The JV boys basketball team welcomed in the New Year with a thrilling 53 to 50 overtime victory against a well-coached and tenacious Williston squad. Both teams had spans of effective play in the opening minutes, trying to establish control of the game, but neither team was able to hold off the other for very long. Williston was particularly successful from behind the three-point arc and we went into the halftime break down 24 to 26. We made some adjustments to keep better track of their shooters but the second half went much the same with both teams scraping and fighting for each possession and basket. The regular time result (47-47) was a fair reflection of both teams’ efforts over the regulation 32 minutes. In the five-minute overtime we just seemed to have a little bit more gas left in our tanks and were able to hold Williston to three points over the 5 minutes, only scoring 6 ourselves. All in all, it was a good, tough game to begin the real heart of the season. Leading our scorers today, Crawford Rice tossed in 14 points, and Tommy Leimkuhler added 12, getting four vital points in the overtime. These two players shared game ball recognition not just for their scoring but also for their defense, rebounding, hustle and overall smart play. We’re looking forward to getting back to the practice floor on Monday to prepare for a big game against Pioneer Valley rivals Northfield Mount Hermon on Wednesday.