CASEY GEORG Special to the Press
HEARNE — The Hearne Eagles hit eight of 10 shots from the free-throw line in overtime Friday night and edged the Thrall Tigers 60-58. It was a close game throughout.
Neither team seemed to get an edge on the other, and when it appeared one team was poised to make a run, the other would rally. The lead changed hands three times in the opening period. Dawson Meiske and Ethan Dahl each scored four, and Breken Proctor sank a three-point jumper early to help the Tigers to a 13-12 advantage after one quarter.
In the second quarter, Hearne’s Cristian Robinson got hot from behind the arch, sinking four threepointers in the quarter, and the Eagles tallied 21 in the quarter. Meiske scored six for the Tigers in the second, and Proctor added four, but the Eagles held a 33-25 edge at the half.
Thrall’s defense stepped up in the third quarter and held the Eagles to just seven. Meanwhile, at the offensive end of the floor, Proctor hit his second three-pointer of the game and totaled seven points in the period to rally the Tigers. Thrall came from eight down to take a 41-40 lead into the final quarter.
The teams traded blows through the fourth quarter, with neither team leading by more than three. And, with less than 10 seconds on the clock, the Eagles held a 52-50 advantage. Thrall threw the ball in under their basket, but Dahl’s shot fell short. With time ticking away, Meiske grabbed a rebound and banked in the tying shot as time expired, sending the game into overtime.
In overtime, the game came down to free throws. It was the Eagles’ Tyzarrius Webster’s performance at the line that helped Hearne in the fourth quarter, and the Eagles called on him again in the overtime period. Webster hit four of six shots from the charity stripe in the extra period, and the Eagles were a combined eight of 10. Thrall scored eight in overtime, but the Tigers’ lastgasp shot fell short.
It was the Tigers’ second consecutive loss and leaves them just half a game ahead of the Eagles for third place. Thrall has two games remaining at home Tuesday against Milano and at home next Tuesday against district champion Thorndale.
