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BGM wins overtime thriller
Heishman’s three forces OT with seconds remaining
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NORTH ENGLISH — Some games are too good to end in regulation. That was the case in this battle of the Bears Tuesday night.
A high-intensity game with momentum swings and lead changes came down to one final shot.
With 6.7 seconds remaining in the fourth, BGM was down three and drew up a play.
The in-bounds play was executed to perfection, and Dakota Heishman nailed the three with 2.1 seconds remaining.
The shot forced an overtime during which BGM would prevail 55-48.
“I had a lot of confidence going into the shot knowing I had to make it for the team,” Heishman said. “I was really glad we could finish the game like that and come out with the win.”
The game built like a musical crescendo, quarter by quarter.
After one, English Valleys led 9-6.
After being down 6-0 to start, BGM took its first lead at 13-11 in the second period off a Ben Cadden offensive rebound.
English Valleys’ Ben Axmear responded with a three, and the game was tied 16-16 at halftime.
Cadden led all scorers with seven. Everett Bender and Ben Axmear each had five for English Valleys.
The momentum swings picked up in the third.
Christian Tripses scored five straight for English Valleys, who had a team high 15 points.
After a Kane Axmear offensive putback, English Valleys jumped to a 25-20 lead.
Starting with a Cole Mumm layup, a BGM run ensued.
BGM closed the third on a 9-2 run to take the 29-27 lead into the fourth.
A Cadden putback, two Maddox Rhoads free throws and five straight from Robby Tometich started the fourth, and all of a sudden BGM was up 38-27.
English Valleys would not go away without a fight.
The run to get back into the game started with a basket from Colton Mikesell. That is when Kane Axmear got hot.
The English Valleys’ sophomore scored seven of his 12 points in the run, including a basket plus the foul to retake the lead at 41-40 with a minute remaining.
The team exchanged baskets, and Everett Bender hit both his free throws to vault English Valleys into the lead, 45-42.
Heishman’s shot tied things up, and the game went to overtime.
After making only one of four shots at the charity strike, English Valleys left the door open for BGM, and the team capitalized.
A Cadden layup gave BGM the 49-48 lead, and that was the last lead change of the game.
“We executed when we needed too,” BGM coach Jake Tibbetts said. “We put ourselves in bad spots, but we dug ourselves out, and that’s resilience. We probably lose that game before Christmas, but we’re growing and getting better.”
The win gave BGM its third of the season.
Cadden had a game high 18 points in the victory and was part of a great battle in the post with English Valleys’ Kane Axmear.
“Ben has had to step up for us,” said Tibbetts. “He didn’t come off the floor tonight, and he worked his tail off.”
Heishman added 11 for BGM.
Tripses’ 15 led English Valleys. Also is double figures was Kane Axmear, with 12, and Ben Axmear, with 10.
English Valleys is still searching for its first win of the season. The effort and energy is there, and the Bears will look for a win in the second half of the season.
