Sandy Creek

and Starr's Mill got together for their final basketball

game of the regular season on Friday night, and both

teams wanted to make a statement.

The

Patriots came out strong, building a 13-7 lead in the

first quarter and oushing the lead to nine at the half.

William Belton hit a number of threes to give sandy Creek

the lead and all the momentum. They had increased the

lead to 14 in the second half before Starr's Mill woke up

and started cutting into the lead.

The fourth

quarter belonged to Starr's Mill, which outscored Sandy

Creek 17-5. Dane Davenport penetrated and dished to his

teammates as the Panthers stormed back into the game. The

Starr's Mill defense also woke up, holding all Sandy

Creek players under double figures. With under a minute

to play, Starr's Mill trailed by two points. The two

teams went scoreless on their next few posessions and

with 18 seconds remaining Matt Houck was fouled. Houck

made one of his two foul shots, leaving the Panthers

still down by one point.

Sandy

Creek's L.T. Lockett was fouled immediately afterwards

and went to the line shooting a one and one. He missed

the shot and Houck pulled down the rebound and drove the

length of the court. He passed to Davenport with 1.2

seconds remaining. Davenport nailed the shot and Starr's

Mill won by a score of 45-44. Starr's Mill finished the

regular season 3-7 in region play, while Sandy Creek

finished 5-5 in region play. The Panthers opened the

tournament on Monday against Woodward Academy, while the

Patriots played against Forest Park.

In other

games played over the weekend, the Starr's Mill Lady

Panthers edged out the Sandy Creek Lady Patriots, 38-35.

Lovejoy defeated the Fayette County lady Tigers 41-36,

while the Fayette County boys defeated Lovejoy, 74-64.