Fatigue was setting in, and the pressure was mounting on Esko and East Grand Forks as time ticked off the clock in overtime Wednesday at Williams Arena. Shots in the Class 2A quarterfinal game were starting to come up short, both from the field and free-throw line.

Esko senior forward Kory Deadrick figured the best solution was go hard to the basket. His three-point play with 1:42 remaining in the extra session would give the Eskomos (27-3) the lead for good at 54-51. 

“My shots weren’t dropping, so I figured I would take it hard to hole, and was fouled, too,” Deadrick said. “Luckily, my shot fell, and I made my free throw.”

Each team made three free throws before Esko turned the ball over with 10 seconds remaining. The Green Wave (20-10) missed two three-pointers in the final seven seconds, the last coming at the buzzer.

“We were lucky to get out of here with a win,” said Deadrick, who led the Eskomos with 24 points but was only 2-for-6 from the free-throw line. He missed three free throws in overtime and the front end of a 1-and-1 toward the end of regulation.

“You have to make your free throws down the stretch,'' Deadrick said. "It would’ve been really bad if we would’ve lost because of those free throws.”

East Grand Forks tied it at 51-all on Jim Warmack’s three-pointer with 13 seconds remaining in regulation. Esko missed a desperation halfcourt shot at the buzzer. Warmack also scored 24 points.

“He was really physical, and tough,” Deadrick said. “It was a good back-and-forth battle.”

RON HAGGSTROM