Newman and Pecatonica went blow-for-blow on Tuesday night in a Class 1A Orion Sectional semifinal matchup that went into overtime.

It was Zion and Izaiah Braimah who struck the knockout shots for the Indians.

Junior Zion Braimah scored 34 points, and Izaiah Braimah’s final steal and layup helped seal Pecatonica’s 70-66 win. The Indians (24-13) advance to face either Dakota or Eastland in Friday’s sectional final at 7 p.m.

Newman (33-2), ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press 1A rankings, finished the season with a program-high in wins despite falling in the round of 32.

The Comets led by five with under two minutes left in regulation before the Indians tied it at 61. Newman was able to take a timeout and draw up a play with 8.6 seconds left, but Easton Coward’s 3-pointer was off the mark heading into OT.

The Braimahs then scored all nine of Pecatonica’s points in OT. Newman also was forced to deal with the absence of Garret Matznick down the stretch in overtime after he fouled out.

Still, the Comets could have avoided the extra four minutes of OT.

“Postseason is going to be a battle every game,” Newman coach Ray Sharp said. “That hurt, because we should have been able to close the game out being up five.”

Sharp said he liked the team’s shot at the end of regulation from the Comets’ second-best shooter, in Coward. Sharp pointed to some calls that were tough to overcome, but 18 turnovers were too costly, he said. Newman was called for 16 fouls and had 12.

“And then we didn’t get their best player covered, and those were reasons we got beat,” he said.

George Jungerman led Newman with 21 points. Evan Bushman and John Rowzee had 12 and Asher Ernst scored 11. Matznick had nine and Coward had one. Jungerman and Bushman were a combined 9 of 12 from deep as the Comets were 9 of 17 as a team from distance.

Jungerman liked how his team battled, but it just fell short. Pecatonica’s 6-foot-6 Zion Braimah was tough to contend with; he had multiple offensive rebounds and dunks.

The loss showed that it can be anyone’s night at this time of the year. The Indians started two freshmen, two sophomores and a junior.

“Seeding doesn’t matter,” Jungerman said. “It’s just a new game every night. People have on and off nights, and we just weren’t on tonight.”

The game started strong as both teams made their first four shots. Newman led 24-18 after the first quarter before a 17-5 run in the second gave the Indians a 35-29 lead at halftime. Newman struck back with a 20-7 third-quarter run before Pecatonica answered with a 19-12 run in the final frame to force OT.

Bushman was 4 of 4 from deep, and Rowzee hit all six of his shots inside.

For Pecatonica, Karter Degner had 10 points and Cooper Hamilton had 11. Degner and Hamilton both hit 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help force overtime.

In OT, the game was tied at 63-all with 2:30 left. Newman missed two shots inside before Matznick was called for a block as Braimah drove inside for a basket on the ensuing possession. Braimah was awarded the two, and Matznick fouled out with 2:20 to play; Braimah’s and-1 put the Indians up 66-63.

“It was a tough spot, because Zion was coming down hard to the rim,” Sharp said. “You either get out of the way and give up a layup, or you try to take a charge. It was a block. It was the right call.”

An Ernst basket inside got Newman within 66-65. The Comets had another chance to take the lead after a Pec offensive foul, but Jungerman went 1 of 2 at the line after getting fouled. Tied at 66-all, Zion gave the Indians a 68-66 lead after a bucket inside with 42 seconds left.

Newman couldn’t find a good look and turned it over as Pec freshman Izaiah Braimah picked off Coward’s pass and turned it into a layup to make it 70-66 with 18 seconds left. Newman missed its next shot, fouled and neither team would score in the final 7.2 seconds.

The Indians advanced to the Sweet 16 after finishing behind Dakota and Lena-Winslow in the NUIC North. Pecatonica lost to Eastland in a classic during last year’s sectional final.

“We were going to work as hard as we could,” Zion said. “We don’t look at the rankings. We knew they were a solid team. They value their possessions, and they get the ball out quick. We were ready.

“The rankings don’t matter. ... We were number one last year. We got knocked off just like this time.”

Newman closed the season with its first regional title since 2022. A strong senior class of Bushman, Ernst, Jungerman and Matznick led the way.

“It was a blast for me,” Jungerman said. “All these four years, it’s just been great to have this coach, these teammates. It’s just been great for me. Great experience, great life experience.”

Sharp said the group of seniors will be especially missed.

“One of the reasons we were so good was our leadership this year and their experience,” he said. “They really led the team.”

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Newman’s Garret Matznick reacts to the Comets’ season ending 70-66 to Pecatonica in OT Tuesday, March 3, 2026, in the 1A sectional semifinal. (Alex T. Paschal)