Sports
Eastview Boys Basketball Nabs Overtime Victory Against Apple Valley
The Lightning and Eagles hit shot for shot near the game's beginning, but the Lightning pulled out a 50-44 win.
Friday's boys basketball matchup between rivals Apple Valley and Eastview couldn't be resolved in regulation. But after overtime at Eastview High School, the Lightning emerged victorious over the Eagles, 50-44.
"It was too close, I think," said Eastview senior forward Frank Veldman. "We had [Apple Valley] for a while, then they made a run, but they are a good team and we will see them later on.”
The contest began steadily, the teams hitting shot for shot. By halftime, the game was split by only two points.
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The Lightning struck quickly as the second half began, pushing to a 10-point lead. Eastview, led by Veldman, seemed to see a sure victory.
But as the end of the game approached, the Eagles fought back. With fewer than five minutes they were back within reach, and tied down to the final minute. As the final regulation shot bounced around the rim and out, the buzzer sounded and the game went to overtime.
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A defensive battle ensued during overtime, with neither team scoring for the first three minutes. Finally, Eastview junior guard Darin Haugh shot the tie-breaking three-pointer to put the Lightning ahead of the Eagles, 47-44.
As time depleted, the Eagles had no choice but to foul. The Eagles' last offensive pushes were unsuccessful and couldn't keep the Lightning from winning the game.
Veldman was the Lightning's leading scorer in the game, with 14 points.
“I played a lot more aggressive than I have before; maybe it's playing the guys that I know,” Veldman said. “It's definitely nice to beat the crosstown rivals."
Eastview senior guard Shane McSparron also scored nine points in the victory Friday.
Eagles' senior forward Tom Schalk, back on the court after missing three games with injury, played impressively, scoring 22 points in the contest. Apple Valley senior forward Josh Johnson scored 10.
“[Apple Valley] has a big piece of their puzzle missing, so we were able to speed them up and we got some easy baskets in transition,” said Eastview coach Mark Gerber. “It feels very good. It’s always nice to win and it’s a conference W.”
The Lightning is at Aquinas on Saturday, and its next conference game is 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Rosemount. The Eagles host Eagan at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday.
