MANCHESTER - The Burr and Burton boys basketball team seems to have a knack of playing in closely contested games.
After falling 70-68 in double overtime on Thursday to Mount St. Joseph, the Bulldogs once again found themselves in a one-possession game, this time against Otter Valley.
BBA was definitely happier with this result, pulling out a 53-50 win over the Otters.
Facing a two-point deficit at the half, Burr and Burton erupted for 23 points in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs brought the energy to start the second half. A 17-7 run was capped off by a two-handed slam in transition by Trevor Greene with 2:51 to play in the third quarter.
The dunk got BBA’s bench on its feet and forced an Otter Valley timeout.
Greene was a big reason BBA secured the victory, with all nine of his points coming in the second half. He also blocked a handful of shots, using his size to disrupt Otter Valley from getting good looks in the paint.
But Otter Valley came out firing to start the fourth, rattling off seven unanswered points to regain the lead 42-41 with 6:23 left on the clock.
Greene hit a contested three a couple minutes later, as BBA retook the lead, 46-45.
Brandon Burns hit all four of his free throw attempts in the fourth quarter, including two with eight seconds left extending the Bulldogs lead to three.
Madox Mathews and Aldenio Garwood were steady contributors throughout. Mathews led the way with 13 points, while Garwood pitched in 12.
With BBA down one, Garwood secured an offensive rebound off a missed three with 1:08 left in the game and made the putback. That bucket gave BBA the lead, one they would not relinquish.
Otter Valley shot 9-for-25 from deep for the game, while BBA made 3-for-11 from behind the arc. The Otters needed a 10th to keep the game alive and Parker Todd had a chance to send the game to overtime with a contested three at the top of the key, but the shot didn't fall.
Parker was the game's leading scorer with 17 points, including 10 in the fourth.
The win brings BBA to 2-1 with a trip to Rutland scheduled for Thursday.