Battle boys win 2OT thriller over Falcons
- Johnny Wilson | Sports Correspondent
BRISTOL, Va. – John Battle and Abingdon played a first-one-to-100 boys basketball game Monday night that those in attendance will not soon forget.
And behind more guts than a high school reunion and 39 points from the slightest player on the floor, the Trojans prevailed to claim a 100-94 Mountain 7 District victory in double overtime.
“We came into the game one man down and we had three kids foul out, so we won that thing with four of our top eight players out,” Battle coach Jon Odum said. “We gutted it out.
“I told the guys afterward that we won this game in practice because some of those guys didn't see the floor until overtime. So for us to gut this one out, it's huge.”
In a game that featured 23 lead changes and a dozen ties, Battle won it in the second overtime because Cayden McConley wouldn't allow the Trojans to lose.
A 5-foot-9, 125-pound point guard, McConley scored 39 points, a career-high effort which included four 3s and 15 of 22 free throws.
“I don't know how much that kid can lift, but he sure carried us” Odum said. “But really, everyone on this team contributed to this tonight.”
Indeed. Issac Deel scored 17 points for the Trojans (14-6, 5-5), Caleb Goins and Mikey Statti both tossed in 13, and 6-foot-6 Doug Logan netted all seven of his points in the extra sessions.
But, clearly, McConley propelled John Battle to this video-game win.
“We played with a lot of heart,” the exhausted junior said. “One thing this team has is a lot of fight. We weren't about to lose.
“I had a lot of fun out there.”
McConley scored on two zig-zag layups in traffic and guard Reed Samuel scored inside off a nice pass from his running mate as Battle assumed a 96-92 lead with just under two minutes left in the second OT.
Abingdon, which was led by the 21-point game of hard-working Ean Bassham, could not recover.
Trent Cox, who hit five of Abingdon's 11 3-point shots, backed Bassham with 19 points, as did Jacob Bowles. Thomas Francisco, whose 3-point bomb forced the second overtime, finished with 18 points for the Falcons (8-12, 3-8).
The game was tied 20-20 after one quarter before Abingdon assumed a 37-35 edge at halftime. Battle led 55-53 after three periods before a 76-76 tie forced overtime.
The game was tied at 87 at the end of the first overtime.
