The Bossier Bearkats and Airline Vikings won overtime thrillers in boys high school basketball action Tuesday night.
The Bearkats rallied from four down in the final 30 seconds of the second overtime to defeat Woodlawn 85-84 in a District 1-4A game before a packed house at Woodlawn.
The Vikings came from behind in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime and went on to defeat Southwood 55-51 at Southwood.
Both were significant district wins.
Bossier (19-6, 6-1) moved into a first-place tie with Woodlawn (20-5, 6-1). The Bearkats avenged a 74-72 loss to the Knights in the first district meeting Dec. 22 at Bossier.
Defending champion Airline (17-10, 6-0) completed the first half of District 1-5A play undefeated. The Vikings lead Southwood (12-12, 4-2) and Evangel (10-11, 4-2), a 55-36 winner over Byrd, by two games.
In the other District 1-5A game, Parkway downed Captain Shreve 81-73 at Shreve.
In District 1-4A, Benton fell to Huntington 61-49 at Huntington.
In a non-district game, Plain Dealing routed North Webster 56-18 at North Webster.
Woodlawn and Bossier came into their matchup No. 1 and No. 4, respectively, in the latest Class 4A power rankings, and they put on a show worthy of two of the state’s top teams.
With the crowd on its feet, the Knights made one of two free throws for an 80-76 lead with 43.7 seconds left in the second overtime.
Bossier’s Tim King banked in a 3-pointer with 30.6 seconds left, getting the Bearkats within one.
Woodlawn’s Delatrion Moton hit two free throws to give his team an 82-79 lead with 26.8 seconds left.
Jacoby Decker then nailed a 3-pointer from well behind top of the arc to tie it at 82. Woodlawn got a second-chance basket to go up two with about 11 seconds left.
Decker brought the ball down the court and hit a stepback 3 with seven seconds left to give the Bearkats the 85-84 lead. The Knights had a final chance to win but missed a baseline jumper at the buzzer.
Decker, a junior guard and the Bearkats’ leading scorer on the season, has had many good games since bursting on the scene as a freshman. But Tuesday’s may have been his best.
He scored 18 of his 37 points in the two overtimes. King made a big contribution to the victory with 20 points. Kaalas Roots added 11.
Bossier had chances to win in regulation and the first overtime.
The Bearkats led 47-40 going into the fourth quarter. Woodlawn rallied but Bossier still led by two as the clock wound down.
The Knights sent the game into overtime tied at 59 on a tip-in after missing twice at close range.
Bossier also led by two late in the first overtime. Again, Woodlawn tied it on a tip just before the buzzer and the game went into the second OT tied at 70.
Tra’Michael Moton led the Knights with 25 points. Jalen Brooks helped the Knights’ cause with 20.
At Southwood, Airline rallied from a 39-33 deficit after three quarters and took a two-point lead late in the game on a free throw by Trent Ivy. But Southwood tied it with 5.3 seconds left and the game went into overtime tied at 46.
The Vikings went on an 8-2 run to take a 54-48 lead with 18.3 seconds left. The Cowboys hit a 3-pointer to get within three but that was a close as they would get.
Jon Jenkins, who made three free throws in the overtime, and Ivy led Airline with 20 and 18 points, respectively. TJ Robinson chipped in with eight points.
At Byrd, Parkway improved to 9-10 overall and 2-4 in 1-5A with the victory. Captain Shreve dropped to 9-15 and 2-4.
At Huntington, Benton dropped to 12-11 overall and 3-3 in 1-4A with the loss. Huntington raised its record to 13-11 and 4-3.
At North Webster, Jakaleb McGee and Jymaury King led the Lions (10-12, 4-2) with 15 and 14 points, respectively, in the victory.
— Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com
