CONWAY — Tim Boyd’s basket with 25 seconds left in the second overtime gave the Conway Wampus Cats a 65-64 victory over the Mills Comets on Friday.
Conway (5-3) led by as many as 21 points in the first half, but a barrage of threepointers brought Mills back. In the second overtime, Devin Campbell’s putback gave the Comets a 64-63 lead with 52 seconds left. The Wampus Cats turned to Boyd, who penetrated into the lane and scored the game-winner.
“We wanted to run our offense and penetrate,” Conway Coach James Bates said. “He was looking for Justin [Leon] on the baseline if the help rotated over, and he was able to sidestep it and get to the rim. He’s got a knack for hitting shots at the end.”
Mills’ Cornelius Jurden got a good look with five seconds left, but the shot would not fall. The rebound caromed out to midcourt, where Conway’s AJ Burton emerged with possession as time expired.
Kaylon Tappin scored 42 points for Mills, including five three-pointers. His threepointer at the end of the third quarter got the Comets within 39-30. After Campbell hit backto-back three-pointers late in regulation, Tappin’s threepointer pulled Mills within one point.
Trey Sample then made a steal and passed to Brandon Hansberry for a basket and Mills’ first lead. Tappin had a chance to win it in regulation, but made just 1 of 2 free throws with four seconds left.
Conway led by four points in the first overtime before three-pointers by Campbell and Tappin brought Mills back. Adrian Moore scored with six seconds left to force the second overtime. Moore also had a key three-point play in the second extra period, scoring inside after grabbing an offensive rebound.
“We were fortunate to be in the second [overtime], and could have been not in the first one, either,” Bates said. “We played really well in the first half. We told them [Mills] was going to make a run. When they started making shots, it fueled the run for them. But our kids bounced back and got the win.”
Mills (4-5) looked out of the game after a dismal first half, scoring just five points in each of the first two quarters.
The Comets also racked up 14 fouls, sending the Wampus Cats to the free-throw line 21 times as Conway built a 31-10 lead. Conway scored the game’s first seven points, and Mills did not score until 3:13 remained in the first quarter.
Boyd led the way for Conway with 24 points, while Justin Leon added 14 and Moore had 13. Campbell contributed 15 for the Comets.
Sports, Pages 24 on 12/15/2012