Whitefield Academy's 'resiliency' key in win over OT win over Mount Paran

Whitefield Academy head coach Greg Blythe (center) talks with team during timeout versus Mount Paran

With four regular season games remaining, three of them region matchups, the Whitefield Academy Wolfpack boys basketball team picked up a key region victory over the Mount Paran Eagles helping them secure their third straight win and improve to 13-8 overall 8-4 in the region standings.

While the Wolfpack would come out, victorious, Friday night's win did not come easy as they would need overtime to secure the 79-73 win. As the game got underway, the Wolfpack opened up on a 13-3 run in the first-quarter and would close out the period with a 19-9 lead. However, Mount Paran's Shane Goines would help propel a 7-0 run to open the second quarter and Mount Paran would tie the game at 19 all and eventually take a 26-24 lead

But it would be Whitefield closing out the quarter on a 9-2, run to take a 33-28 lead into the lock room at halftime. In the third quarter, the Eagles would get within two points as they trailed 46-44 midway through the period but the Wolfpack would once again be able to string together another run, closing out the period outscoring Mount Paran 12-2 to take a 58- 46 lead into the fourth quarter.

As the final period of the play got underway, a 12-0 run by the Eagles would lead to them tying the game once again at 58 all and then over the next few possessions, they would take a 65-60 lead, however Whitefield Academy would storm back to get within one trailing, 65-64 with less than a minute to go in the game.

And then a key turning point in which the Wolfpack's Ian Kelly would draw a foul with 12 seconds to go in the game, sending him to the free throw line with the chance to give the Wolfpack the lead however Kelly would miss on the front end of his free throw attempts, but would make good on the second attempt to tie the game 65 all forcing over time.

In the overtime period there would be a couple of lead changes, however, the Wolfpack after taking a 75-73, lead off of a Kelly, 2-point basket, would go on to pick up the 79-73 win with Kelly, finishing with 31 points, a team-high for the Wolf Pack. Meanwhile, Goines finishing with the game-high 36 points for Mount Paran.

"I just loved their resiliency," Whitefield Academy head coach, Greg Blythe, said following Friday's win as he credited his players for their efforts in maintaining their composure despite relinquishing double-digit leads multiple times in the game. "I just love when you have to respond with defense, toughness and rebounding, which we live by and we just got the stops necessary," Blythe said of his team's performance in the overtime win.

"We just needed some extra time to finally lock in and finish it out in overtime," Blythe continued, praising Mount Paran for how competitive they made Friday's game. "It's a Friday night battle that you want in region play in January. That's just what it's all about," Blythe said.

With Friday's win, Whitefield Academy remains within striking distance of fourth place in the region standings, with their region tournament fast approaching. The Wolfpack returns to action on Tuesday when they host King's Ridge in another region showdown.