Oyster River boys basketball beats Pembroke in overtime to reach D2 title game (video)

DURHAM – Max Lewis couldn’t stop himself from shaking.

The junior stood at the free throw line with his Oyster River High School boys basketball team trailing Pembroke by one point with 3.9 seconds left in Monday’s Division II semifinal.

Lewis was about to shoot the front end of a one-and-one and tried to settle himself down, but when he heard the Bobcats’ fans and his teammates cheer him on, he was able to relax.

Both free throws were good and a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Pembroke’s Noah Cummings hit the rim and bounced off, giving No. 7 Oyster River a 58-57 overtime win over the No. 3 Spartans at the University of New Hampshire. The win sends the Bobcats (15-6) to the championship game for the first time since 1996, when the Bobcats won the second of back-to-back Class I titles.

"We knew it would be a close game," Lewis said. "I didn’t think it was going to be that crazy."

The craziness was the game's nine ties and 12 lead changes, the last of which came on the two free throws by Lewis, who also scored to send the game into overtime.

"I think I’ve dreamt about it a few times," Oyster River coach Lorne Lucas said. "I think I’ve had some dreams where we win it like that. I would have loved a 20-point win. They were ready, our kids were ready and we battled and came out at the end. That shows their character and determination for it all."

Lewis finished with 18 points and five rebounds while Kyle Landrigan also had 18 points and eight rebounds, as both players scored 16 of their points each in the second half and overtime. Brennen Oxford added 10 points and eight boards and got the assist on the game-tying basket by Lewis.

Jacob Sherman led Pembroke (16-5) with 18 points, 16 of which came in the second half, including a 3-pointer that gave the Spartans a 57-56 lead in the final seconds. Noah Cummings added 14 points and six assists and Sean Menard was also in double figures with 11 points.

Oyster River started fast, jumping out to a 6-0 lead just two minutes in, thanks in part to turnovers on Pembroke’s first four possessions. The Bobcats’ lead was five, 12-7, at the end of the quarter and it stayed that way for almost three minutes to start the second, as both teams struggled to hang on to the ball.

Back-to-back baskets by Cummings cut the Oyster River lead to one, and after Landrigan answered for the Bobcats, baskets by Sherman and Menard put the Spartans up 15-14.

The lead didn’t last long, as Oxford scored to put Oyster River back in front and Tyler McKenna hit two free throws to make it 18-15. But Pembroke scored the final five points of the half, going up 20-18 on a layup by Cummings in the final seconds of the half.

"We were definitely very frustrated," Lewis said. "We knew we had a lot of stuff we could improve on, but knew there was stuff we were doing well. Coach did a good job calling us out and we executed in the second half."

It didn't happen right away, though, as Pembroke went on an 11-5 run to take a 38-31 lead with 1:27 left in the third. Landrigan answered with a jump shot, and after a Spartans turnover, Lewis hit a 3 to make it a two-point game going into the fourth.

"I told them they had to slow down," Lucas said. "We’ve got to execute. We hit a 3, go it to four, had a couple of stops and got ourselves back in the game. I knew they had it in them, so I wasn’t going to panic."

Landrigan tied the game 13 seconds into the final quarter and then hit a jumper to give Oyster River the lead, but Sherman answered with a 3-pointer (he was 4 of 8 on the night) to give Pembroke a 41-40 lead. Landrigan hit a 3 of his own to make it a two-point game, and the lead was still two when Cummings scored to it at 46 with about a minute to play.

The Spartans got the ball back and Cummings hit a jumper in the lane with under five seconds left to give Pembroke a 48-46 lead. Oyster River called a timeout with three seconds to go, got the ball to half court and took another timeout to set up a final play.

Oxford, who will play baseball for Wake Forest next year, threw a pass from half court to the baseline, where Lewis had broken free.

"I had enough time to make one dribble and go up with it," he said. "I clutched it and just tried to throw it up off the top of the backboard and I did."

The Bobcats got the lead in overtime, but a 3 by Menard put Pembroke up 53-52 and the Spartans had a chance for more. But a steal by Lewis led to two free throws that put Oyster River back in front and Landrigan scored for a 56-53 lead.

Cummings was fouled at the other end with 40.2 seconds left and made the first free throw, but missed the second and the Bobcats got the rebound. But Oyster River turned the ball over, and after a timeout, Sherman hit a 3 with under 10 seconds to play to put Pembroke back up by one.

Lewis took the inbounds pass and tried to get to half court to call a timeout, but was fouled by Brandon Linscott with 3.9 seconds to go and went to the line for a one-and-one.

"When I was standing on the line, I was shaking, I was so nervous," he said. "Then I heard the fans and my bench get up and cheer me on, and I relaxed immediately."

He made both to give Oyster River the lead, and after the Spartans rushed down the floor, Cummings 3-point attempt at the buzzer was short.

"We’ve had an incredible year," Lewis said. "No body expected us to come out and do this after having two wins last season. We worked hard in the offseason and came together as a team and I’m so happy."