Nelson Men Fight Like Warriors in Loss

The Nelson Warriors' Men's Basketball (20-13) team concluded their 2025-26 season with a hard-fought 90-79 loss to the host College of the Ozarks Bobcats (13-20) in the NCCAA Division I National Tournament third-place game at Point Lookout, MO.

In a contest already emotional for both squads, it carried added weight for the Bobcats and their home crowd as it marked the final game on the bench for head coach Steve Shepard, who is set to retire after 24 seasons having led both men's and women's basketball at the high school and college levels since 2002. Shepard has amassed more than 700 career wins including over 450 with the Bobcats, leaving an indelible legacy in the program while also serving as a catalyst in his school's position to host the NCCAA National Tournament.

On the court, the first half was a tale of two stretches. After battling to a 25-25 tie through the first ten minutes, the Warriors suddenly could not buy a basket while the Bobcats poured in points seemingly at will. In a flash, the Bobcats had rebuilt a six-point lead, before turning it into 10, then 15. After a Nelson turnover with 30 seconds remaining, a final Ozark's shot fell just as the buzzer sounded, capping a 28-10 Bobcats run that sent the teams into halftime with Nelson trailing 53-35. The hosts shot a white-hot 61.1% from the field in the first stanza and dominated the glass 19-13, while the Warriors went cold from the field and was credited with zero assists – although the stat may have been a total disregard by the statisticians of the Warriors' ball movement.

On an editorial note, all season I have noted and highlighted this team's Warrior Spirit. Their consistent ability to overcome adversity and to rise above the moment has not only led them to the final day of the NCCAA Tournament, but the team's second consecutive 20-win season. This incarnation of the men's basketball team has not only been great fun for all of Warriors nation to watch, the men have further served as exceptional representatives of their school and their community both on and off the court.

But today, despite missing out on the chance to defend their title, the Nelson men played with exceptional Warrior Pride. A testament to the leadership of head coach Kole Ebert and his hard-working staff, as well as the desire of the student-athletes to represent their seniors on the roster, and the school at large. It would have been easy to fold up and walk through the season's final 20 minutes before a highly partisan home crowd. Instead, the Warriors played as if the national title was once again on the line, becoming the embodiment of a Warrior's Spirit for one final time, playing fast, hard, and physical in the second half. And so, whatever adjustments Coach Ebert made in the locker room, or however a fire was lit in their hearts, the Warriors responded in the second half like the champions they are, refusing to leave that stadium without having poured out every last drop of effort.

Still down 15 points five minutes into the second half, Nelson unleashed one of their patented scoring deluges: a 20-9 run (anchored by a 10-0 burst over two minutes) holding the Ozarks to just 27% shooting over the stretch that sliced the deficit to 69-65 with 7:17 remaining. Conference and Regional MVP Zoe Holman led the charge with 12 points showing why he not only earned those two awards, but why he should also remain in consideration for tournament MVP as well.

Then, when senior Orlando Gonzales knocked down a basket with 4:03 left to pull within 71-68, the Warriors found themselves just one more defensive stop away from a tie – something that seemed almost incomprehensible just ten minutes prior.

But the Bobcats, determined to send Coach Shepard out a winner, refused to yield. Garrett Snyder drained a three to push the lead back to six, and although Jermaine Earnest answered with a put-back to trim the deficit back to four, the Ozarks went a perfect 5-for-5 from the field over the final 3:44, including 3-for-3 from three and 6-for-6 from the charity stripe, to hold off the Warriors and secure the 90-79 victory.

Holman and Gonzales valiantly played all 40 minutes in the game, leading the team in scoring with 23 and 20 points respectively, with Zoe adding in 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and the team's only officially recorded assists, 5. Orlando, in his final-career game, added 4 rebounds and 2 steals, although undoubtedly a number of un-recorded dimes.

Senior Terrin Ross, who will join Orlando in post-college retirement, finished with 4 points and 7 rebounds, finishing with 998 points for his college career. Calvin Windley scored 6 points and added 2 rebounds while Wyatt Mackay finished with 5 points and 6 boards.

The Warrior bench was anchored once again by sixth man extraordinaire Jermaine Earnest, who for the third game in this tournament saved his best for the final twenty minutes, scoring 11 points while grabbing 4 rebounds in total. Nate Bradley finished with 5 points including a big 3 that pulled the Warriors to within six points with 9:29 remaining. Chase Pavey also finished with 5 points, shooting a perfect 2-2 from the field including a 3-pointer, finishing with 39 outside shots on the season.

Despite the loss, the Warriors showed tremendous spirit in their final game of the season. The campaign ended with Nelson finishing strong: a six-game winning streak to close the regular season, the SWS West Regional Championship, and a third consecutive national tournament appearance, leaving fans of the program eager to see the team's growth heading into this coming fall under Coach Ebert.

Thank you to the 2025-26 Warriors for an unforgettable season! This incarnation's journey may be over, but the foundation is stronger than ever.

We'll see you next year.

Do not forget to follow Nelson Athletics on X at @NelsonWarriors and Instagram at @nelsonwarriors.athletics.