MELTON Thoroughbreds lasted longest in overtime to down Craigieburn Eagles by two points in Big V Basketball men’s division 2 on Saturday night.
The Thoroughbreds sit third on the ladder after improving to four wins and two losses with the 70-68 win at Craigieburn Leisure Centre.
With six seconds left in the game and the Thoroughbreds up by two points, Craigieburn passed the ball in from the sideline and over two stretched arms hit a miracle shot to tie the game.
Melton called a timeout for one more go at winning the game, but missed the final shot, sending the game into overtime.
Jason Christian made a tough shot off a drive to the basket with 30 seconds remaining in overtime, before Jordan Kirk kept his cool from the free-throw line after an unsportsmanlike foul as Craigieburn desperately tried to get the ball back.
Craigieburn finished the game with a buzzer beater but the two-score margin in the dying stages got Melton across the line.
With the Thoroughbred’s big men Shane Moroney, Peter Leppik and Matt Strutynski keeping out of foul trouble, it finally gave them the opportunity to show coach Aaron Christian what the team was capable of.
Moroney (16 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks), Strutynski (12, 14, four assists) and Kirk (18, six, three assists) were the production leaders.
Melton returns to its home court at Melton Indoor Recreation Centre on Saturday for a 7pm tip-off against Cranbourne (eighth, 3-3).
– with Sean Dixon
