BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity basketball team won a classic on Tuesday, a dramatic 59-57 overtime win over county rival Snow Hill in one of the more memorable games at the Berlin high school in recent memory.
Decatur led through much of the game and appeared at times ready to pull away from Snow Hill, but the Eagles rallied to take a late lead and were poised to snatch the victory before some heroics by the Seahawks. Trailing by a point with 10 seconds to go, Tyree Henry made the front end of a one-and-one to tie the score and send the game into overtime.
Both teams swapped baskets through the first quarter with the Seahawks taking a slight edge at the end of the period. Thomas Dibuo nailed a three-pointer from the corner with 1:37 left in the first and JaQuan Johnson went strong to the hole as time round down in the period to stake Decatur to a 13-10 lead after one.
Snow Hill scored the first basket in the second quarter to cut the lead to 13-12, but a runner by William Sass, another strong move to the basket by Johnson and a put-back by Daquan Andrews pushed the Decatur lead to 19-14 with 5:48 remaining. Another three-pointer by Dale from the corner and a baby hook from Andrews extended the Seahawks’ lead to 24-18. After a runner and a long three from Johnson pushed the lead to 26-20. Dale drove hard to the basket with 18 seconds left and the Seahawks led 32-25 at the intermission.
Decatur extended the lead to 38-30 early in the third, but a string of turnovers and fouls allowed Snow Hill back in the game. Johnson went on a mini-spree to extend Decatur’s lead to 42-26, but the Eagles battled back down the stretch in the third and cut the lead to 42-20 heading into the fourth quarter.
Keve Aluma scored on a put-back, second chance early in the fourth and Henry scored a fast-break layup to push the Decatur lead back to six points at 46-40 early in the fourth. However, back-to-back baskets off turnovers by the Eagles cut the lead to 46-44 about halfway through the final quarter.
The two teams swapped baskets during the frantic fourth quarter and Decatur led, 50-47, with just under five minutes remaining. A basket by Ernest Shockley extended the lead to 52-47, but a Snow Hill steal and layup cut the lead to 52-49. Henry scored on a strong move to the hole to extend the lead to 54-49, but again Snow Hill had the answer and cut the lead to 54-51 with just under two minutes left in the game.
After a Decatur turnover, Snow Hill scored to cut the lead to 54-53 and the Eagles then took their first lead of the game, 55-54, with a pair of free throws with under a minute remaining. Trailing by a point with 40 second left, Johnson slapped the ball away from Snow Hill and made a move to the basket. He could not convert and then missed both free throws and Snow Hill hung on to the 55-54 lead with time running out.
With 10 seconds left, Snow Hill inbounded the ball, but the Seahawks were pressing and forced a turnover. With the ball on the floor and bodies flying all over, Henry grabbed the ball and was fouled. He calmly made the front end to tie the score at 55-55, but missed the second shot and the game headed to overtime.
After four quarters of frantic basketball, Snow Hill and Decatur were tied and the outcome would be decided in the four-minute overtime period. Decatur won the tip and Johnson scored quickly to put the Seahawks back on top. Aluma then scored on a put-back to extend the Seahawks lead to 59-55. Snow Hill scored on a layup with 2:12 left in the overtime period to cut the lead to 59-57 and it appeared the two teams could be headed to a second overtime period. Snow Hill had opportunities down the stretch in the final minute, but a last good look at the basket clanged off the rim and the Seahawks held on for the dramatic 59-57 win.