(Anita) Easton Nelson’s layup with ten seconds left in the 2nd OT gave the Exira-EHK boys basketball team a 73-71 win at rival CAM on Friday.
Derrek Kommes drove down the right side of the lane on Exira-EHK’s final possession of the night and dumped a pass to the opposite block for the go-ahead basket. CAM never got off a clean look in the final seconds.
Cash Emgarten put in a team high 18 points for Exira-EHK including 5/6 from the free-throw line in the 4th and 9/12 for the game. Derrek Kommes scored 16 points, Trey Petersen 12, and Aiden Flathers notched 11.
CAM’s Sam Foreman led all scorers with 28 points. Chase Jahde poured in 22. Seth Hensley scored 15 before fouling out, none bigger than his driving layup in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime. CAM lost the game despite hitting 19/21 from the FT line. Hensley was 5/5 while Jahde and Foreman each connected on 7/8.
Exira-EHK led big early. The Spartans were up by as much as 16 points in the 2nd quarter at 32-16. CAM got rolling late in the 3rd quarter and closed within four points at 42-38. On six occasions in the 4th quarter they made it a one possession game, but could never tie or take the lead until Hensley’s big basket knotted the game at 57.
In the 1st OT the team’s traded baskets. Exira-EHK never trailed, but they also never led by more than two points. CAM tied the game three times, including on two Foreman free-throws to send the game to another extra session.
The 2nd OT saw Jahde hit a 3-pointer to give CAM their first lead of the entire night. Exira-EHK was able to use size to their advantage late in the contest and put the game away with some interior baskets and clutch free-throws. In addition to Emgarten’s strong night at the line, Trey Petersen made 2/3 attempts in the 2nd half to help the Spartans come out on top.
Exira-EHK is 3-0 with a road contest on Saturday against IKM-Manning. 1-2 CAM matches up on Tuesday with league leading and defending state qualifier West Harrison.
