YOUNGSTOWN – With the Boardman Spartans leading by 16 points and only three and half minutes left, it appeared they had locked up a season-opening win over the Chaney Cowboys. The Cowboys, however, had other ideas.

The Spartans held off a ferocious comeback attempt by the Cowboys in those final three minutes to capture a tournament atmosphere-type game, 50-49, on the Cowboys’ home court. The Cowboys fall to 2-1 with the loss.

“It was a tournament atmosphere in game one on the road against a really talented Chaney team,” Spartans coach Patrick Birch said. “I wasn’t disappointed by how we played down the stretch; I thought we did what we needed to do. We couldn’t have scripted it any better and on we go.”

“It was awesome and exciting,” Spartans senior forward Trey DePietro stated. “I hope every game is like this. It was super fun. This gives us momentum because Chaney is such a good team, a first win like this is a great way to start the season.”

“With a young team, you have these (types) of things. We have been stagnant on offense all year. So we have to get better at that,” Cowboys coach Marlon McGaughy remarked.

The Spartans led 49-33 at the 3:29 mark of the final period when the Cowboys went on an 11-0 run, powered by senior guard Isaiah Williams scoring 6 of his game-high 17 points in the next two and half minutes to cut the deficit to five at 49-44.

The Spartans Trey DePietro connected on a free throw with just 57 ticks remaining to make it 50-44 before the Cowboys’ Cameron Sly scored a basket at the 45-second mark, followed by a three-pointer by D’Juan Holcomb with only 14 seconds remaining.

“I told them when we were down by fifteen that we just have to fight back whether we win, lose or draw. We have to push the ball and let the chips fall where they may,” McGaughy said.

DiPietro missed an ensuing free throw, but the Cowboys turned the ball over with 3 seconds remaining. Another missed free throw by DePietro and a three-quarter court hail-mary shot by Waller at the buzzer were offline to preserve the Spartans’ victory.

“I wish I made those free throws at the end,” DePietro admitted. “It was a little frustrating, but I’m glad we pulled out the win. It was awesome to get the atmosphere of basketball back again.”

“Free throws, obviously it’s hard to duplicate the pressure,” Birch added. “I think those guys will learn from it, and those were exactly the guys we want shooting them at the end of a game. They are going to make them next time. Bottom line.”

The Spartans held a 13-11 lead at the end of the first quarter and carried an 11-point, 29-18 lead into the locker rooms at halftime. They continued to keep the Cowboys at bay as they increased their advantage to 12 points, 38-26, late in the third quarter. The Cowboys would keep battling as they closed the gap to 38-30 at the end of the frame.

“We just had too many turnovers and missed free throws. We were bad on defense tonight, so there are things we can clean up,” McGaughy said.

The Spartans started to pull away again in the fourth quarter as DePietro connected on two free throws early in the period to make it 42-30 with 6:04 left in the game. Seth Cervello drained a three at the 3:57 mark to make it 47-33, followed by a put-back by Nico Holischuh with 3:29 remaining to make it 49-33 before the Cowboys’ late surge.

“We have been on both sides of this over the years. It’s a lot better to be on the 1-point winning side than the other side. We have had three games against them in the past two years and we get to battle them again in a week. It’s going to be a challenge,” Birch remarked about playing Chaney again next Saturday at home.

The Spartans will take the momentum from the victory into their home opener against Tallmadge on Tuesday. The Cowboys will also be back in action on Tuesday when they host Warren Harding.

sports@vindy.com