Max Parish (3) of North Union rises above River Valley’s Blake Mosher during Wednesday’s boys basketball game at North Union. The Wildcats’ Zach Vernon (2)moves in from the right. River Valley won the game 63-62. (Journal-Tribune photo by Bob Putman)
The calendar may have read November and it was the season opener for both teams.
Wednesday’s non-league boys basketball game between North Union and River Valley, though, looked like a late-in-the-season contest with both teams vying for a league title.
The game was not decided until literally the final tick of the clock.
The Vikings took a 63-62 victory on a free throw by Carson Smith with .1 second left.
“It was a tough one to lose, but it will make us better,” North Union coach Brian Terrill said. “The guys played really hard.”
North Union held a 44-35 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Following a jumper by Aaron Krebehenne, the Wildcats led 50-42 with 6:07 remaining in the game.
North Union, though, went nearly three minutes without a field goal and 10-0 run by River Valley gave the Vikings a 57-54 lead with 3:08 left to play.
A three-point goal by Smith upped the count to 60-55, but North Union battled back. NU scored five straight points to tie the game at 60 with 1:04 on the clock.
Owen Davis started the run with a three-pointer, Zach Vernon added an inside hoop and a free throw by Max Parish deadlocked the game.
A layup by Jevin Beard briefly put River Valley on top by two, 62-60.
Vernon quickly tied the game at 62 on a drive to the basket with 38 seconds left.
“We could have packed it in when we got down five points,” Terrill said.
Neither team could take advantage of chances for a go-ahead score, but a contested loose ball resulted in a North Union foul.
That sent Smith to the free throw line with a one-and-one with .1 second on the timer.
He made the first toss and his miss of the second attempt left North Union with no time to get a shot off.
North Union scored the final eight points of the first quarter to earn a 19-10 lead.
Davis and Vernon combined for nine points and Richie Bolander hit a three-pointer.
Led by eight points from Smith, River Valley closed the gap to 30-24 by the end of the second quarter.
The Vikings sliced into more of North Union’s lead, trailing 36-31 with 3:32 left in the third quarter.
However, a trey by Bolander and two free throws from Davis upped the count to 41-31.
River Valley bounced back, trailing 41-35 with 49 seconds left.
A three-point play by Vernon with just two seconds left on the clock sent North Union into the fourth quarter with its 44-35 lead.
Terrill wished the Wildcats could have increased their lead several times during the game.
“Multiple times we had chances to push ahead,” he said. “With the pressure of the moment our young guys showed their youth and we missed some key free throws.”
Terrill also pointed to times when it looked like the Wildcats would get a steal and then have River Valley return the favor.
“We had the steal and then gave it right back,” Terrill said. “Give credit to River Valley, but we shot ourselves in the foot one too many times.”
Vernon paced the Wildcats with 20 points while Davis added 18 markers and Krebehenne tallied 12.
Smith led all scorers with 26 points.
River Valley won the junior varsity game 53-26.
Rylan Keever scored seven points for North Union while Tyler Huff and Tyler Krebehenne each had six points.
North Union returns to action on Tuesday at home against Marysville.
NORTH UNION
Draper 0-0-0, Vernon 9-2-20, Parish 1-1-3, Bright 0-1-1, Bolander 2-2-8, Davis 4-10-18, A. Krebehenne 4-3-12, Hall 0-0-0. Three-point goals: Bolander 2, Krebehenne.
RIVER VALLEY
Smith 8-7-26, Myers 2-2-7, Lang 5-1-11, Beard 4-0-8, Bl. Mosher 0-4-4, Ebert 2-2-7. Three-point goals: Smith 3, Myers, Ebert.