Franklin County falls in triple overtime

After digging themselves a double-digit hole in the first half, the Seahawks fought back to tie the game in regulation, and then battle through three overtimes against Blountstown Thursday night at the Nest.

But they coiuldn’t seal the win, missing too many free throws down the stretch in the third overtime period, and lost 73-709 to their district rivals.

After trailing by 10 after the first period, and by 11 at the half, the Seahawks put together a solid third quarter, outscoring the Tigers 22-16. 

With three minutes left in regulation, and trailing by nine, 51-42, senior Jeremiah Stephens hit a pair of free throws to slice the lead to seven.

With 1:24 left in the fourth quarter, junior Owen Poloronis  drove baseline and hit a reverse lay-up to bring it to a five-point deficit, 51-46.

The Tigers got two more on a bucket, but the Seahawks got three, when  sophomore Ethan Kembro hit from long ran ge to slice the deficit to four,. 53-49.

Blountstown missed a frew throw, and then Poloronis hit a three=pointer, to shave the margin to one, 53-52.

The Tigets hit a free throw, but Stephens, fouled outside the arc, hit two of his three chances  from the charity stripe, to know the game at 54-all and send it into overtime.

With senior Carter Kembro handling jump ball duties to open the first overtime period, the Blountstown player touched the ball twice in the center circle and the Seahawks had the ball. Stephen’s rocket pass to Poloronis underneath for the score, put the Seahawks up  two. Carter Kembro came out of nowhere on the next possession and upped the Hawk’s lead to four, 58-54.

But a Tiger trey made it a one-point game, and after Stephens sank both of his free throwsm it would have beena three-point game had the ref not waved off the second free throw because Stephens had stepped forward from behind the charity stripe.

Tiger sophomore Jordan Pride, fouled on a three-point try, missed all three of his chances, after Seahawk coach Ray Bailey called a timeout, Blountstown scored to knot the game at 59-all and force a second overtime.

Poloronis then fouled on a successful shot try, and he made the free throw, to build a 62-59 Franklin County head.

Pride then made one of two free throws, and the Seahawks clung to a 62-60 lead.

Stephens a made a pair of free throws to widen the lead to four, but the Tigers came back with a three-pointer,  and later a successful free throw to knot the game at 64.

Stephens sank one of two free throw tries to put the Seahawks out in front 65-64. After Poloronis missed both of his free throw shots,, P{ride, fouled with four seconds left, made the second of two  to tie the game at 65 and send it into a third overtime.

In this period, the Tigers made their free throws, and the Seahawks missed theirs, and so they fell behind 71-67  with less than 40 seconds left.

Stephens nailed his two chances at the fout line, but Blountstown made one of theirs, and so it was 72-69 withe the clock windiong down. 

Ethen Kembro sank one from the charity stripe, as did Pride, which made ikt 73-70 as the clock ran out.

Ethan KLembrow led the Seahawks with 20 points, which included six three-pointers. Poloronis added 17, Stephens 16, Carter Kembro 11 and senior Jamal Robinson seven.

The Tigers’ record rose to 8-3, and the Seahawks’ fell to 6-12.