(January 15th, 2015) – FAYETTE: A 16 point burst in overtime helped the Blackbirds of Pettisville to soar over Fayette.
Pettisville had to come back in order to even force the contest into overtime, however. In a 7 point deficit at halftime, the Blackbird boys battled back, necessitating the extra time. Outscoring the Eagles 16-2 in overtime, Pettisville secured a 53-39 win over an Eagle team many considered to be the favorite to win the Buckeye Border Conference.
The first quarter had both teams displaying a level of intensity one would expect from a game of this magnitude. Fayette finished the period with a slight advantage, though, pulling ahead 10-9. They built on that lead in the second period, winning the quarter 17-11. At the half, they enjoyed a 27-20 advantage.
Pettisville came roaring back in the third quarter. They took control of the game on both ends of the floor. This led to a 13-7 run that put the Blackbirds within a point of Fayette. Heading into the fourth quarter, Fayette nursed a 34-33 lead.
The final stanza was defense-intensive, to say the least. Pettisville made up the 1 point gap separating the two teams by outscoring the Eagles 4-3. In the resultant overtime, the Blackbird boys stepped up offensively. Pettisville trumped the hometown boys of Fayette 16-2 in the extra time, making the game look as though it wasn’t as close as it actually was.
A trio of scorers helped to lift Pettisville over the Eagles. Josh Liechty led the charge, putting up 16 points. Tate Kauffman went 3 for 5 from the three-point line on his way to 12 points to the victory effort. Another Blackbird, Eli King, also totaled 12 points, though he did all of his work from inside the arc.
Koby Biddix was the high scorer for the Eagles, earning 14 points against a tough Pettisville defense. Skylar Lantz contributed 9 points in the loss. Teammate Jared Seiler put up 7 points as well.
The result of this game has the potential to change the entire complexion of the Buckeye Border Conference. Suddenly three, and maybe even four teams, look to be legitimate contenders for a league title.