Wildcats win wild overtime game in Regionals

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  • Wildcats win wild overtime game in Regionals
    Wildcats win wild overtime game in Regionals
  • Wildcats win wild overtime game in Regionals
    Wildcats win wild overtime game in Regionals
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NEWCASTLE – It was a tremendous, thrilling, comeback victory (61-59) for the Madill Wildcats over the Pauls Valley Panthers Thursday night in the first game of the Regional Competition for Madill. Austin Maxey hit a last

Austin Maxey hit a last second, desperation 3-pointer that tied the game at 50 which sent the game into an on the edge of your seat overtime period.

The Madill faithful went nuts when Maxey made the three pointer and continued that frenzy when Wyatt Gray hit a close in jumper with .7 seconds left to win it for the Wildcats in the OT period.

“For the fans watching it was a highly entertaining game with lots of action,” said Madill Head Coach Brett Weiberg after the game. “From my perspective, the team really played hard and deserved the win. Pauls Valley was well coached and also played hard throughout the game.”

Madill’s Miguel Duran led all scorers with 24 points and was the only Wildcat to score in each quarter and in overtime.

The game was a nip and tuck affair throughout the 32 minutes of regulation and the three minute overtime period.

The score was tied at 17 after the first quarter which saw Duran score five on a 3-pointer and a layup.

Ezekiel Fuentes scored four on two buckets and Gray, Asa Robertson, and Trent Henry each scored two points in the opening quarter.

The Wildcats fell behind in the second quarter by three points as they were outscored 10-7.

Duran hit another 3-pointer and a free throw, Gray hit two free throws and Robertson hit a free throw.

Madill outscored the Panthers 10-4 in the third period and took a 34-31 lead heading into the fourth period.

Duran led the way scoring six points on two buckets and two free throws.

Fuentes hit a 3-pointer and Robertson hit another free throw.

This set up the tumultuous fourth quarter.

It was a quarter that included seven lead changes with each team making five and six point runs during the quarter.

Things got weird with 17 seconds left in the quarter with Madill up 47-45, when there was a foul called on Madill and the Pauls Valley player made the first free throw.

There was a long delay as the officials conferred and eventually decided that all was well and let Pauls Valley take and miss the second free throw.

The confusion had to do with a substitution for the player that fouled out.

There was a foul called with 16 seconds left on the rebound and another Pauls Valley player ht two free throws putting them up 48-47.

Then with just 4.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter, another foul was called on Madill and a Pauls Valley player hit both free throws again making the score 50-47, Pauls Valley.

It would require a miracle and that’s what Mr. Wyatt Gray delivered.

He took the inbounds pass, dribbled above the key and fired up the 3-pointer which went through the net as time expired! What a comeback!

The overtime period was just a smaller version of the fourth quarter.

Pauls Valley was up 58-54 with 1:18 to go when Fuentes hit a layup and then with 36 seconds left, Harvey hit an old fashioned 3-point play as he was fouled on a layup.

This put Madill up 59-58 and with 24 seconds left Pauls Valley hit a free throw to tie the game at 59.

Then Madill worked the ball inside and Gray hit his game winner and as they say, “The crowd went wild.” There was a large contingent of Wildcat fans there and they got their money’s worth.

“This was the second game that Wyatt hit a last second 3-pointer to win or tie the game,” said Wieberg after the game. “Things really had to go our way at the end of the game and the overtime period as well for us to win the game. The team really played hard throughout the game.”

This win put the season record to 19-6 and set the stage for the Friday afternoon game against Muldrow.

It was definitely a big win for the Wildcats.