The Riverton Hawks flipped an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit into a 57-51 overtime win over Monticello in a high school boys basketball 2A regional semifinal game from Riverton High School Wednesday night.
Monticello contained the 25-win Hawks nearly the entire game but Riverton rallied in the fourth quarter down eight at the start and tied the game at 41 when Travis Hogan made two free throws with 2:36 to play and Hogan tied the score again at 43 with 1:45 after Ryan Reeder made two free throws.
A Garrett Kepley three as regulation expired came up short sending the game to overtime, where the Hawks opened a 47-43 lead and Monticello never got closer than 3 when a Dylan Ginalick free throw made 47-44 with 1:48 left.
Monticello started the game on a 6-0 run thanks to back-to-back three-pointers by Ethan Miller and his third and final three of the night with 3:09 to play in the second quarter gave Monticello a 24-15 lead and on the following possession, a Briggs Fultz layup gave the Sages their biggest lead 26-15. The Hawks would close out the half on a 5-0 run to make 26-21 Monticello at the break.
Riverton opened the second half on a quick 6-2 start to cut the deficit to 28-27 with 4:52 to play in the third but Monticello was able to stretch it out to a 35-27 advantage at the 1:02 mark of the third.
The Hawks never led in regulation and took their first lead of the game in overtime when sophomore Zach Hinds and Hogan had baskets on back-to-back possessions.
They had four players score in double-figures as Spencer Yoggerst scored 14 points, Hogand and Dayton Durham each scored 13 points and Hinds added 11 points.
Kepley scored a game-high 16 points, Miller scored 11 points all in the first half, and Fultz added 10 points.
Riverton outrebounded Monticello 28-24 and scored 11 points on 12 offensive rebounds.
The Sages dished out ten assists on their 18 field goals made and turned the ball over only six times.
Riverton went 18-for-21 from the free-throw line and shot just 36-percent from the floor as Monticello dropped into a zone defense for the first time this season that seemed to throw Riverton off and forced them into 27 three-point attempts.
The Sages shot 42-percent from the floor and made 9 of 12 free-throw attempts.
Monticello ends their season 19-12 overall and the Hawks improve to 26-5 and will take on Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin for a regional title Friday night.
Hear Monticello spring sports on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com in March.
Scores is 2A boys basketball Regional semifinal action Wednesday
At Chillicothe
Illinois Valley Central 51
Fieldcrest 63
At Coal City
Pontiac 64
Kankakee McNamara 63
At Flora
Salem 61
Shelbyville 45
At Mackinaw
Normal U-High 57
Tri-Valley 38
At Manteno
Prairie Central 48
Joliet Catholic Academy 59
At Paxton-Buckley-Loda
Tuscola 45
G.C.M.S. 38
At St. Joseph-Ogden
St. Joseph-Ogden 56
Broadlands-Heritage 40
At Winnebago
El Paso-Gridley 74
Spring Valley Hall 55
Class 1A boys basketball regional semifinal action Wednesday
At Catlin
Decatur St. Teresa 64
Decatur LSA 58
At Gilman
Ridgeview 58
Tri-Point 38
Cissna Park 73
Fisher 64
At Havana
Delavan 72 F
Havana 43
At Lexington
Roanoke-Benson 67
Heyworth 43
St. Anne 36
LeRoy 51
At Macon
Central A & M 61
Stewardson-Strasburg 33
Nokomis 71
Meridian 51
At Mt. Pulaski
Champaign Judah Christian 58
Warrensburg-Latham 62
Hartsburg-Emden 38
Mt. Pulaski 53
At Princeville
Peoria Christian 62
Peoria Heights 47