WILLIAMSBURG — When Corbin and South Laurel hook up on the hardwood, more so than not, you can expect an instant classic.
Friday’s 50th District Tournament championship matchup didn’t disappoint.
Both teams showed heart of champions, but in the end South Laurel did just enough to slip past Corbin in overtime with a 65-64 victory.
“What a game by both teams and another battle,” South Laurel coach Jeff Davis said. “Our guys never gave up and just continued to grind and fight. It was a total team effort and we had some guys make some big plays when we needed it the most.”
The top-seeded Cardinals (23-8) trailed throughout the contest, finding themselves down by 14 points at halftime and eight points with 2:31 left in regulation.
But they continued to chip away, closing out the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run to force overtime with the game tied at 51 apiece.
South Laurel took its first lead of the game, 56-55, at the 2:15 mark in overtime before the Redhounds (19-10) scored four straight points to take a 59-56 edge with 1:44 remaining.
The Cardinals outscored Corbin, 9-5, down the stretch to secure the one point win.
Tourney MVP Jordan Mabe, Colton Rawlings, and Kaden Taylor hit huge 3-pointers during overtime.
“Our team played really well this evening and gave ourselves a chance to win,” Corbin coach Tony Pietrowski said. “Some poor stretches on both sides allowed them back into the game. That said, I was proud of my guys for regaining their focus and continuing to battle once the game got tight.
“Big play after big play, but ultimately we came up just short,” he added. “Hope this team can regain their focus as I legitimately feel we are good enough to win the region. Ryder had one heck of a game for us tonight. Didn’t play like a freshman at any moment in the game.”
Mabe came up huge for South Laurel, hitting clutch shots while leading the way with 27 points, including five in overtime. Taylor knocked down five 3-pointers, finishing with 15 points while Rawlings hit three 3-pointers, and finished with 11 points.
Corbin’s Ryder Akins led all scorers with 33 points while finishing with six 3-pointers. Connor Middleton added 11 points while Evan Ellis scored nine points.
