JOSH OLUTAYO

BAYTOWN – Kilgore College pushed top-seeded, No. 2 nationally-ranked Trinity Valley to the limit here Thursday, but the Cardinals rallied for a 72-69 win over the Rangers in double overtime in the second round of the Region XIV Conference Basketball Tournament at Lee College.

Trinity Valley improves to 29-2 with the win and will take on either Blinn or Lee in the semifinals at 6 p.m. on Friday.

The Rangers end the season with a 15-17 record.

Kilgore led by 13 points (25-12) in the first half, but the Cardinals battled back to cut the deficit to a bucket (31-29) at halftime and built a 12-point lead of their own in the second half.

The Rangers trailed 57-53 late in regulation play when Cahmai Crosby got a steal and knocked down a 3-pointer to make it a 57-56 contest. After a TVCC rebound and bucket made it a 59-56 contest with 1:18 to play, KC’s Josh Olutayo slammed one home to again make it a one-point game at 59-58.

Crosby missed a jumper, but Olutayo got the rebound, drew a foul and hit one of two free throws with 13 seconds remaining to tie things at 59-59.

TVCC missed a shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime, and the Rangers took a 63-59 lead with a free throw by Jonathan Byrd and two freebies from Olutayo.

Back-to-back TVCC hoops tied things at 63-63, and the Cardinals got a couple of free throws with 48 seconds left to go in front 65-63.

Crosby was later fouled on a 3-point try with .4 seconds remaining, hitting two of three to tie the game at 65-65 and force a second overtime.

KC never led in the second overtime, but two free throws by Olutayo with 2:29 to play tied things at 67-67.

The Cardinals took the lead for good with 1:20 left on a 3-pointer by Garrett Nuckolls, a former standout at Bullard High School and LaPoynor High School, and after Crosby drove the lane for a layup with 1:03 left to cut the deficit to 70-69, Zati Loubaki sank two free throws with 4.4 seconds remaining to put the Cardinals in front 72-69.

Crosby’s shot at the buzzer wouldn’t fall, and the Cardinals held on for the win.

Crosby finished with 28 points, seven rebounds, two assists and five steals in his last game as a Ranger. Olutayo had nine points and 13 rebounds, Bryson Holmes nine points, Kaiden Myers eight points, six rebounds and four assists, Nekabari Mii seven points, Byrd three points, three rebounds and four assists, Savod Godwin three points and two blocks and Ty Hurndon two points, five rebounds and four blocks.

M.J. Warlow had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Trinity Valley. Cameron Williams added 12 points and eight rebounds. Tyler Smith finished with 10 points, Loubaki 10 points and five rebounds, Nuckolls nine points, Charles Outlaw six points, Camarion Johnson four points and Isaac Hymes, Mouhamed Mbaye and Derrell Bateman two points apiece.