Triple overtime

The Eagle Grove boys basketball team had nothing to hang their heads about after a bitter-sweet game played at home last Tuesday evening, Feb. 4. The Eagles, celebrating their last home game of the year and Senior Night, took on the North Union Warriors of Armstrong, and played what could arguably be their hardest fought game of the season. It took the Eagles three overtime quarters (which has happened for the Eagles in nearly 20 years) of four minutes each to finally determine the winner. Although the scoreboard said they lost by 3, it was apparent the fans in the stands still thought they were winners.

The game began with the tip off going in favor of the Warriors, but they couldn’t get it in the hoop to score. The Eagles got the rebound, but likewise, they were unable to come away with 2 points. With 6:46 remaining in the first quarter, sophomore Thomas Matthes was the first person to put points on the board, sinking a 2-point shot. Then the Eagles really heated up as the score went 13-5 in favor of the Eagles with only 1:45 left in first quarter play. But the Warriors answered back quickly, ending the first quarter with the Eagles in the lead by only 1 point - 13-12.

Forty seconds into the second quarter, junior Chase Mason put a ball in to put the Eagles up by 3. With only a minute left in the second quarter, the Warriors put the pressure on keeping the Eagles away from the hoop and stealing the lead 23-22 with only eight seconds left on the clock, holding that lead into halftime.

Despite being down by one, the Eagles headed into the locker room fired up and ready to come back and play even harder in the second half.

The Eagles got the ball to start the second half of the game, but it took two minutes and 54 seconds before the first points were scored, putting the Warriors on top by 2 more points. It took the Eagles five possessions before they would answer with points of their own, making it 25-24. When junior Jacob Darland saved a wild pass and his teammate grabbed it and put it in for 2, the Eagles took back the lead, 26-25. Possession of the ball drifted back and forth, but at the end of the third quarter the Warriors sank 5 unanswered points making the score 33-28.

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