After three quarters, the Eastern Brown boys’ basketball team looked well on their way to a Brown County Holiday Classic title.

But Georgetown was determined to make it a game on their home court.

The G-Men rallied to score 25 points in the fourth quarter and forced overtime with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Jackson Gregory in Saturday’s championship game, but the Warriors knocked down free throws in the added period and came away with a 58-56 win.

“When they [Georgetown] tied it up with that shot, they kind of looked a little bit down,” said Eastern coach Rob Beucler. “I said there was no reason for it because it’s 0-0. They came out and responded pretty well. We’re doing a better job of taking care of the basketball and we hit free throws.”

Eastern jumped out to a 17-13 lead in the first quarter and extended the lead to 26-18 by the break. The Warriors held the G-Men to just six points in the third to give themselves a 36-24 lead with a quarter to play.

Then, Georgetown came to life.

A 3-pointer from Jackson Gregory started a 10-0 run to open the frame. Noah Pack scored the final five points of the stretch on his way to a game-high 23 points.

The Warriors got their first points of the period at the 4:07 mark on a free throw from Kaleb Martin, but Gregory’s second triple of the frame got Georgetown within one with 2:28 remaining in regulation.

Eastern was able to collect some breathing room, including going up by four points with just 10.4 seconds left on a free throw from Marcus Hamilton, but Pack picked up the ball at midcourt, spun around a defender and finished at the rim to cut the lead to two with 4.5 seconds left.

The G-Men sent Ian Wiles to the line with 3.8 seconds remaining. The junior made the first to give Eastern a 49-46 lead, but missed the second. Pack came down with the rebound and, after two dribbles, passed the ball to Gregory just over the midcourt line. Gregory turned to the basket and banked in the shot to send the game to overtime.

Georgetown took the first lead in the added period on two free throws from Pack, but Colton Vaughn answered with a jumper to tie the game at 51.

A free throw from Josh Galley put the G-Men back on top with 2:21 to go, but a layup from Titus Burns gave the Warriors a lead they wouldn’t give up again.

Eastern went 5-of-6 from the free throw line from that point, including two from Vaughn with 3.1 seconds left to make it a 58-53 lead, before Galley knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the G-Men.

“You’ve got to make free throws,” said Beucler. “We look at the little things we can do to get better and what we’ve got to do as a team, and that’s one we’ve got to keep improving.”

Burns led the Warriors with 18 points, while Gage Boone had 11 and Hamilton and Vaughn each had eight. Eastern moves to 6-1 with the win and will host Hillsboro on Friday.

Behind Pack’s 23 points were Gregory with 13, Cameron Brookbank with seven and Emerson Cahall with six. Georgetown falls to 6-2 with the loss and will host East Clinton on Friday.

EHS 17-9-10-13-9—58

GHS 13-5-6-25-7—56

Scoring:

EASTERN BROWN (58) — Burns 18, G. Boone 11, Hamilton 8, Vaughn 8, Hundley 5, Wiles 4, Jimison 2, Martin 2

GEORGETOWN (56) — Pack 23, Gregory 13, Brookbank 7, Cahall 6, Galley 5, Bolington 2

Records: Eastern Brown 6-1, Georgetown 6-2

The Eastern Warriors claimed wins over Western Brown and Georgetown to become the 2018 Brown County Holiday Classic Tournament champions. Photo by Wade Linville/The Brown County Press
https://www.newsdemocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_eastern-boys-tourney-champs.jpgThe Eastern Warriors claimed wins over Western Brown and Georgetown to become the 2018 Brown County Holiday Classic Tournament champions. Photo by Wade Linville/The Brown County Press

Named to the 2018 Brown County Holiday Classic Boys’ All-Tournament Team were, from the left, Noah Pack (Georgetown), Bowen Doane (Fayetteville), Marcus Hamilton (Eastern), and Titus Burns (Eastern, MVP). Not present at picture time was Zyon Tull (Western Brown). By Wade Linville/The Brown County Press
https://www.newsdemocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/web1_boys-all-tourney-team.jpgNamed to the 2018 Brown County Holiday Classic Boys’ All-Tournament Team were, from the left, Noah Pack (Georgetown), Bowen Doane (Fayetteville), Marcus Hamilton (Eastern), and Titus Burns (Eastern, MVP). Not present at picture time was Zyon Tull (Western Brown). By Wade Linville/The Brown County Press

By Jared MacDonald

Champion Media