Madisonville-North Hopkins rallied late to not just win the game, but snatch the No. 1 seed from Caldwell County.
The Maroons overcame a four-point deficit in the final 35 seconds of regulation and went on to win 52-49 in boys’ 7th DIstrict action Thursday night in Princeton.
Kale Gaither was 4-for-4 at the free throw line in the final minute of the fourth quarter as Madisonville (17-8 overall, 5-0 district) came back from a 46-42 deficit to send the game to overtime at 46-46.
Caldwell (15-9, 4-2) could have claimed the top seed for the district tournament with a win, but instead suffered its fifth-straight setback — and 14th-straight loss to Madisonville.
The Tigers missed two free throws late in the fourth quarter just ahead of Gaither’s two charity tosses which tied the game.
Caldwell was just 1-for-5 at the line in the final 30 seconds of regulation and the overtime. The Tigers were 10 of 18 for the game.
Meanwhile, Madisonville was 4-for-8 at the stripe in OT. That included a pair of misses with 4 seconds left in overtime, giving Caldwell one final chance to tie down three. But the Tigers turned the ball over before getting to midcourt.
Madisonville made 22 of 31 free throws in the contest.
Gaither had 20 points to lead all scorers in the game. Madisonville also got eight points each from Danye Frazier and Zach Tow.
Jabrion Spikes led Caldwell with 19 points. Zavy Bumphus had 17.
As the No. 1 seed, Madisonville will take on Dawson Springs in a semifinal matchup when Caldwell hosts the 7th District tournament in just over a week.
Caldwell, the No. 2 seed, will face No. 3 Hopkins County Central in the other semifinal.
If the Maroons and the Tigers both advance to the district final, it will be the 100th meeting between the two programs. Madisonville leads the all-time series 88-11.
Madisonville-NH 14 14 10 8 6—52
Caldwell County 17 7 12 10 3—49
Madisonville-North Hopkins (17-8, 5-0) — Gaither 20, Frazier 8, Tow 8, Rodgers 7, Gaines 5, McAdoo 4.
Caldwell County (15-9, 4-2) — Spikes 18, Bumphus 17, Riley 6, Thompson 6, Vivrette 2.
