Maybe it’s the sudden finality that hurts most.
Scott’s boys basketball team suffered such a fate Wednesday when Harrison County grabbed a 72-69 overtime win at the 10th Region boys basketball quarterfinals in The Fieldhouse at Mason County.
Seven seniors – Dylan Giffen, Xarek Sarakatsannis, Connor Griffin, Jon Evans, Carter Eten, Austin Huelsman and manager Boomer Klusman – wrapped up high school careers that began at multiple Northern Kentucky elementary schools and continued at Woodland Middle School in Taylor Mill.
“We grew up since sixth grade to here, and we played together every single day, every single summer, all the time,” Giffen said.
Giffen led the Eagles (14-18) with 20 points, and Griffin added 14 and seven rebounds.
Harrison County’s Kaydon Custard led everyone with 37 points and Elijah Harris added 20. But the Thorobreds would not be playing if not for Mason Smiley’s 3-pointer from the left corner as regulation time expired.
“Honestly, I think it was one of those moments in transition, and I knew we needed a three,” Smiley said.
Though it’s likely not much consolation, Scott did several things well: a 10-0 edge in bench points, 14-11 in second-chance scoring and the most impactful – erasing a 31-20 deficit early in the third quarter.
Scott opened with a 4-0 lead in the opening minute on Griffin’s 8-foot bank and Giffen’s conversion of the first of Griffin’s three assists.
The rest of the first quarter featured two ties and three lead changes; Custard’s bucket – a left-to-right 10-footer over Saratkatsannis – gave Harrison County (16-14) a 13-11 lead.
About 30 seconds into the second stanza, Harrison County’ Jashon Lewis grabbed a rebound. Custard (14-for-26 from the field) waved his hand, asked for the ball and eventually hit a right-wing triple for a 16-11 lead.
What wasn’t immediately noticeable unless you were looking for it: no knuckle on Custard’s right ring finger. He missed nine games after breaking his hand.
The Thorobreds took a seemingly secure 31-20 advantage on Custard’s bucket a little more than a minute into the third quarter. Turns out it wasn’t so unshakable – Giffen’s buzzer-beating layup and Evans’ left-corner three and free throw gave the Eagles a 45-40 lead less than a minute into the fourth quarter.
Scott’s lead didn’t last, either. Harris started the 10-5 comeback with a triple from the right corner and finished it with a layup. The result: 50-50, with 2:43 remaining in regulation.
Griffin’s free throw with 4.6 seconds to go put the Eagles ahead, 60-57, but missed the second attempt to seal the game.
Harrison County’s Braxton Grubb opened the overtime with two free throws, which Lewis followed with two more. Custard later added four points over the final 2:09.
Harrison County meets Mason County – a 67-65 winner over Bourbon County – in Monday’s semifinals at 6 p.m. In Thursday’s quarterfinals, George Rogers Clark meets Pendleton County at 6 p.m., followed by Campbell County and Bracken County at around 7:30 p.m.
THOROBREDS 72, EAGLES 69 (OT)
SCOTT — 11-9-21-19-9 — 69
HARRISON CO. — 13-16-11-20-12 — 72
SCOTT (69) —Giffen 20, Coleman 4, Sarakatsannis 5, Griffin 14, Evans 9, Lowe 6, Eten 11.
HARRISON COUNTY (72) —Custard 37, Smiley 4, Lewis 8, Harris 20, Grubb 3.
Game Stats
Field Goals: S 25-46, HC 24-51.
3-Pointers: S 4-17 (Giffen 3, Evans); HC 3-12 (Custard, Smiley, Harris).
Free Throws: S 15-22, HC 21-29.
Rebounds: S 27 (Griffin 7), HC 27 (Grubb 8).
Assists: S 15 (Evans 6, Sarakatsannis 5); HC 5 (Custard 2)
Turnovers: S 15, HC 9.
Records: Scott 14-18, Harrison County 16-14.