The score read 58-55 with the Wolves in the lead with 12.1 seconds left on the clock. Liberty took the ball down the court, hoping for a miracle, keeping it calm and collected as they worked the ball around the outside of the court. 

The Eagles desperately needed a three-pointer to tie the game up and go into overtime. As the clock ticked down, the ball was passed to senior Adrian Lee. Lee stepped into his form, and let the shot fly. A perfect arched shot left the tips of his finger and the crowd eagerly watched as the ball swished gently through the net. Tie game for the Wolves and Eagles, so they headed into four minutes of overtime. 

The game only progressed from there. After Lee’s buzzer-beating three-pointer, the already intense game turned into a battle of which team wanted the win more. Senior David Richard tipped off against Timberland’s Luke Busateri and easily tipped the ball back to senior point guard Jaden Betton. Betton had 25 points and kept control over the game with his intrusive drives and aggressive defense. 

It was a one-possession game and every trip down the court mattered. Many fouls were called throughout the course of the four-minute overtime, and Timberland went on a run, creating some separation between them and the Eagles. Liberty’s Coach Sodemann then put in sophomore Carter Ashby to help close the gap. Ashby went in the game and took the ball to the hoop. He got fouled and went to the line for two free throws. The Eagles were down by five with less than a minute left in the game. 

The Wolves crowd was screaming, doing anything to get in the young players’ head in a crucial moment for the Eagles. Ashby had the ball in his hands and time seemed to freeze in the gym. He released the ball, and it arced into the hoop, swishing on the way in. 

The Eagles’ fans went crazy. The referee then gave him his second shot. The gym was chaotically loud and yet stagnant as everyone watched eagerly as Ashby shot the free throw. The ball swished into the hoop for a second time, putting the Eagles down by three with less than a minute left. 

After the free throws, Ashby was taken out of the game and replaced by senior Jordan Smith for the defensive possession. The Eagles played good defense on the Wolves and Ashby was put back into the game for offense. Betton and the rest of the offense delivered the ball to Ashby at the top of the key, where he shot a three-pointer that bounced off the rim. 

One of the Eagles got the rebound and passed the ball up to Lee, who then passed to Betton. Betton then fired a pass off to Ashby in the corner, where he released the shot quickly as the clock counted down the final thirty seconds for the second time this game. The Wolves defense charged him, hoping to tip the shot. Luckily, Ashby got the shot off in time and the ball swished through the net as the Eagles’ Nest exploded with excitement. 

Timberland had one last possession, but the Eagles shut down their last attempt to win the game with aggressive defense, and the buzzer went out signaling double overtime would be coming up soon. The scoreboard read 68-68 going into the final four minutes of the game. 

The third tip-off of the night took place with Richard once again tipping the ball back to Betton to start the offense. At this point in the game, the intensity had reached its peak and the win would come down to who had more hustle and the heart to win the game. 

Betton continued to drive and get calls going up to the hoop, and he ended up shooting many free throws that got them points ahead of Timberland. Liberty had switched the roles in the last overtime and created separation between the two teams. 

When the final buzzer went off, the Eagles came out on top, becoming the first team to defeat Timberland this season and earning their first win as well with a win over the Wolves in double overtime, 78-75. 

12/6/21- #clickoftheweek

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