The Tea Area Titans hosted the Brookings Bobcats, last night, in a South Dakota Boys AA Basketball match up. The game had a little bit of everything: early nerves, big momentum swings, and long stretches where defense and pressure dictated the pace. The Tea Area Titans and Brookings Bobcats played a fast paced game that never quite let either fan base relax. Brookings came out firing, knocking down threes early and looking very comfortable on the road, with Drew Johnson seemingly ready to shoot it from anywhere inside the zip code. Tea Area weathered that first punch, cranked up the pressure, and slowly started turning Brookings possessions into uncomfortable ones. What followed was a classic momentum tug-of-war — runs, answers, and just enough chaos to keep the crowd leaning forward. In the end, Tea Area’s energy and depth won out, as the Titans closed it out for the win, rewarding the home crowd with a gritty, hard-earned victory.
For the Titans, the heartbeat of the night was Gavin Shaw and Mitch Grant. Shaw delivered scoring when Tea Area desperately needed it, hitting big shots that stopped Brookings runs before they could snowball. Grant was everywhere — rebounding, contesting shots, and making plays that don’t always show up on the scoreboard but absolutely show up on the outcome. If you wondered why Brookings never felt comfortable late, Grant is a big reason why.
On the Bobcats’ side, Drew Johnson was impossible to ignore. He was the most talked-about player on the floor, burying threes and keeping Brookings within striking distance all night. Inside, Bergen Tetsoff provided muscle and athleticism, drawing constant attention and forcing Tea Area to collapse defensively whenever he touched the ball.
Brookings brought confidence and shooting, Tea Area brought pressure and persistence — and when it mattered most, the Titans made just enough plays to walk away with the win. A fun one, the kind that feels like midseason basketball even if the calendar says otherwise.