing Firchau double covered and not expecting him to put up a shot, he cut from the 3-point line and to the hoop. After seeing the flight of the ball, Becker knew the shot was off line and got into position.

“I just ran up there and there was a [GFW] guy sitting there, I thought he was gonna grab it but he just kind of watched it and I grabbed it,” Becker said. “I really don’t know how it went in, I threw it over my head and it happened to go in.”

Firchau finished with 31 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block to lead Madelia, while Dalton Tatro had 15 points and five rebounds, Bryce Borkenhagen had 5 points, six assists and three steals and McMullen had 4 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

Jacobson shined for the Firebirds as usual with a game-high 37 points. With his second 3 of the game, he became the first boys player in GFW history to score 2,000 career points.

“It’s amazing,” Jacobson said. “I thank my guys every day for coming and showing up to practices and just helping me play the play I want to play. I’ve got nothing but thanks for everyone that’s around, my coaches, the fans, they showed up tonight and they made this game possible for us. The atmosphere is crazy and that’s why everyone plays basketball.”

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Madelia’s Caden McMullen grabs a rebound during the second half of a Tomahawk-Valley Conference crossover boys basketball game against Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop on Friday at GFW High School in Gibbon.

Jacobson did just about everything he could to lift the Firebirds to a first-half lead, something they held with a 42-34 halftime advantage. After Kaden Rieke scored on a fast-break layup off an assist from Matthew Lee for score the first boys varsity bucket in the new Gibbon gym, the Firebirds led 2-0. Rieke finished the night with 15 points.

After that, Jacobson scored 20 consecutive points to lead 22-19.

Buckets from Lee and Rieke put the Firebirds up 26-19. Moments later, a putback by Luke Bastian, who scored 8 points in the game, and a jumper by Jacobson put GFW up 32-23.

Jacobson, who scored 30 points in the first half, had extra attention on him from Madelia in the second half. That included multiple double-teams, which forced the ball out of Jacobson’s hands more than usual and prompted a Madelia comeback.

“They did a really good job of getting the ball out of my hands in the second half,” Jacobson said. “Limited me to 7 points in the second half. I believe in my guys every game, so I like to give them the ball and they can make their plays. I know they can make shots like that and tonight, some of the shots they normally make weren’t going, but that’s fine. You just get up, get the next game.”

Staff photo by Travis Rosenau Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop’s Kaden Rieke goes in to score the first boys basketball varsity bucket at the new GFW High School gym in Gibbon on Friday during a game against Madelia.

After Jacobson found Rieke for a bucket to lead 49-36, the Blackhawks flipped the script with a 10-0 run to trail just 49-46. A 3 by Becker capped off the run, and Eric Hererra hit the back end of two free throws to get GFW back on the board and up 50-46.

Then Madelia went on another run, starting with a basket by Firchau. A jumper by Tatro tired the game up and a steal for a slam by Firchau gave Madelia its first lead since leading 14-12 early in the first half.

A behind-the-back dish from Borkenhagen to Tatro led to another bucket inside and 54-50 Madelia lead. The Blackhawks ended up turning that run into a 14-0 run and 60-50 lead.

The Firebirds managed to come back late thanks in large part to Jacobson. After a Jacobson steal and assist to Rieke on a fast break had GFW down 65-62, Jacobson’s next big play was draining a 3 to tie the game.

But Becker’s putback put an end to the playoff-like thriller moments later and saved Firchau from a less-than-pretty 3-point attempt.

“I’m gonna take the last shot every single time,” Firchau said. “I have the confidence in myself and I know the team has the confidence for me to take the last shot. Credit goes to Tate, tipped it in. Not a good shot, I would say, but there’s gonna be times where we’ll need that. He stepped up tonight as a senior, he showed a lot of leadership and the rest of the seniors did as well. But hats off goes off to Tate, tipping that one in and helping me out. I’d call that one a pass, wasn’t even really a shot [laughs].”

Firchau may not want to claim his last shot in Friday’s game, but he turned in his typical performance all-around, a dominant one and one he credited to being with a good group of players.

“I am super grateful for my teammates and I’m proud of every single one of them,” Firchau said. “I’m truly blessed to have them on my team and to be willing to work with these seniors and the other classes with me, I’m truly grateful for what they do for me. They help me as a player and a person.”

GFW (15-11) will now prepare for playoffs, while Madelia (20-4) has one more regular season game at Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial on Tuesday.