HILLSBORO — J.T. McCarren’s basket with 4.9 seconds to play lifted East Clinton to a 73-71 overtime win against Fayetteville in the final game of the third annual Ohio Valley Hoops Classic at the Patriot Center on the Southern State Community College campus.
East Clinton and Fayetteville went back and forth through most of the second half. The Rockets generally held the lead but could never shake the Astros.
In overtime, tied at 63-63, JT McCarren continued his solid showing at the free throw line with two at 3:36 to put EC on top 65-63.
Zach Mitchell put the Astros back in front 67-65. Floyd’s bust-out and layup made it 69-65 with 2:04 to go. Max Lanham answered with a three for Fayetteville, 69-68. Another FHS three with 53 seconds to go put the Astros in a 71-69 hole but Zach Mitchell took a McCarren strike and tied the game at 71-71 with 39.5 seconds remaining.
On EC’s next possession, Wyatt Floyd drove into the lane and found McCarren open under the basket for the game-winner. Fayetteville missed on its final shot attempt.
“This game could have went either way very easily,” EC coach Tony Berlin said.
McCarren finished with 20 points and Floyd added 19.
Lanham of FHS led all scorers with 23 points.
East Clinton threatened to run away with the OVHC nightcap, surging out to a 9-1 lead. But the Rockets were determined to make the finale a good one. Fayetteville tied the game at 11-11 with 1:44 to play in the first quarter.
The Rockets led 27-26 at the break, scoring the go-ahead bucket with 19 seconds to play until intermission.
Fayetteville broke out to a 32-26 advantage before the Astros put together a run of their own. Floyd to Michael for an easy two made it 32-28. Conner then drained a three at 5:33 to get EC within 33-31. The Astros comeback was complete when Michael fed Floyd for two and it was 33-33 with 5:14 to go.
Again the Rockets went up five, 38-33. And again East Clinton went to the front. Jacob Olds started the rally with a stickback then Floyd converted a steal into two. Another Floyd basket and two by Alex Pence evened the score at 40-40 with 43 seconds remaining until the half.
Matt Mitchell gave EC the lead with a couple of free throws, 43-42 and McCarren extended the advantage with an offensive rebound basket with six seconds to go 45-42.
In the fourth, McCarren made good at the free throw line with 5 of 6. In fact, EC was 14 for 18 at the line in the fourth and then 2 for 2 in the OT.
It was back and forth to start the fourth then the Rockets went back up by four 58-54. Jenkins and Mitchell teamed to force a Fayetteville turnover, that effort resulted in a trip to the line for Mitchell, at 2:38, and the freshman made two and brought EC within 58-56.
The Rockets lead was 63-60 following a pair of Nic Ball free throws but Matt Mitchell went to the line and hit one. His second shot was off target but JT McCarren converted a stickback to tie the game at 63-63 and the teams went to overtime.
UP NEXT: East Clinton opens South Central Ohio League play Tuesday night at Hillsboro. The varsity game is scheduled to tipoff at 7:30 pm.
SUMMARY
December 4, 2016
Ohio Valley Hoops Classic
@Patriot Center, Southern State CC
East Clinton 73 Fayetteville 71 OT
EC 13.13.19.18.10…..73
FA 15.12.15.21.08…..71
(73) EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Jenkins 3-1-0-7 McCarren 6-0-8-20 Pence 3-0-0-6 Z. Mitchell 2-0-0-4 Michael 1-0-0-2 Floyd 7-0-5-19 Conner 1-1-2-5 Olds 2-0-1-5 M. Mitchell 0-0-5-5. TOTALS 25-2-21/31-73
(71) FAYETTEVILLE (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Conner 1-1-0-3 Ball 4-1-4-13 Davis 0-0-1-1 Lanham 8-1-6-23 Wiederhold 1-0-1-3 Murphy 3-2-0-8 Call 2-0-0-4 McCulley 2-1-1-6 Smyth 4-0-2-10. TOTALS 25-6-15/25-71
FIELD GOALS: EC 25-65 (Floyd 7-20 McCarren 6-13 Pence 3-5); F 25-61 (Lanham 8-17 Smyth 4-6)
3 PT FIELD GOALS: EC 2-14 (Conner 1-2 Jenkins 1-3); F 6-19 (Call 2-3)
FREE THROWS: EC 21-31 (McCarren 8-10 Floyd 5-9 M. Mitchell 5-7); F 15-23 (Lanham 6-7 Ball 4-4)
REBOUNDS: EC-34 (McCarren 8, Olds 6, Floyd 5, Conner 4); F-51 (Lanham 1, Weiderhold 6, Smyth 6, Davis 5, Ball 5, Call 5, McCulley 5)
ASSISTS: EC-11 (Floyd 4, McCarren 2, Michael 2, M. Mitchell 2); F-10 (Ball 6)
STEALS: EC-15 (Floyd 7, McCarren 3, Jenkins 2); F-9 (Call 2, Ball 2, Lanham 2)
BLOCKED SHOTS: EC-0 F-2 (Smyth 2)
TURNOVERS: EC-16, F-29
