After a poor start to this year’s campaign Oatlands finally got their first win of the season, defeating Glasgow Eagles 76-75 in a thrilling overtime victory.The win marks the first victory in 12 games for Oatlands who have struggled to compete this year. Last night they needed every minute of the clock.
Getting off to a good start, Oatlands started strong, going up 3-0 early doors. However the lead didn’t last long as the Eagles quickly tied and raced off taking the lead, It was a high scoring first quarter with the Eagles soaring ahead to take the quarter 27-20.
Despite being down 7 points Oatlands were able to keep their composure and reduce the gap early in the 2nd. Oatlands came close to evening up the game throughout the quarter, but the Eagles managed to keep Oatlands at bay in a low scoring second quarter, which Oatlands won 13-11 reducing the gap to 5 pts by the half.
With their first win in their grasp Oatlands were looking determined to close the gap and mid-way through the third tied the game at 40. A bucket by Lukas Galminas gave Oatlands their first lead of the game, but it wasn’t a lead that would last as The Eagles, William Whitehead, knocked down a big three to take the lead back again. The rest of the quarter remained a back and forth between the two sides. By the end of the third the score was 51-50 to the Eagles as Oatlands won the period 17-13.
Into the 4th quarter saw the Eagles put the defensive clamps on Oatlands as they remained scoreless for the first half of the 4th whilst the Eagles stretched their lead to 9 points. It appeared Oatlands were dead in the water. However, in a surprising twist, mid-way through the 4th Oatlands went on a 12-0 run driven by Lukas Galminas. A big 3 by Scott Deatcher put Oatlands up by a point and another bucket by Galminas gave Oatlands a 62-59 lead forcing the Eagles to take a timeout. Oatlands Stretched their lead to 5 points, but was short lived as the Eagles pulled back to within a point. With 23 seconds left on the clock, Oatlands had possession. With only one team foul for the Eagles, Oatlands tactic was to run the clock down, but a turnover at 10 seconds forced the Eagles into a fastbreak situation. A heroic effort by Galminas fouled Stuart Miller of the Eagles preventing them from taking the lead, but in doing so Galminas picked up a severe foot injury with 5 seconds to go.
Miller went to the line, missing the first free throw and scoring the second. The ball was inbounded, time ran out and the game went into overtime as the game closed at 66 points each.
Oatlands would have to do it without their top scorer in overtime. Galminas had picked up 26 points in regulation, but was out of the game due to injury. Overtime was a tense back and forth affair with neither team achieving the upper hand and both teams racking up a number of team fouls. Into the final minute when the score was tied, Satas Kopcius of the Eagles went to the line and split a pair of free throws putting the visiting team up by a point. With their final possession of the game, Oatlands Igor Ksenzov scored to put Oatlands up by a point with 5 seconds to go.
It was a last chance effort for the Eagles as they drove the ball up the court and managed to find an open shot at the baseline, but it fell short and Oatlands won their first game of the year.
With 4 games to go this win has kept their hopes of staving off relegation alive. Next match is against Ayr Storm who are sitting one win ahead of Oatlands and will be a game that they will need to win to help stave off relegation.