SUPERIOR, Wis. – After a tough game against Crown Wednesday, the Yellowjacket men's basketball team treated its fans to a thriller Saturday afternoon at Mertz Mortorelli Gym.
 
The 'Jackets, who entered play Saturday in the bottom half of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference standings, needed to get back in the win column in order to keep pace with the top teams in the league, as well as to stay in the mix for a home playoff game when the post-season tournament begins.
 
Through the first 20 minutes, the Yellowjackets looked like a team on a mission. In the second half, however, Northland came alive and hit a number of clutch shots before pulling away early in overtime and holding on for an 84-83 win.
 
The Yellowjackets (6-11, 3-4 UMAC) had a golden opportunity to win the game in regulation. J'Vaun Walker (Rosharon, Texas/Manvel) stole the ball in the final seconds and threw up a shot that would have given the 'Jackets the win, but it came up short and the teams went to overtime tied at 72-72.
 
Northland scored the first five points of the overtime and the Yellowjackets were never able to pull even or move ahead. Joey Barker (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) hit a jumper in the paint with 17 seconds left to pull the 'Jackets to within one at 84-83. Northland drew a foul on the way back down the floor, but the LumberJacks missed the free throw and the 'Jackets had life, but Northland caused a turnover in the final second to secure the win.
 
The Yellowjackets built up an early lead, moving in front 9-2 when Mason Ackley (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) hit a three before the game even reached the three-minute mark. Northland clawed its way back and moved in front 16-15 with 11:42 to play in the first half. The lead went as high as four before the Yellowjackets again found their offense.
 
A minute after falling behind the Yellowjackets pulled back in front when Eli Vogel (Appleton, Wis./Appleton West) hit a jumper on a fast break. Then, just past the halfway point of the first half Vogel hit a three, and the Yellowjackets led 24-19.
 
The threes kept coming for the Yellowjackets as the half wound down. Josh Reinertsen (Duluth, Minn./Denfeld) hit from outside with 6:49 remaining to put the Yellowjackets up eight. Then, with just under five minutes to play Xavier Patterson (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) hit a three to increase the lead to 10, 35-25. The teams would trade baskets the rest of the half, with Patterson hitting another three late to put the Yellowjackets up 43-33 at the half.
 
Walker made a pair of free throws in the first minute of the second half to stretch the Yellowjacket lead to 12, but after that Northland found its offense and quickly cut into the Yellowjacket lead. The LumberJacks went on an 11-2 run and made it a 47-44 game with 16:42 to play. Just over a minute later Northland went in front, the first of seven second-half lead changes. It stayed close the rest of the second half, with the Yellowjackets never having a lead larger than three and Northland never leading by more than five. The seesaw half set the table for an exciting overtime, one where Northland never trailed.
 
Patterson led the Yellowjackets with 25 points, while Vogel had 15. Ackleyposted 14 points to go along 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals in his return to the lineup. Barker gave the Yellowjackets seven points off the bench.
 
Northland's Jordan Brennan led all scorers with 30 points in the game.
 
It's a quick turnaround for the Yellowjackets, as they'll be back in action Monday when they host Minnesota Morris in a game originally scheduled to be played Jan. 15. The opening tip is set for 7:15 p.m. at Mertz Mortorelli Gym.