At the end of the fourth quarter on Dec. 17, the score was tied 38-38, sending the Cards boys basketball team into overtime against the Mt. Vernon Marauders. Fans were cheering all around the fieldhouse, but some had the bad feeling of déjà vu. 

The last time the Cards had a tie and went into overtime, it was against the Ben Davis Giants, and they ended up losing. But this time, the Cards were determined to win. For the four minutes of overtime, both teams were fighting hard.

In the last two minutes of overtime, senior Keyon Miller took a shot from the three-point line. It went right into the net and put the Cards up. After that shot, the Cards played enough defense that the Marauders weren’t able to make another shot, making the final score 44-41. 

“I just let it go, and when (the shot) went in, it felt good,” Miller said

A lot of hard work went into the win, but what made the game was the Cards’ defense. It wasn’t the cleanest game, but they boys pulled themselves together enough to come out on top.

“I feel like we got a win, which I’m very happy about,” head coach Eric Brand said. “But we definitely didn’t play our best basketball.” 

Even if it was a sloppy game, the Cards had some incredible moments. Not only did Miller make the three to win the game, he also made a buzzer beating three at half-time to put the Cards up 21-19. 

Senior AJ Dancler led the team with 20 points, while fellow senior Nickens Lemba had two dunks, and Miller ended the game with 12 points as well. All three contributed greatly to the win. 

The game was also different since Mt. Vernon starts three freshmen, while the Cards start all seniors. The game mostly came down to experience and time spent playing together. 

This win has the Cards overall record at 5-2. This start to the season has been a good one, and the rest of their season is looking positive. 

“I believe in our guys,” Brand says. “This group has grinded and we’ve won a lot of close games. I have faith for the rest of the season.”