Back in December, during a 1-4 start to the season, River Hill struggled closing out games.
On Tuesday, against a Mt. Hebron team that had defeated them by a point in the second game of the year on a buzzer beater, the Hawks got a chance to show how much they've improved in clutch situations.
The senior duo of Charlie Thomas (39 points) and Gary Sandler (17) combined for 56 points and River Hill (9-5 county, 12-5 overall) outlasted a hot-shooting Vikings team 79-75 in double overtime to secure the team's second straight win by five points or less.
"The first five games of the year, winning only one of them, really showed what we had to improve on as a team and I think those struggles brought us closer and has, in turn, allowed us to go on this run," said River Hill coach Matt Graves, whose team has won 11 of its last 12 overall. "The kids have built confidence every game and especially these last two games, being closer games, and finding ways to win. It was especially nice to see our two four-year varsity starters, Charlie and Gary, take the team on their shoulders and say we weren't going to lose tonight.
"They really showed me a lot with the way they played down the stretch."
For Mt. Hebron (8-6, 11-6), the loss marked the first time all season the team has lost back-to-back games. But in the aftermath of a game that featured 19 lead changes, along with a season-high 28 points from Vikings senior Mark Smith, Mt. Hebron coach Mike Linsenmeyer had nothing but praise for his team.
"It was a great high school basketball game and it's a shame someone had to lose … even worse that we were the team that lost," said Linsenmeyer, whose team ended up hitting 12 3-pointers in the losing effort. "I don't even think our kids are that upset right now because they know they played well and River Hill's a very good team."
The first quarter was low scoring and ended with the score knotted up at 10-10. But it was in the second quarter, as Smith began heating up, that Mt. Hebron started to create a little separation.
Smith hit two threes in the period, Joey Trapuzzano (16 points) and Aaren Smith (10) added a couple baskets, and the Vikings opened up a 23-18 lead at the break.
"Our biggest problem the first half was our intensity," Graves said. "Mt. Hebron dictated what they wanted to do, Charlie got up tight and was playing more on the perimeter. We had to start getting him down there inside 15 feet and taking more advantage of offensive rebounds."
Things did not immediately improve for the Hawks in the third quarter, either. Following a lay-up by Lance Madden a little less than five minutes out of halftime, Mt. Hebron had its largest lead of the game, 35-26.
But it was at that point that Thomas flipped the switch and found a different gear. The senior forward, who finished with 16 rebounds to go along with his scoring effort, proceeded to deliver 10 points over the next five minutes as part of a 19-6 run that catapulted River Hill back into the lead.
The game was a see-saw affair from there until the end of regulation. Thomas had an old-fashioned three-point play with 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give his team a two-point lead. But Trapuzzano was fouled on the next possession and proceeded to sink two foul shots to tie the game at 50-50 and force overtime.
The two teams were even in the first extra period, sitting tied again at 63.
Then, midway through the second overtime, River Hill finally made the clinching push. Jayden Martin hit a big three from the top of the key and then Thomas followed with another old-fashioned three-point play to stake the Hawks to a five-point advantage.
Mt. Hebron made a couple more big shots, but still never managed to get closer than three points the rest of the way.
Sandler, who scored 15 of his points between the fourth quarter and two overtimes, said it was a victory he'll remember for a long time.
"That game was just one of the most fun games I've ever played in," Sandler said. "Back-and-forth, double overtime … I couldn't ask for more."
River Hill 79, Mt. Hebron 75 2OT
RH (9-5, 12-5): Thomas 39, Sandler 17, Martin 8, Gable 6, Borucki 4, DiSimone 2, Mitchell 2, Mentle 1.
MH (8-6, 11-6): M. Smith 28, Trapuzzano 16, A. Smith 10, Madden 9, Bryant 4, Linsenmeyer 3, Maloney 3, Schroeder 2.
Half: 23-18 MH; Regulation: 52-52; 1st OT: 63-63.
Other scores:
Centennial 61, Long Reach 52 OT
After trailing for the majority of the first 30 minutes of regulation, the Eagles rallied to force overtime and then dominated the extra period to stay in a tie for first place in the standings. Centennial's big three of Isaiah White (20 points), Tom Brown (15) and Chad Strothers (15) once again carried the load during the comeback.
Long Reach was led in the loss by Dakwonte Avery's 11 points.
C (13-1, 15-2): I. White 17, Brown 15, Strothers 15, Clemens 6, Wilson 4, Geist 1.
LR (6-8, 7-10): Avery 11, Brodnax 10, Carter 9, Lamar 6, Clark 6, Duckett 4, Paul 2, Stamatiades 2, Menusan 2.
Half: 24-22 LR; Regulation: 50-50.
Oakland Mills 94, Hammond 51
OM (13-1, 15-2): Robinson Jr. 23, Williams-Day 16, Aaron 11, Ndiaye 11, Kiely 11, Harris 7, MdFadden 4, Stanfield 4, Seyfried 3, Smith 2, Graves 2.
Ha (2-12, 3-14): Wilcher 17, Nicholas 9, Johnson 8, A. Moore 4, N. Moore 4, Whong 3, Ridgell 2.
Half: 41-27 OM.
Reservoir 54, Marriotts Ridge 46
Trailing by seven points with just under six minutes to play, the Gators closed the game on a 22-7 run to pull out the victory. German Garcia hit six big foul shots down the stretch and Andrew Phillips scored 12 points and was a defensive standout, according to Reservoir coach Mike Coughlan. Seth Henry led the Gators offensively with 19 points.
Greg Speelman and John Whitacre led Marriotts Ridge with 11 points apiece.
Re (10-4, 11-6): Henry 19, Mierzwa 13, Phillips 12, G. Garcia 8, Maloney 2.
MR (3-11, 4-13): Speelman 11, Whitacre 11, Clipp 10, Caffes 6, Koller 4, Ingersol 2, Dar 2.
Half: 21-21.
Glenelg 65, Wilde Lake 55
G (5-9, 7-10): Napolitano 18, Wade 10, Oates 10, VandeWall 7, Conners 6, Hammert 5, Mills 4, Heigh 3, Koele 2.
WL (1-13, 3-14): Jordan 17, David 9, DeLaRosa 7, Barnes 7, Ichrist 6, Cantwell 6, Samuels 3.
Half: 44-22 G.