Bartlett tops East Aurora in OT
The Bartlett boys basketball team may not have been able to close the door in regulation against East Aurora on Friday night, but the Hawks made sure they slammed it shut in overtime.
After squandering an 11-point second half lead Bartlett regrouped to outscore the Tomcats 15-4 in the overtime period to pull away to a 68-57 win in Upstate Eight Valley Division action.
The victory keeps Bartlett undefeated at 4-0 and even with West Aurora atop the Valley Division as the two prepare to meet in a showdown next Wednesday at Bartlett.
Ben Tompson had 19 points to lead the Hawks. Tomas Vikonis added 13 points, including 7 in the overtime period. Austin Gates contributed 12 points.
"I really like how our team responded after we gave up the lead," Bartlett coach Jim Wolfsmith said. "They came into the huddle after regulation with a sense of determination. They knew they had let an opportunity get away, but were like let's get this done now."
The Hawks (10-7) scored immediately after winning the opening tip in overtime when Vikonis cut through the lane and scored on a layup off a pass from Tompson. Then after a defensive stop Drew Martin drilled a 3-pointer to extend the Hawks' lead to 63-58. From there the Hawks sank 8-of-10 free throws to seal win.
Tompson was 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the overtime after struggling in the second half of regulation, making just 3-of-8. The Hawks were 8-of-17 as a team from the line in the second half.
"We felt like we could have won in regulation if we just could have made our free throws," Tompson said. "It was frustrating. So we knew we had to make up for it in overtime. I thought we did a good job of not getting down and staying confident."
The Hawks led 27-24 at the half but went on a 12-2 run later in the third quarter to open a 39-28 advantage. After shooting just 4-of-19 from the field in the third quarter, the Tomcats rallied back in the fourth quarter and eventually pulled even at 53-53 on jumper by Davonta Faulkner with 15 seconds left in regulation.
Faulkner led the Tomcats (3-13, 1-3) with 16 points, but fouled out in the overtime. Tomcats starting point guard Traevon Brown had fouled out with just over 4 minutes left in regulation.
"It was a great effort by our kids to come back," East Aurora coach Wendell Jeffries said. "But we were fighting an uphill battle after we fell behind in the third quarter. We felt if we could just get that lead in the fourth quarter or to start the overtime it might have gone a different way, but when you lose your point guard and leading scorer it makes it tough."