Mustangs nip Purple Eagles in OT thriller

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Christian Moss goes in for a layup ahead of Albion defender Elijah Doxey during the Mustangs overtime win over the visiting Purple Eagles this evening.

It was a down to the wire thriller as Medina nipped visiting rival Albion 71-69 in overtime in a key Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball game this evening.

And the Mustangs won it in dramatic fashion on a layup by Preston Woodworth with only 1.5 seconds remaning to snap a 69-69 tie.

A free throw by Albion’s Tyler Cody had sent the contest into overtime deadlocked at 58-58.

There were then two ties and eight lead changes in the wild, sea-saw four minute overtime period.

Albion’s last lead came at 69-67 on a layup off a steal by Elijah Doxey who scored 9 in the overtime period.

Medina retied the game at 69-69 on a layup by Kolton Fletcher with 30 seconds remaining setting the stage for Woodworth’s last second game winning layup.

Jerrell Nealy led the Mustangs with 21 as Fletcher had 12, Woodworth 11, Carlos Doval 10, Christian Moss 9 and Avion Johnson and Hadrian Batista with 4 each.

Albion’s Elijah Doxey goes to the basket between the Medina duo of Preston Woodworth, left, and Christian Moss.

Doxey finished with a game high 27 for the Purple Eagles a Cody added 14, Nate Gibson 13, Wesley Olles 10 and Adam Burgio 5.

Medina jumped out to an 11-1 lead at the outset but Albion answered with an 11-3 run to close the period cutting the deficit to two at 14-12. Nealy and Moss both had 4 and Woodworth and Fletcher 3 each for Medina in the period while Cody had 5 and Gibson a three for Albion.

The Mustangs maintained a narrow five point, 33-28, lead at the half as six players contributed baskets in the second quarter. Doxey scored 7 and Burgio and Gibson both hit threes during that stretch for the Purple Eagles.

Medina upped the lead a bit to 8, 42-34, to open the third period as Nealy had a two and a three and Moss a pair of baskets.

However, Albion answered right back with a 13-2 scoring burst to close the period and rally back into a 47-45 lead. Cody had 6, including a slam dunk, and Olles a three to lead that Purple Eagles rally.

That set the stage for a back and forth fourth quarter and a wild sea-saw overtime period which finished with the Mustangs claiming a thrilling two point victory on Woodworth’s last second layup.

Medina is now 3-1 and Albion 2-3 in N-O action. The Mustangs next visit Akron (3-1) and Albion hosts front-running Wilson (4-0) at 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Akron 64, Roy-Hart 36
Akron downed Roy-Hart 64-36 as Ben Gerstung scored 19 and Derren Brooks, Blake Gerstung and Brodie Hill each netted 12.

Matt Aquilina scored 11 and Vinny Fazzio 9 for Roy-Hart which slips to 0-4.

Newfane 64, Barker 59
Newfane evened its N-O record at 2-2 with a 64-59 win over Barker as Mac Capen scored 22, Camlo Flowers 14 and Kasey Wheat 12.

Donovan Hefferon scored 17 and Carter DerSarkissian 13 for Barker.

N-O Standings: Wilson 4-0, Akron 3-1, Medina 3-1, Newfane 2-2, Albion 2-3, Barker 1-4, Roy-Hart 0-4.

Medina’s Avion Johnson goes up for a rebound against the Albion trio of Nate Gibson (10), Tyler Cody (4) and Wesley Olles (1).