Fort boys top Versailles in OT

FORT RECOVERY — In regulation, the Indians led for a grand total of one minute, 19 seconds.
In overtime, they never trailed.
Darien Sheffer’s free throws with one second left pulled the Fort Recovery High School basketball team even, and a Micaiah Cox hoop midway through the extra session put it ahead for good as it knocked off the Versailles Tigers in a battle of MAC frontrunners.
The Indians (8-2, 3-0 Midwest Athletic Conference) trailed by as many as 10 in the first half and led just once — 40-39 — midway through the fourth quarter. But they were able to keep Versailles (10-2, 4-1 MAC) within striking distance, trailing by just two after Alex Wendel split a pair of free throws with 15 seconds left.
And when Sheffer was fouled in the closing moments, he cashed in to tie the game.
The teams went almost two minutes without scoring in overtime before Cox took an assist from Caleb Martin and gave the Indians a 48-46 lead. Versailles would pull to within one twice, but was never able to pull ahead as Cox and Wes Wenning added field goals and Matt Bihn hit a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left.
Cox’s double-double — 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 12 rebounds — powered the Indians, who finished tied for 19th in the voting in the first Division VI Associated Press poll of the season this week. They have won three straight since falling 69-56 Jan. 2 to top-ranked Lincolnview.
Martin and Sheffer joined Cox in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively, and Bihn added seven. Point guard Brandon “Speedy” Schoen totaled game highs of six assists and five steals.
The Tribe won despite shooting 31 percent in the first half.
Versailles got 12 points apiece from Keaton and Brett McEldowney. J.S. Ahrens added 10 points and a team-best seven rebounds.
First-quarter struggles doomed the junior varsity team in a 40-30 loss. Ryan Braun had nine points for the Indians, who trailed 15-5 after the opening quarter and shot just 19 percent from the field in the first half.