For the first time since 2005, the Unaka boys’ basketball team is in the Region Championship game.
The Rangers pulled away in overtime to outlast North Greene for a 61-50 win in an overtime thriller in the Region 1-A Semifinals on Tuesday night at Washburn. With the win, Unaka advances to Thursday’s Region 1-A Championship game where they will take on the winner of the Hampton and Hancock County semifinal. The Rangers also secured a spot in Monday’s sectional round.
Points were hard to come by in the opening quarter. Cooper Smith hit a 3-pointer midway through the first as North Greene held a 9-5 lead into the second quarter.
Unaka, however, got things rolling in the second as John Hardin hit a jumper that sparked a 10-2 run to open the second. The run featured six points from Justius Wallin while Hardin provided four. A quick NG burst was answered with a Smith jumper as the Rangers took a 19-17 lead into the half.
It was a battle in the third quarter as the teams traded shots with Austin Lambert answering for the Rangers. Unaka was able to get some breathing room as Hardin scored 10 straight points as part of a 12-0 run.
North Greene, however, countered with a 7-0 run to end the third and extended it to 13-0 through the opening minutes of the fourth to take a 42-38 lead early in the fourth.
Unaka answered with six straight points, but the teams traded shots as Unaka helda 47-44 lead going to the final seconds. Tyler Britton forced overtime for North Greene with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds to force overtime.
After Britton countered three Unaka points to begin the extra period, Lambert scored four straight to kick off an 11-0 Unaka run to secure the win.
Hardin led Unaka with 21 points, while J. Wallin had 14 points. Lambert had 12 points.
Britton finished with 19 points.