Raiders outlast Mustangs in overtime

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 13 January 2023 at 9:31 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Brad Cantrell puts up a shot against Medina defender Cayden Lilleby during the Raiders overtime win over the Mustangs this evening.

In an overtime thriller, Barker edged past host Medina 72-69 in a Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball game this evening.

Medina sent the contest into overtime deadlocked at 66-66 as Justin Pitts scored on a layup with just a second to go.

Brad Cantrell provided the margin of victory for Barker as he hit two big threes to account for all of the Raiders scoring in the overtime period.

Medina did answer Cantrell’s first three with a basket by Aidan Pitts to pull to within one at 69-68. However, Cantrell answered right back with his second and game winning three as the Mustangs managed only one more point the rest of the overtime session.

Cantrell finished with a game high 27 points as Luey Castro added 17, Aidan Voss 9, Cameron Hefferon 8, Wyatt Sherman 5, Aidan Mescall 4 and Mason Allee Castro 2.

Justin Pitts scored 17, Aiden Pitts 15 and Roosevelt Mitchell 12 to lead Medina as Cole Callard added 9 and Jerrell Nealy and Cayden Lilleby 8.

Barker jumped out to a 10 point, 22-12 first quarter lead a Hefferon scored 8 and Cantrell 6.

The Raiders maintained a seven point, 43-36, lead at the half as Luey Castro tallied 8 in the second period. Justin Pitts netted 9, Mitchell 7 and Callard 6 on two threes in the period to keep Medina close.

Medina came rallying back in the third quarter outscoring Barker 19-10 to grab a slender 55-53 lead. Callard, Justin Pitts and Aiden Pitts each hit a three and Nealy and Lilleby both chipped in with 4 points during that rally.

Two more threes by Aiden Pitts helped keep Medina up by five, 64-59 late in the fourth quarter.

Barker though came storming back rattling off seven straight points in the final minute to regain a 66-64 lead with 18 seconds to go. Back-to-back layups off steals by Cantrell highlighted that Raiders rally which also included a layup by Mescall and a free throw by Cantrell.

That set the stage first for Justin Pitts’ last second layup for the Mustangs to force overtime and then for Cantrell’s decisive two threes for the Raiders in the overtime period.

Barker is now 1-3 and Medina 0-4 in N-O action.