GOSHEN, Ind. – The men's basketball team concluded their season with an 84-63 loss at home on Saturday. The Maple Leafs finish the season at a 7-23 mark – winning as many games as they had the previous two seasons combined and as many conference wins as the previous three seasons combined. Before the game, Austin Branagan and student assistant Dominique Cartier were recognized during the Senior Day festivities.
 
Bethel led from start to finish. Goshen was within one when the score was 22-21, but the Pilots closed the rest of the first half on a 22-2 run. Goshen outscored Bethel in the second half 40-39, but the Leafs were already in too deep of a hole.
 
Senior Austin Branagan led the Maple Leafs with 16 points. He had three rebounds, an assist and was a perfect 2-2 from the three-point line. Greg Johnson scored 14 off the bench, and Elias Ramirez had ten points, three rebounds, and three assists.
 
Bethel made 55.2% of their shots and shot 40.7% from three. The Pilots were led by 21 points from Jared DeHart. DeHart was 5-7 from behind the arc.
 
Below is what was said about seniors Austin Branagan and Dominique Cartier during their Senior Day recognition.
 
Our first senior to recognize is student assistant Domo Cartier! Domo is being escorted by the coaching staff. Before becoming a student assistant, Domo had previous playing experience at Goshen and Bluefield State College. He was on the all-freshman team at Bluefield State and scored 20 points in a game against Bethel while at Goshen. Domo is a physical education major and plans to train kids and coach in the future. Coach Tropf says, "Domo's story is inspiring, and I wish more people got to hear it. Returning to Goshen to finish his degree after a number of years away speaks highly of who he is as a person. He was an accomplished player while here and made a huge impact on our team this year as a student assistant. He's become a great resource and role model for our players. I am very thankful he came back and very excited to see him finish his degree in the spring." Thank you, Domo!
 
We end with #21, Austin Branagan! Austin is being escorted by his parents Ty Branagan and Cynthia Visser. He has 1,161 points, 381 rebounds, and 77 assists in his time at Goshen. Last season, he averaged 17.4 points per game. A business major, Austin plans to move to Montana to work on ranches. Coach Tropf says, "Austin and I have been together for five years. He really is like a son to me. He has been fiercely loyal to our program and has overcome a lot of adversity in the process. He rehabbed from two major injuries and came back sooner than expected in both. I think that speaks highly of his desire and work ethic. He has also grown tremendously on and off the court. From his style of play to his becoming a leader, he has really done a great job of adapting and growing as a person. He leaves Goshen as one of the best big men to ever play here - but I'm mostly proud that he leaves as a better person." Thank you, Austin!