STANVILLE, Ky. (WMDJ) – Where were you the night of the quadruple-overtime tilt between two of the oldest rivals in 15th Region basketball history?

 

In a matchup that could very well go down as the greatest 58th District Tournament game ever played, Betsy Layne edged out Prestonsburg to capture the championship, 83-80 at Junior Newsome Arena.

 

The game featured nine ties and eleven lead changes, with both teams refusing to back down until the fourth and final overtime period. A total of five players from both teams played 40-minutes or more, with two players from Prestonsburg, senior forward Connor Napier and sophomore guard Braxton Keathley, playing all 48-minutes of action.

 

Prestonsburg took control early, leading 13-8 after the first quarter and extending their advantage to 23-15 at halftime. Prestonsburg’s stingy 2-3 zone forced Betsy Layne to shoot 4-for-24 from 3-point range in the first half.

 

The Bobcats mounted a second-half comeback, outscoring Prestonsburg 17-9 in the third quarter to narrow the deficit to 39-32, thanks to sophomore guard Brayden Hall’s pair of 3-point buckets.

 

The fourth quarter saw Carter Parsons come alive, scoring clutch baskets to fuel a Betsy Layne rally. Parsons connected on his first 3-pointer in the third quarter, while sinking four more bombs in the fourth period. With seconds remaining, junior guard Isaiah Allen drained a three-pointer to tie the game at 55-55, sending it into overtime.

 

The overtime drama featured both teams ending three overtimes deadlocked. Betsy Layne briefly held a two-point lead in the first overtime after a three-pointer by Cameron Pente, but Kaden Allen answered for Prestonsburg. The game remained tied at 63-63 heading into a second overtime. In the second overtime, Betsy Layne pulled ahead 68-66 after another clutch Parsons three-pointer, but Prestonsburg responded once more, forcing a third overtime at 72-72.

 

The game was not without controversy as Prestonsburg senior guard Kaden Allen was scored as fouling out with 2:59 remaining, with the Blackcats leading 75-74. The official scorer and Betsy Layne’s team scorekeeper had Allen with five fouls, while the Prestonsburg scorekeeper only had four. All media members present also had Allen with four fouls. Allen was ultimately ruled as fouling out.

 

Following the foul, Betsy Layne’s Hall would make a pair of free throws to give the Bobcats a 76-75 advantage.

 

After a Keathley miss and a Betsy Layne turnover, junior Taegan Slone scored a fast break to give Prestonsburg the lead again, 77-76 with 2:30 remaining.

 

Hall would again connect from the outside and junior forward Ethan Lance hit one of two free throws to push the Bobcat lead to 80-77. Prestonsburg would tie the game with 1:13 left on a 3-pointer from 8th grader Graham Shutts at 80-80.

 

Betsy Layne would do as they did the first three overtimes and hold the ball for the final shot. This time Hall would connect with the game-winning three from the right side, his seventh-made 3-pointer on the night, giving the Bobcats the 83-80 win.

 

The game was truly historic as for the first time 515 contest ever played in the 58th District Tournament that a game went to four overtimes. Prior to last night, no game had ever went to triple overtime. Last night’s classic was only the third overtime championship in the 58th District Tournament ever played.

 

Betsy Layne overcame a cold start shooting, finishing 37% from the field and connecting on 16-of-44 3-pointers for 36%. Carter Parsons, named tournament MVP, led the way with 32 points. Brayden Hall scored 25 points. Isaiah Allen dropped 10 points and District Player of the Year Cameron Pente scored nine points and had eight assists and three steals. Ethan Lance grabbed 15 rebounds for the Bobcats.

 

Prestonsburg was led by Braxton Keathley’s 29 points. Kaden Allen finished with 18 and Graham Shutts tallied 10.

 

Betsy Layne will face the winner of Shelby Valley and Floyd Central on Saturday, March 8th at 8:45 p.m. at Pike County Central High School in the quarterfinals of the Super Regional Tournament. Prestonsburg will host Paintsville on “Super Saturday” tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. with the winner advancing the quarterfinals to face host Pike Central.

 

(Photo credit: Faith Lazar, In the Paint Studio)

 

PRESTONSBURG (80) – Napier 3, 1-2 7. Allen 7, (1) 3-3 18. Waller 3, 1-4 7. Keathley 9, (2) 9-9 29. Nairn 1, 2. Shutts 3, (2) 2-2 10. Slone 1, 5-8 7.

 

FG Pct: 36.5%. FT Pct: 75%. 3-PT: 5-21 (Napier 0-1, Allen 1-6, Keathley 2-7, Nairn 0-1, Shutts 2-3, Slone 0-3). Fouls 19. Fouled out: Allen. Rebounds 56. Assists 19. Turnovers 15.

 

BETSY LAYNE (83) – Parsons 12, (7) 1-7 32. Pente 2, (1) 4-4 9. Allen 4, (1) 1-2 10. Lance 3-8 3. Hall 7, (7) 4-4 25. Jarrell 2, 4.

 

FG Pct: 37%. FT Pct: 52%. 3-PT: (Parsons 7-21, Pente 1-4, Allen 1-2, Hall 7-17). Fouls 20. Fouled out: Pente. Assists 23. Turnovers 14.

 

Scoring by quarters:

Team:                         1          2          3          4          OT      OT      OT      OT      TOTAL

Prestonsburg          13        10        16        18        6          5          4          8          80

Betsy Layne              8          7         17        25        6          5          4          11        83