By Brad Greer

The North Delta boys basketball team saw its season come to an end  with a 65-57 loss to Hebron Christian in quarter final action of the North A State Tournament Thursday at Delta Academy.

The Eagles advanced to the semi-final round Friday after they were defeated by Tunica 64-50. Despite the loss, Hebron qualified for State A Tournament that began Monday in Brandon. North Delta meanwhile finished the year with a 14-13 record.

Both battled tooth-and-nail throughout the game as Hebron took a 44-40 lead into the final period. Will Watkins’ three-pointer with 7:00 remaining gave the Eagles a 49-40 lead only to have North Delta close the margin to 49-45 on  a Bateman Greenlee three-point play and Taylor Herron’s layup with 3:40 showing on the clock. Hebron answered with a pair of free throws from Ben Little and Carlton to make the score 55-49 at the 2:08 mark.

After the Green Wave pulled within three at 54-51, Justin Jones canned a huge three-pointer to make the score 57-51 at the 1:42 mark. North Delta then missed three shots at point blank range with 1:07 left that would have whittled the deficit to four points.

Then with less than a minute remaining, Jones scored on a layup to give the Eagles a 62-53 lead. Jo Jo Pearson iced the game with a pair of free throws to put Hebron up 65-55 with 14 seconds left. Jim Tom Copeland scored the Waves’ final points on a put-back of a Corbin Baker missed three-pointer.

Herron led North Delta offensively with 17 points.  Tres Brassell followed with 12 while Copeland and Bryan Nickle each had 10 points.

Baker and Greenlee added three points each with Geri Lamm rounding out the scoring with a basket. Little led Hebron with 21 points.

Statistically North Delta shot 42 percent from floor while Hebron was slightly better at 46 percent. The Eagles won the game at the free throw line as they connected on 17-of-19 shots from the stripe while the Green Wave were seven-of-nine.

Little’s pair of free throws with five seconds remaining gave the Eagles a 18-11 lead after the first period. The lead quickly expanded to 24-14 before consecutive baskets by Brassell made it a six point game. Later in the stanza, Brassell’s two free throws with 1:55 left before intermission cut Hebron’s lead to 28-26. But with less than 20 seconds remaining in the half, Little drilled a 15-footer to give the Eagles a 30-28 halftime lead.