GREER – A double overtime win by the Riverside Warriors ended the Catawba Ridge Copperheads boys’ basketball season with a 63-61 loss in the third round of the 4A playoffs Thursday.
Riverside hit foul shots in the second overtime and held the Copperheads to just one possession where they scored. The Warriors held the ball for the first three minutes of the four-minute overtime period.
“Credit to them they made one more play than we did,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Brett Childers. “Our guys played that situation about as well as they could. This is going to hurt a little bit. I’m proud of them. We have so many things to be proud of.”
Riverside came into the game at 23-4 overall, while Catawba Ridge finished the season at 24-4.
The Copperheads started fast like they normally do going up 5-0 before the Warriors scored. Riverside purposely slowed their offense down looking for the best shot as they rallied back to take a 9-8 lead.
The game reminded close, but Zyan Hager hit two crucial 3-pointers to give Catawba Ridge some breathing room. The Copperheads were able to lead 19-15 after the opening quarter as Riverside hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Warriors kept it close getting to the basket to open the second quarter. Catawba Ridge tied the game at 24 with about five minutes left in the half. Besides hitting a couple opening shots in the early portion of the second quarter, the Copperheads struggled with their offense to create separation.
“We got stale a little bit in the second quarter,” Childers said.
Riverside outscored the Copperheads 15-7 in the second quarter as Catawba Ridge only hit 3-of-9 shots in the quarter. The Warriors carried a lot of momentum into the locker room leading 30-26 at the half.
Catawba Ridge rallied to cut the Warriors lead to one about three minutes into the second half.
Hager who was held scoreless in the second quarter came up big with two 3-pointers to give the Copperheads the lead again at 34-33.
Riverside would go on a 4-0 run, but Hager stroked a third 3-pointer of the quarter to tie the game at 37. Hager would finish the quarter with 12 points, all of them 3-pointers.
The game continued to alternate with each team trading the lead. Riverside was able to get to the basket with ease while the Copperheads did their damage from behind the 3-point line as they went into the fourth quarter tied at 41.
The fourth quarter continued to be like much of the game with Riverside slowing down their offense and the teams trading the lead through the first four minutes of the period.
Quh Webb hit a 3-pointer with about 3:15 left in the game giving the Copperheads a slim 49-47 lead.
Riverside would eventually tie the game at 50 and send the game into overtime in the closing seconds of regulation.
In the first overtime, Catawba Ridge had a lead as Lance Barnes hit a running layup with 10 seconds to give them the lead. Hager would add a couple free throws, but Riverside would then hit a long 3-pointer as time expired to tie the game and again send it to a second overtime.
Hager ended the game with 25 points and Barnes had 14 points.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
