Trojans topple Tigers in overtime title tilt

HAMILTON – Drummond Head Coach Levi Parsons was mere seconds away from claiming his fourth straight second-place finish in district tournament play. But this time he and his team did something different.

They took first.

The Trojans needed an overtime period to beat the Darby Tigers 42-40 in the championship game of the District 13C Basketball Tournament. The game was played Saturday night at Hamilton High School.

“It’s eluded me three times and this time we got it,” said Parsons after the emotional win. “

The two squads played the game dead even, with neither ever edging more than five points apart. And when the contest reached the closing minutes of the overtime period, Darby took a 38-35 lead on a basket by Stevan Gabric. On their next possession, Drummond’s Scott Parke drained a three-pointer from the right corner that knotted the score.

On the Tigers’ next possession Nolan Lenny was called for a player control foul with none other than Parke flopping to the ground.

With 9.7 seconds remaining Parke was fouled by Lenny again and sent to the free throw line for a 1-and-1. He sank both.

“I just had to believe them in,” Parke said later.

The Tigers took the ball down looking for a shot to tie or win the game, with Gabric finally driving to the hoop as the clock neared zero. He lost control as the buzzer sounded, with one official waving off an attempt and another calling a foul. After some discussion, the officiating crew awarded Gabric the 1-and-1 and put0.5 seconds on the clock.

But Gabric’s first shot caromed away from the basket and the Trojans claimed the crown.

“we wanted to take away their inside game. Take away Hooper,” parsons explained of the team’s defensive strategy. “Brody (Rasor) and Colt (Parsons) got real tired taking away some of their scorers outside and we collapsed on Reed with double and triple teams.”

Phillips led Drummond with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Parke finished with 10.

Reed was the scorer for Darby with 18 while Gabric was close behind with 16.

The Trojans will enter the Western Divisional Tournament in Butte next week as the No. 1 seed from the West, while Darby will go as No. 2. Granite won the Consolation Bracket but is unable to challenge because they have already played Darby once in the tournament.

SCORING

Drummond – 7/7/10/10/8 – 42

Darby – 8/8/13/5/6 – 40

Drummond – Rasor 2, Parke 10, Parsons 6, BeBradshaw 6, Phillips 18

Darby – Lenny 3, Duggan 5, Hundley 2, Gabric 14, Reed 16