BARBERTON — When the game is on the line, the Heartland Christian boys basketball team has all the faith in junior Collin Kalaher.

“He’s our guy,” Heartland coach Josh Scott said. “These kids know to get the ball in his hands. I’m sure the other teams know by now.”

Kalaher scored a game-high 24 points in leading the Lions past Fairport Harding, 63-59, in a Division VII regional semifinal Tuesday at Barberton High School.

“If teams don’t know it by now,” Kalaher said. “We were trying to get the ball in my hands. But I also pass the ball. If a play opens up for someone else, I’m going to get it to them.”

Kalaher collected five points and two assists in a frantic fourth quarter in Heartland’s first-ever regional appearance.

Heartland improves to a school-best 22-4 on the season and gets a rematch against Jeromesville Hillsdale (19-7) in the regional championship game at 7 p.m. Friday in Barberton. The winner advances to the state semifinals. Hillsdale defeated Tiffin Calvert, 67-45, in Tuesday’s nightcap.

“I haven’t thought a lick about it,” Scott said. “We were so focused on this game.”

Hillsdale pounded Heartland, 73-54, in a district final last year.

Brody Conaway also was a key contributor for Heartland with 14 points. Corban Seutia added eight points and Jack Morgan eight.

Heartland played the Skippers last year, winning 69-66 in a district semifinal.

“That was the quickest team we’ve played,” Kalaher said. “They just don’t quit.”

Brothers Yomar and Jan Castellano gave the Lions fits, especially in the first half.Yomar scored 15 points, while Jan had two points and led the Skippers in assists.

Six-foot-3 junior Kam Leftwich, a transfer from Painesville Harvey, had 13 of his team-high 19 points in the first half. Ben Allen contributed 14 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.

The Skippers led by as many as six points in the first half and took a 37-33 halftime lead.

Heartland held Fairport Harding to 2-of-15 from the field in the third quarter and went on a 15-2 run to take a 48-41 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

A Kalaher layup put the Lions ahead 50-43 with 6 1/2 left in the game.

The Skippers tied the score at 54-54 on a Yomar Castellano three-pointer with 2:50 remaining.

Conaway hit a layup off a Kalaher assist, Seutia hit a basket in the lane and Isiaah Matthews had a layup from Kalaher as the Lions surged ahead 60-55 with 70 seconds to play.

Allen made two free throws after an offensive rebound and scored after another offensive rebound to trim the Heartland lead to 61-59 with 32 seconds left.

Heartland freshman Reagan Kalaher made two free throws with 3.2 seconds left to give the Lions a four-point lead.

“That was an emotional roller coaster,” Scott said.

“We’re making history one game at a time,” Kalaher said. “We’ve thought about this all year long.”